English teaching by English songs 英文歌曲对英语教学的意义 14页

AbstractSinceEnglishsongshaveapositiveeffectonEnglishlearning.Itcanhelpcreatearelaxingatmosphere,increaselearners’interestandbuilduplearners’confidence.Additionally,Englishsongisanimportantroleinhelpingwithcorrectingthepronunciation,rememberingandaccumulatingvocabulary,learningforeignculture,anddevelopingsensitivitytoEnglish.Sothispaperbringsforthastrategy,thatis,toteachEnglishbyEnglishsongs.KeyWords:Englishteaching;Englishsongs摘要英文歌曲对英语学习有着很大的帮助，它不仅能够创造一种轻松愉快的气氛，而且还有利于提高学习者的兴趣，增强学习者的信心，从而促进英语学习。另外，英文歌曲可以帮助矫正英语语音，牢记和积累大量词汇，学习外国文化和培养英语语感等等，而这些方面都对英语能力的提高起着很大的促进作用。因此，本文提出了一个策略，即充分利用英文歌曲教英语。关键词：英语教学；英文歌曲12 Contents1.Introduction12.Positiveeffectsofmusic……………………………………………………………..13.SomeconnectionsbetweenmusicandEnglishlearning………………………………..…….......14.SomeadvantagesofEnglishsongs………………………………………………………………..24.1Englishsongscanarouseinterestandheightenconfidence…………………..24.2Englishsongscanstrengthenmemoryandaccumulatelanguagematerials…...34.3Englishsongsaregoodforlearningpronunciationandrhythm…………….....44.4Englishsongsaregoodforstudentstocontrollinggrammar………………......54.5Englishsongsareasourceofauralinput……………………………………...64.6Englishsongscontainamountsofcomprehensivelanguageknowledge………64.7Englishsongscarryrichforeignculture………………………………………..75.ThemethodologyofusingEnglishsongstoteachEnglish…………………………...85.1.TheselectionprinciplesofEnglishsongs……………………………………...95.2ThestepsofteachingEnglishsongs…………………………………………...106.Conclusion……………………………………………………………………………11References……………………………………………………………………………..…1212 1.IntroductionAttheverybeginningofhumansociety,whentherewasabigharvestorwhiletheywereworking,laboringpeopleexpressedtheirhappiness,anger,griefandjoybymeansoftalkingandsingingintheirownlanguage.Thelanguagelaterbecametheearliestsimplefolktune.Withtherapiddevelopmentofhumansociety,thiskindoflanguagearthadbeenimprovedalot,andithadbeendevelopedintosongs.Nowsongswingreatpopularityamongpeople.Asweallknow,mostpeoplelovemusicandlovesongs.ThenwhynottakeadvantageofEnglishsongstoteachEnglish?2.PositiveeffectsofmusicMusic,asoneoftheoldestformsofart,hasmanypositiveeffects.Itiscloselyrelatedtopeoples’life.Firstmusicisagreatlanguagepackagethatbundlesculture,vocabulary,listening,grammarandahostofotherlanguageskills.Second,musicnotonlycancontroltherhythmofhumanbody,butalsohasadirectinfluenceonhumanbrain.Musiccancheerupaperson,makeapersonfullofhighspirit,andevenbringoutaperson’sactivemood.SoitcanhelpthebrainmemorizethingsmorequicklyandhelptokeepthemforamuchlongertimeThethird,asDuanRuiling(1997)evermentionedthat“students’bigattainmentinmusic,orhighmusicintelligence,hasapositiveinfluenceontheirpronunciation.”3.SomeconnectionsbetweenmusicandEnglishlearningMusicandlanguagehavesomefeaturesincommon.Suchasstress,tone,pausesandrhyme.Soundsaretherootsofbothmusicandspeech.Bothofthemarefromtheprocessof12 sounds,andareusedbytheirauthorsorspeakerstoconveyamessage.BesidemusichasagreatpositiveeffectonthedevelopmentofEnglishskills.