Songs & Feelings with Gayle, Shawn Mendes, Alec Benjamin & Calum Scott [Teaching With Songs B1/B2]

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The place to find Creativity, Inspiration, Teaching Ideas and Resources to bring Musical Innovation to your English Language Teaching Practice!

So, here we go with the first post of 2022! o/

OBS: Expect a new post every Thursday from now on!

Description:

This song-based STEP-BY-STEP LESSON PLAN for ENGLISH language TEACHING features song extracts for Rise by Calum Scott; Older by Alec Benjamin; It’ll be Okay by Shawn Mendes and Abcdefu by Gayle . Students TALK about songs and feelings, Listen to 4 song extracts and talk about how the feelings they evoke, describe photographs and read about young people’s problems, work in pairs and chose songs for them to listen to get better, optionally, they write an email giving advice.

OBS: This lesson plan was made for ONLINE TEACHING, but it can be modified for face-to-face instruction, as well.

Language level: B1/B2
Learner type: All ages
Skills: speaking, reading, listening and writing
Topic: feelings & music; giving advice
Materials: song extracts.mp3; genial.ly presentation
Duration: 50 min - 1 hour
Download your free teaching resources: instructions.pdf; song extracts.mp3

CHECK OUT THE VIDEO VERSION OF THIS POST!

STEP-BY-STEP LESSON PLAN

Step 1 (5 min)

slide 01 – genial.ly presentation LINK

Show slide one and check to see if everybody knows the meaning of the words by asking students to explain and give examples.

Hopeful – angry – happy – sad – depressed – curious – energetic – inspired – touched -Focused – distracted – bored

Ask “How does music usually make you feel? Explain

Step 2 (10 min)

Tell them they’re going to Listen to 4 song extracts. They must not worry about understanding the words, just how they feel as they listen to them. As they listen, they must write down their impressions. Tell them to use the list of feelings in step one to help them describe how the songs make them feel. Do they like what they hear? (melody, rhythm, beat, etc.)

Procedure: Play the first song extract and have students share their impressions and if they recognized the song and/ or the singer; Then play the second and do the same. Play the third and fourth and follow the same procedure.

Step 3 (7 min)

slide 02. Have different students describe the photographs and read the captions.

Step 4 (10 min)

Ask students to say which situation is the worst in their opinion and why. Ask other students if they agree or disagree and explain their points of view. Have a mini discussion.

Step 5 (5 min)

Tell students they are going to be “musical counselors”. Tell them you’re going to play the three music extracts again, and this time, they must imagine which one would make the person feel better and write down their first ideas.

Example: Erica – song 2, Elton song 3 (obs. they can choose the same song more than once)

Step 6 (10 min)

In pairs (breakout rooms), have students share their ideas and come to an agreement on which song would be good for which person and why.

Step 7 (7 min)

Back to the main room, have the pairs share their answers and have a mini discussion.

Step 8 (optional)

It can also be done as homework. Students write an email to one of the people giving them advice about their situation. About 100 – 120 words. (or 140 – 190 words).

This song-based lesson plan is sure to spice-up your classes! However, would you like to think, feel and act more creatively on your own to be able to turn ANY song you want into an engaging lesson plan?
HERE are TIME-SAVING ideas that do the heavy work so you can focus on the most important: INSPIRING and MOTIVATING YOUR STUDENTS to learn CREATIVELY!