Workshop : English
for Teachers with PGRI (EFT)
Date : Tuesday,
December 7th, 2021
Resume : 3rd
Topic : Learning
English with Music and Song
Speaker : Urip Hifayat, S. Pd.
Moderator : Poppy
Meka, M. Pd.
"Experience is the best teacher." It is a very popular saying to express how important experience is to us, especially to remind us not to repeat mistakes in the same conditions. Therefore, today's third meeting, I must write my resume as soon as possible eventhough I haven't written the second one. Ha… ha ….
The third meeting was a special one for
me because it was very interesting and inspiring. It's about how to teach
English using music and songs. Here, I think not only an English teacher but
also other subject teachers should teach using songs. Why? Singing songs makes students
happy, so the material presented by the teacher can be easily understood
by students.
In this meeting, Pak Urip did brain
storming by asking if we liked singing, if we had ever sung together with
students in the classroom, how we attracted our students' attention, and how we taught
English with songs.
Then, Pak Urip explained the strategies
of teaching English with songs, gave the examples of children’s songs that he composed by himself, followed by singing them. For me, he is a skilled teacher in
teaching English to elementary students. I can imagine how happy his students were learning English with him.
In planning the use of songs in teaching English in the classroom, Pak Urip conveyed several tips. First, we must think carefully about the purpose of the lesson. It has to do with the parts of the language – vocabulary, structure, grammar, pronunciation, or a specific topic, etc. Next, think about the language level and age of our students. This is important in order to be able to choose songs that are suitable for students.
We should also think about specific cultural issues. In this case, we should consider whether the song is acceptable to the students in relation to their cultural background. Last, but not least, we should know types of media we can use to teach with songs. Maybe we can use MP3, CD, YouTube channel, etc.
There are some advantages of teaching English with songs. First, singing songs brings fun to students in learning English. Second, singing songs can activate students' brains and develop their behavior. The last, songs can also be used to teach parts of language – vocabulary, grammar, etc.
Pak Urip showed the strategy of teaching English without songs by asking some questions related to English grammar. Of course, that was not interesting. Then, participants were asked to sing their own song, and it’s very interesting. So, it's better for a teacher to teach English with song.
In giving songs to students, a teacher can find them from various sources, composed by the teacher himself, or by changing the lyrics of existing Indonesian songs that are familiar to our students into English. Then, it can be created as completing missing words, practicing pronouncing certain expressions, memorizing vocabularies, and some others.
In short, learning English with songs can be used for mastering listening, speaking, reading and writing altogether.
Thank you Pak Urip for the great meeting and material. Hopefully, not only English teachers but also other subject teachers can apply this good experience in teaching their students.
Pangkalpinang, 7 Desember 2021
Rosminiyati