“Thehigherone’smusicintelligenceis,themoresenseofrhythmofspokenEnglishhehas.AccordingtoFonsecaMora(2000)”,musicnatureoflanguageinfluencesanEnglishlearner’spronunciationandeventhewholeprocessofhisEnglishstudy.Additionally,therelationshipbetweenlisteningandspeakingcannotbeignored.Languageinputcomesbeforelanguageoutput.Listeningisaprocessofinformationinput.Whilespeakingisaprocessofinformationoutput.Inotherwords,musicisakindoflanguageinputwhichhelpsthelearnertostoreandconveyallkindsofinformation.4SomeadvantagesofEnglishsongs4.1EnglishsongscanarouseinterestandheightenconfidenceEveryonelikessongs.Englishsongsareenjoyableandattractivebecauseoftheiraffectivepower.Songscancreateanatmospherethatmakespeoplefeelrelaxed.So,thestudentswillnotfeelsoanxiousorshytospeakEnglishastheyareattractedbytheinterestingmusic.Asweknowinterestisthebestguide.Whenstudentsfeelenjoyable,theirinterestcanbeeasilystimulated.Ifinthecourseoflearning,teachersteachsomesongswithpartofthelanguagerules,thestudentswillparticipateinsingingactively,thereforethiskindofactivitywouldhelpthestudentstomemorizethelanguagematerials.BysingingEnglishsongs,theinteresttolearnEnglishisaroused.AtthesametimeifthosewhoarelearningEnglishcansinginEnglish,theywillhavethefeelingofsuccess.ThissuccessisjustthemotivationtolearnEnglishanddrivethemtolearnmore.Itcanalsorisestudents’confidence.12 WhenteachersfindsomestudentsarelackingoftheconfidencetospeakEnglishloudly,teacherscanusethismethodtoletthesestudentssingEnglishsongsandtoencouragethemtospeakoutEnglishbravely.Thustheconfidenceofthestudentswouldbemoreeasilyheightened.4.2Englishsongscanstrengthenmemoryandaccumulatelanguagematerials.Inthelanguagelearningalotofknowledgeneedtoberememberedspecially.Itwilltakealotoftimetoreadandrecitemechanically.Aftersometime,theknowledgewillallbeforgotten.Ifwewritesongswiththeselanguagerulesorchoosesuitablesongs,wewillfinditiseasytoremember.Thelanguageinthesongsmaybenotwrittenforparticularlanguagelearning.ButitprovidesmorechancesforthestudentstocontactwithEnglish.ThemoreEnglishknowledgetheycontact,thebettertheirspokenEnglishis.Whenstudentslearnthewordsorlanguagepointsinasong,thewordsorlanguagepointswillbeveryeasiertoberememberedfortheyappearintheirbrainsagain.Intherevisionlesson,wecanstrengthenstudents’memorybysingingsongsandtheywillsummarizelanguageregularity.Besides,singingEnglishsongsisthecourseofaccumulatinglanguagematerials.Theylearnwords,phrasesandallkindsofexpressionsfromsongs.Inpeople’sdailylifesongsaremorenaturalthanlanguage;songslikecancomeintopeople’sheartsquietlyandnaturallyandaccompanypeople’slives.Whenstudentslistentomoresongstheywillspeakorsingoutwithoutthinkingandusethesewords,phrasesandexpressionsfluently.Moreoverthelanguagelearningfromthesongswillnotbeforgotten.Andeventhesesongswillaccompanystudents’lives.Withtheimprovementoflanguagelevel,theywillunderstandthelyricsandmasterthelanguagenaturally.Hereisanotherexample:12 