Karaoke to learn English? I thought it was Japanese?
December 29, 2008
Seriously! Karaoke is good for more than just drunken businessmen (and others) letting off steam. It can be a great way for language learners to practice and improve English language skills. The lyrics rhyme and are repeated, it comes with a written prompt, and the music helps to bring it all together. As Larry Ferlazzo says, singing is a lot less threatening to language learners than having a conversation (since it’s acceptable to hum through the parts you forget or don’t get).
So where to go? My two favorite sites are Sims on Stage. Both are easy to use and have a minimal registration process. You will need a microphone if you are recording your or your students’ singing, but you can just practice. You can find easy classics under the Kids category. My school does a monthly “sing-a-long” assembly. I had the kids practice singing “Jingle Bells” for this month’s show. -ALICE MERCER
All of these ideas are stolen come from Larry Ferlazzo and his great blog
Related Stuff:
Escuchen la One Semester of Spanish Love Song
Photo credit: tomasu.co.uk on Flickr
