How To Engage English Language Students With Songs? Try Harry Styles!

DESCRIPTION:

This STEP-BY-STEP LESSON PLAN for ENGLISH language TEACHING features the song ‘Late Night Talking” by Harry Styles.

Students TALK about music, DESCRIBE and COMPARE photos and SAY WHY people are listening to music, READ short paragraphs of people talking about music, in pairs, DECIDE on words to complete the ideas, LISTEN to an audio to check, READ and CORRECT the lyrics, work in GROUPS to decide the right answers in a competition.

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, writing 
Topic: Music
Grammar: Verb tenses
Materials: Genially presentation, worksheet.pdf/ editable pdf worksheet
Duration: about 1 hour
Downloadable materials:  instructions.pdf, worksheet.pdf; editable pdf worksheet

Welcome to the Song Activity Factory! Here, we follow the rules of The Creative Jedi Code:

See below for other posts to Teach English Creatively With Songs:

STEP-BY-STEP LESSON PLAN

Step 1 (5 min)

Genially presentation link. Slide 1. Why do people listen to music? Have students answer and explain their ideas

Step 2 (5 min)

Slide 2. People listening to music in different situations (photos). Have several students describe the pictures. ask: Why are they listening to music? Why do you listen to music?

Note. You can use this slide to have some extra practice for Cambridge English: First and First Fors Schools Speaking Paper part 2, by having students choose 2 pictures and compare them.

Step 3 (7 min)

Slide 3. Students read about 4 people talking about music. Each text has a word missing. In pairs (breakout rooms), have students come up with a word that fits the gaps and also answer the question: Which person does not seem to like music?

Step 4 (5 min)

The pairs share their ideas. Do not give the answers, just have a mini discussion and ask other students if they agree or disagree and why.

Step 5 (3 min)

Slide 4. Play the audio for students to check. Students listen to the 4 people and check their answers. Ask students who they identify with the most and why.

See answers and tapescript in the instructions.pdf.

Step 6 (7 min)

Lyrics Worksheet. Grammar correction: verb tenses. Individually, have students correct the 6 errors in the verb tenses. GIve them some time to do it, but do not correct it now.

Note. There is a normal pdf worksheet and also an editable pdf worksheet your students can download and complete the exercise by typing directly on it. See the links in the description.

Step 7 (7 min)

Group Competition. Divide students into small groups (breakout rooms) to compare their answers and come to a final conclusion about the right corrections. Have students choose a captain to send you the answers via check box in the next step.

Step 8 (5 min)

As the captains send you the groups’ answers, award points to each right one. (but do not tell them who won yet!). Ask students if they recognize the song and/or singer.

Play the song for students to check. The group with more points is the winner!

Important note: the official music video for this song may not be appropriate for students, but you can watch it and draw your own conclusion.

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!