Asisknowntoall,theUnitedStateshasfifty-twostates,andmanyofthenamesofthesestatesarenotsoeasytopronounceaccuratelyandrememberwell.WhileSusanNipp’ssongTheUnitedStatescangivesomehelpbecauseitcontainsallofthefifty-twostatesinthelyric:“TheUnitedStates,theUnitedStates,IlovemycountrytheUnitedStates,There’sAlabama,Alaska,Arizona,Arkansas,California,Colorado,ConnecticutandDelaware,Florida,Georgia,Hawaii,andIdaho,Illinois,Indiana,IowaandKansas,Kentucky,Louisiana,Maine,Maryland,Massachusetts,Michigan,Minnesota,Mississippi,Missouri…”Assongsarealwaysfullofemotionsandrhythm,singingaloudwiththehelpofthemelodyandthemusicalityoflanguageisusefulformemorizingwords.4.3Englishsongsaregoodforlearningpronunciationandrhythm.ListeningtoandsingingEnglishsongsasmoreaspossiblecontributesmuchtolearningaccuratepronunciation,intonationandrhythmofspokenEnglish.FromEnglishsongs,wecangetlotsofphoneticknowledge,suchas,changeoflengthofvowels,pausesplosives,loseofplosives,soundlinking,weak-forms,assimilation,stress,rhythmandsoon.Linguisticresearcheshavealreadyshownthateverylanguagehasitsownintonationandrhythmic.AccordingtoFonsecaMora,musicandlanguagehavecommonfeatures;theyarestress,tone,pausesandrhythm.HereisasimplesongCome`and`See`My`Familyinwhichsoundlinkingisreflected.“Come`and`see`my`family,︶`Under`the`old`apple`tree!︶12 `This`is`my`father.`Howdoyoudo?︶`Sit`down`and`have`a`cup`of`tea`with`me.”︶︶Inthissong,thetechniqueofsoundlinkingissoobviousthatwecanmakeuseofittoachievefluencythatisanimportantfactorinspokenEnglish.4.4EnglishsongsaregoodforstudentstocontrolgrammarInEnglishteaching,grammarisanimportantpartandthestudentssometimesfeelboredtolearngrammar.Soifteacherscancombinesomegrammarprincipleswithsongs,itwouldbeagoodwayforthestudentstoidentifyandremembertheprinciples.TakethisEnglishsong“yoursandmine”forexample:“Lookataroundandyouwillsee,Allthethingsbelongtoyouandme.Lookaroundandyouwillfind,Thiswholeworldisyoursandit’smine.Everybird,everyflower,everytree,theyallbelongtoyouandme.”Fromthissongstudentsshouldunderstandhowtouse“me,you,mineandyours.Andthesewordsalsocanbechangedtothem,theirs,himhis,her,hers,andsoon.Thenthestudentscanuseallofthem.12 4.5EnglishsongsareasourceofauralinputEnglishsongsareakindofespeciallygoodlisteningmaterial.ComparedwithsomeEnglishtestlisteningmaterials,theyaremoreinteresting,motivating,attractiveandunforgettable.Theyareneverdull.Asismentionedinthispaper,listeningiscloselyrelatedtospeaking,andmorelanguageinputishelpfulformoreeffectivelanguageoutput.ListeningtoEnglishsongsasoftenaspossibleisinsomewaygoodfortheimprovementofspeakingability.4.6EnglishsongscontainamountsofcomprehensivelanguageknowledgeEnglishsongscontainalotoflanguageknowledge.Thismainlyreflectsinwords,phrases,idioms,expressions,sentencepatterns,andalsospokengrammar.Actually,spokenlanguageisnotmerelyavariantof“correct”writtenforms.InspokenEnglish,wecanfindthewidespreadutilizationofellipsis.Forexample,wecanoftenhearsentencesinEnglishsongslike“Don’tknowwhy,don’tknowwhy…”whichhasnosubject.Thesubject(maybe“I”)isleftouthere.Thiskindofellipsisphenomenonoccursfrequentlyinoralcommunication.Asweknow,inEnglishstudy,therearesomanywords,expressions,andevenrulesofspokengrammartorememberandthentousefreelyandcorrectly;andusuallytheyseemtobesodullordifficult.Inspiteofthis,foreffectiveoralcommunication,itisstillquitenecessarytomasterasmanyaspossible.ThenlearningEnglishsongsmaybeanotbadchoice,becauselyricsofEnglishsongscontainalargevocabulary,sentencepatternsandspokengrammar.12 