Bess Contreras
| | Hi! I'm looking for advice about teaching music twice a week (for 30 mins each lesson) to ESL Kindergarteners. I don't share their first language and these are their first few weeks in school so thus far their English is quite limited. Here's what I've learned the last couple weeks: 1. Chairs are essential. 2. MOTIONS MOTIONS MOTION 3. repeat songs previously learned 4. songs with good, helpful vocab (vs. nonsense or just nursery rhyme songs) like head, shoulders, knees, and toes and counting songs
Any other suggestions? My resources are pretty limited, but I'm willing to be creative and try just about anything to stay in control of this rowdy bunch :)
Thanks!
~teachertraveller | | | 
Diane QuickOffering music appreciation lessons and music theory lessons in Federal Way, Washington | | Hi, I use a series called Classroom Music for Little Mozarts, it has a big book as well as a teacher's book and cd. There are more songs like what you are looking for, plus it teaches about music. One song is "Hi Sounds," where when music is high, your hands are up and on tiptoes and when you sing low sounds, the opposite. Then they also take a familiar song and change the words. There is a story using stuffed animals, and you surely can substitute a look alike. Check it out, at Alfred Publ. Or just find a Kind. book from Amazon or e-bay, get the teacher's edition. Just like one of the books used in schools. HOpe this helps, good luck. dq
On September 22, 2008 - 11:46 AM, Bess Contreras wrote :
> Hi! I'm looking for advice about teaching music twice a week (for 30 mins each lesson) to ESL Kindergarteners. I don't share their first language and these are their first few weeks in school so thus far their English is quite limited. Here's what I've learned the last couple weeks: 1. Chairs are essential. 2. MOTIONS MOTIONS MOTION 3. repeat songs previously learned 4. songs with good, helpful vocab (vs. nonsense or just nursery rhyme songs) like head, shoulders, knees, and toes and counting songs
>
> Any other suggestions? My resources are pretty limited, but I'm willing to be creative and try just about anything to stay in control of this rowdy bunch :)
>
> Thanks!
> ~teachertraveller | | | 
Shulamit KleinermanOffering violin lessons and vielle lessons in Seattle, Washington | | Hi Bess,
Sounds like you're doing all the right things. I don't have any ESL experience, but I did teach Spanish to English-speaking kids and used a lot of Spanish songs, using an immersion approach and never spelling out any translations.
Using gestures was key (and I find this true even when teaching non-ESL kids songs of any kind, but especially when there are old-fashioned or otherwise intimidating terms in the lyrics). Gives them another way to understand the words and the music, AND keeps the hands occupied! I find you can make up gestures for almost anything -- whether it's in reference to the words of the song or to the shape of the melody. It's just one more hook for the mind...
A great resource for kids' songs in general (but you probably know this already!) is John Feierabend -- he has maybe a dozen or more books of songs that he went around collecting from old people in nursing homes. They range from songs for babies to school-kid songs. There's a book of call-and-response songs -- which might be good for your kids? -- and I think there are chanting games, which might give you ideas for activities...?
Best of luck with this challenge!
shula
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