Songs for YLE

Practice paper 3:

Subject: English

Students: 6-7

Time: class around 60 minutes

Topic: Parts of the Body

Participants: Cielo Sampietro, Cavalotto Andres, Haag Sofia, Rainhart Jesica, Tamagni Gala

Song: Head, shoulders, knees and toes: www.youtube.com/watch?v=YBJ_-MyV2rU

Purposes:

Our purpose is to teach the vocabulary regarding parts of the body. Not only to make the students identify the meaning of the words but also to recognize every part on their own bodies through a song and activities that involve body language, pictures and games. We attempt to engage their curiosity and provoke participation in order to teach according to the student’s specific needs and skills. As they are children we expect to take advantage of their increased cognitive abilities at that age in order to teach new vocabulary.

Objectives:

Students will be able to:

• Identify parts of the body, name and pronounce using English.
• Make use of body enactment through TPR activities to remember and activate the new lexis learnt.
• Engage in singing a song in order to make English enjoyable.
• Play games in English to review, practise new lexis and structures learnt.

Activities:

·         First (and during the whole class) we will use our flashcards to introduce the tasks, they will be short, clear to the point and associated with icons. Firstly the children will be ask to watch the video and of course hear the song “Head, shoulders, knees and toes”. We believe this is a really useful tool as the video presents the vocabulary (lyrics) while a boy sings the song and marks every part of his body. This will be a great source to present them the vocabulary for the first time, with explicit references, repetition and motivation to sing and dance.

·         After the have seen the video once, we will provide them with the written lyrics but uncompleted. So, the video will be played a second time and stopped and discussed after every line in order to make the students complete the missing lines (most of them are key words presented on the video). We will check the words on the board so as no one misses the corrections, and they will be able to copy all the words.

·         It is important to say that we will be using all the time repetition and eye contact as well as nominate the students to achieve a fruitful rapport. After the presentation on the lyrics we will stick on the board a human silhouette named Simon, and next to it some body parts (mouth, eyes, ears), some students will have to come to the front, stick the correct body part on a suitable place and say it loud on the microphone (and the whole class too), at the same time we will be writing on the board the name for every part.

·         After introducing Simon and working with the vocabulary, we will use TPR by playing the song again and repeating it. By repeating it, we do not only mean to sing it but to make every student stand up and practice the choreography :).

·         Then, the children will be ask (through the flashcards) to draw the missing parts on a  mini silhouette provided to each one of them, write their names and colour them; this will sustain their motivation. We want to activate their senses, cognitive skills by motivating them with different activities that will keep the children focused and interested in order to achieve our aim as teachers, to make our students learn. So is crucial for young learners to be provided with activities that change throughout the class and with a balanced timing, they shouldn’t take too long or too little time.

·         Finally, we will make a review and finish the class by using TPR again, this time not a song but a game: Simon says. This will not be entirely new for the children, as Simon had been introduced before. We will ask them to form a big circle, explain the aim of the game and enjoy it together.

RESOURCES NEEDED:  

• Worksheets, photocopies, beamer, computer, loudspeakers, microphone, video on youtube or the file, flashcards, Simon’s silhouette and tape.