Besides,wordsinEnglishsongsareoftensimpleandvivid,andmostofthemarethoseusedindailylifeofthewesternpeople.Lastbutnottheleast,aslyricembodiesthedevelopmentofsociety,wecangetnewwordsandexpressionseasilyandquickly.Newwordsoftencomealongwiththeprogressingofsociety.Somewordsaregivenmoremeaningsoranentirelydifferentmeaning;somearenotusedanymoreorareusedjustonafewspecialoccasions.Asnewagebringsnewthings,bylearningpopsongs,wewillbeabletogetthenewestandmostmodernwordsandexpressions.4.7EnglishsongscarryrichforeigncultureIntroducingsongsintolanguagelearninghasincomparableeffectsinintroducingsocialbackgroundsandculturesofEnglishspeakingcountries.“AsLaroysaid,‘songsareaverytraditionallearningaid.Learningthroughsongscanactuallybedescribedasbeingverynatural.Thisnaturalnessisdemonstratedbythefactthatinallculturessingingsongshasalwaysbeenoneofthemostwidespreadwaysforchildrentolearn.Songshavealwaysaccompaniedimportanteventsinlifeandhavetransmittedagooddealoftraditionalculture…”ManyEnglishsongshaveexistedforalongtime,theycantellusmuchinformationaboutthecultureofacountryandthehistory.SpeakinggoodEnglishneedssomebackgroundknowledgeofEnglish-speakingcountries.TaketheEnglishsongsSilentNightHolyNightforexample:“Roundyoungvirginmotherandchild!”“Shepherdsquakeatthesight!”“ChristtheSaviorisborn!”“Jesus,Lord,atThybirth.”Allthesesentencestellusthefamousforeignholiday---ChristmasDay.Fromthissong,wecanlearnmanyusefulwordsaboutChristmassuchas“VirginMother”,”shepherds”,“Christthe12 Savior”,“Jesus”,etc..Sowecanrememberallofthemeasilyandkeeptheminmindforalongtime.InthesongDanceCarol,thereissuchasentence:“EasterwouldcomewhenChristmasisdoneiflent…”Fromthissentence,wecanknowtheholiday---Easter,andtheimportantknowledge:EastercomesafterChristmas.Thuswecanrememberthisveryeasilyandkeepitinmindforalongtime.FromanothersongRain,Rain,GoAway,wecanlearnthatthespecialgeographicalpositionofEnglandleadstolargeamountsofrainfallandchangeableweather.So,theEnglishgreeteachotherlikethis,“Lovelyday,isn’tit?”Onceweknowaboutthis,whenwegreetpeopleinEnglishwewillneversaylikeChinese,“Haveyoueaten?”or“Whereareyougoing?”.Therefore,tospeakmoreauthenticEnglish,wehavetoknowmuchaboutwesternculture,whichcanhelptoavoidmakingstupidmistakesinrealcommunicationwiththeWesternpeople.5.ThemethodologyofusingEnglishsongstoteachEnglish5.1TheselectionprinciplesofEnglishsongsInmodernworld,musiciseverywhere;songsareavailablealmosteverywhere.SoitisveryeasytotouchEnglishsongs.WhenweuseEnglishsongstoserveteaching.WeshouldpayattentiontosomeaspectsFirst,thelyricsshouldconnectwiththecontentofteaching.Forexample,whenweteach12 