Popular Song Lyrics As A Flexible Teaching Tool

This Classroom 2.0 The Book chapter can be dowloaded here...

http://www.scribd.com/doc/98582264/John-Chase-Popular-Song-Lyrics-a...

Activity Summary

A cross curricular media literacy curriculum involving the use and study of popular song lyrics. This student-centered instructional strategy is suitable for all students grades 5-12. It is especially useful and effective for at-risk and disadvantaged students who may be struggling with the new learning standards and standardized assessments. Lyric-based learning activities and multimedia projects engage students while helping them to develop higher order listening, reading, thinking, and writing skills they need to be prepared for the new assessments.

Additional activities, links, and resources along with a gallery/archive of song-inspired student works including; essays, poems, media projects, drawings and posters can be found here...

http://www.learningfromlyrics.org/

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Permalink Reply by Joel Josephson on July 9, 2012 at 2:13am

The European Union funded project is also using Popular music as a tool for motivating students, in this case for language learning.

Website: http://www.popullar.eu/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/PopuLLar-Music-and-Language-Learning...

Here is the blurb from the project:

PopuLLar is a European Union, funded, innovative, education project designed to harness music, the primary social interest of secondary school students, in to their language learning. There is a huge need to motivate secondary school students, in particular, to learn languages, focus digital competencies and be creative; and music is the key.
The project will ask students to write their own lyrics to songs of their choice. They will then translate their songs in to the target language they are learning, The students will then record their song (audio or video) and share it with students all over Europe.

Students will be able to combine their love of music, with creativity, literacy, digital competencies, group collaboration and, most importantly, use LWULT languages. PopuLLar is a project that is 'Owned' by the students, they work autonomously and collaboratively, teachers are guides to the project process.

Joel

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Permalink Reply by Johnathan Chase on July 9, 2012 at 5:04am

Interesting program, thanks very much for the link Joel.

I will post and share it in my Learning from Lyrics Facebook group...

https://www.facebook.com/groups/71704526084/

Here is a collection of student and teacher created PSA videos using popular music soundtracks...

http://www.youtube.com/user/getwhatugive

For 10th Anniversary of 9/11...Tribute Movement and Volunteerism videos...

http://www.edmestoncentralschool.net//uploads/jchase/911mediaprojec...

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Permalink Reply by Ruchita Parat on July 9, 2012 at 10:46am

As a kid i would always remember the lyrics of songs and never my academics. And as kids we always thought that if songs were what we would have to study we would ace the class. This is a dream come true. lol. To see that lyrics are actually used for learning. I am sure the kids are going to enjoy this method and this will help them remember better and learn faster.