CALL & music

I think music can be a very effective and intersting media to help students learn English in a more relaxing way.  Here are some songs that I’d like to share with you and they can be good for CALL lessons.

Suggested website:

 ELLLO:  English Language Listening Lab Online (lyric & songs)   http://www.elllo.org/english/Songs.htm

Comments: 

This website has lots of popular songs.  Students can follow the song easily as there is phrase by phrase lyrics display in each song.  Since the songs here are current and popular enough to motivate students to listen and learn the lyrics and songs,this website can facilitate autonomous learning in students.

Songs to share…

Trouble is a Friend by Lenka

Are you scared of “troubles”?  Are they inevitable in our lives?  How would you interpret “troubles” in front of your students?  Let’s watch this video before you give your answers.  I just love the atmosphere created in this song.

I’ve created a listening task for this song.  If you find it suitable for your students, you are welcome to use it and I would be glad to hear from you about your comments.

Click here for the gap-filling listening task: 

http://ihome.cuhk.edu.hk/~s0803018/cloze1.htm

Click here for the whole task

Would you define this as a CALL lesson?  Is it CALL enough?

Vincent by Don McLean

I am learning to paint now because I enjoy this unique world of expression in life.  To me, many famous painters are so rich in their emotional world that they have difficulties to get understanding from the real world.  Vincent Van Gogh was one of those.  Anyway, I like his paintings, they are so simple but powerfully expressive!  This song is actually one of my favourites.  Enjoy!

Ah, this video actually is a good demo of making digital stories.

Hero by Mariah Carey

This is a good song that can touch our hearts when we are at times of difficulties and start to question about our self-worth.  Enjoy!

By the way, this video also reminds us of the importance of proofreading!