theEnglishnumber,thesong“tenlittleIndians”wouldbethebestchoice.Second,choosingsongsshouldaccordtothecharacterofageandpsychologyoflearners.OnlywhenwechoosesongsbythinkingaboutthesefactorscanthelearnersreceivethegreatachievementinEnglishlearning.Teachersshouldchoosethesongsaccordingtothestudents’Englishlevel.SomeEnglishsongsarelongerandmoredifficult,whichisnotgoodforlowlevellearners.Likechildren’ssongsColorsoftheWind,MyGoldenSun,MyLittleTable,etc.isgoodforchildrentolearn.AndsongslikeEyesonMe,YesterdayOnceMore,BigBigWorld,etc.isgoodforadultstolearn.Thirdly,teachingEnglishsongsshouldbetimelyandintherightquantity.Inaddition,teachingsongsshouldhavedistinctaims,aftersingingasongthestudentswouldknowwhatlanguagepointtheycanlearnfromthesong.Forexamplethesong“Headandshoulders”isagoodexample.Thelyricsare:“headandshoulders,kneesandtoes,kneesandstoes.Eyesandearsandmouthandnose,headandshoulderskneesandtoes,kneesandtoes.”Afterlearningthissongthestudentsshouldunderstandwhatacountablenounisandwhatisanuncountablenoun.Sotheaimoflearningisobvious.5.2ThestepsofteachingEnglishsongsForEnglishteachers,EnglishsongsarealsoaverygoodaidofhelpingstudentstoimprovetheirEnglishability.Teacherscanusedifferentteachingaidslike:thetaperecorder,thecomputerandetc.toteachthenewsong.Beforeteachingthesongteachercouldasksomequestionsaccordingtothelyricssuchas:“Whatwordscanyouhearfromthesong?”“Whatisthethemeofthesong?”.“Whathappenedtothepeople?”Teachersalsoshouldgivestudents12 somebackgroundinformationaboutthesongwhichwouldhelpstudentstounderstandthesong.HereintroducesomestepsofteachingEnglishsongs.Thestepsare:Step1.Listenforthefirsttimeandtrytothinkaboutthethemeofthesong.Step2.Listenforthesecondtimeandthirdtime,trytomakeouteverywordandphraseaswellaspossible.Andatthesametimepayattentiontowordpronunciationandsoundlinking.Step3.Theforthtime,lookingatthelyricofthesongandthistimefocusontherhythm,especiallythewordsthatstressfallson.Step4.SingthesongbyfollowingthetapeorMTV;andlearntherhythm.Step5.Readoutaloudthewholelyric,andespeciallypaymuchattentiontosomegoodwords,phrasesandsentencesandtrytolearnthembyheart.Step6.Singthesongwithfullpassionassimilartotheoriginalsingingaspossibleandtrytosingthewholesongcorrectlyandfluently.Step7.Evaluateorretellthesong;expressinnerfeelingsorintroducethesongtoothers.ThesestepsabovearesuggestedmainlyforimprovingEnglishpronunciation,tomasterEnglishrhythm,andthentoimprovespokenEnglish.Butinordertomakemoreprogress,largeamountsoflistening,imitatingandpracticingisneeded.12 6.ConclusionFromabove,Englishsongsplayanimportantroleinmemorizing,pronunciation.AndIthelpsarouselearners’interest.IthasagreateffectonthedevelopmentofEnglishskills.UsingEnglishsongstoenhanceEnglishskillscanbeagoodchoice.VariousthemesandrichbackgroundknowledgeinEnglishsongsofferagoodsourceforlearningEnglish.Alsosongsenrichstudents’knowledgeaboutEnglishspeakingcountries,suchasthehistory,cultureandtheirvalue.Therefore,itisaneffectivewaytomakeuseofEnglishsongstogetridofstudents’“Chineseaccent”.WithEnglishsongsasateachingaid,thelearnerswillbeabletoimprovetheirEnglish.Andit’sakindembodimentofteachers’comprehensiveteachingskills.12 References1．赵颖、李爱华.音乐和英语单词记忆[J].大学英语，2003，6，P402．FonsecaMora.Foreignlanguageacquisitionandmelodysinging[C].ELTJournal54,2000,2,P1504．裴正薇.音乐智力对英语听说的影响[J].西安外国语学院学报，2004年第12卷，第3期，P375．石兰.英语口语节奏分析[J].江苏教育学院学报（社会科学版），2001年第17卷，第3期，P896．苏玉洁.英文歌曲教学与英语口语的提高[J].温州师范学院学报，2003年24卷，第3期，P897．AlanDuan如何有效地学习英语口语[J].新东方英语，2005，6，P408．朱华明.百唱不厌英文歌曲[M].四川人民出版社，1998，P15712