Teaching English Using Nursery Rhymes and Songs Randy

Teaching English Using Nursery Rhymes and Songs Randy P. Lachney December 30 th 2009

Benefits of using Nursery Rhymes and Songs for Teaching English u Introduces cultural elements of the language. u Helps with pronunciation and literacy skills. u The format of nursery rhymes and songs is short, simple and predictive, making them easy to learn and repeat. u Nursery rhymes and songs are easy to find and cost efficient.

References Brown, J. (2006). Rhymes stories and songs in the ESL classroom. Internet TESL Journal, 8. u Gillespie, M. English pronunciation. Improving with Nursery Rhymes. Available online: http: //ezinearticles. com/? English. Pronunciation---Improving-With-Nursery. Rhymes&id=2976426 u Goswami, U & Bryant, P. (1990). Phonological Skills and Learning to Read. New York: Psychology Press, Ltd. u

Grammatical and Phonological Elements u Vocabulary u Intonation u Sentence Structure u Phonics- pre-school children who can identify the beginning and end sounds of a word find learning to read easier.

Peas Porridge Hot u Peas porridge hot, Peas porridge cold, Peas porridge in the pot Nine days old. Some like it hot, Some like it cold, Some like it in the pot Nine days old.

Phonics u Beginning and ending sounds- – Peas porridge hot, – Peas porridge cold, – Peas porridge in the pot – Nine days old. u Rhymes – Peas porridge hot, – Peas porridge cold, – Peas porridge in the pot – Nine days old.

Vocabulary u peas u porridge u pot u hot u cold u old

There was an old woman who lived in a shoe u There was an old woman, Who lived in a shoe; She had so many children, She didn't know what to do. She gave them some broth, Without any bread; She whipped them all soundly, And sent them to bed

Sentence Structure and Patterns u There was an old woman. u She had so many children. u She didn’t know what to do.

Teaching Elements of Nursery Rhymes u Repetition u Sentence Structure u Themes u Objectives and Goals

Themes Time- Hickory Dock u Weather and bugs-Itsy Bitsy Spider, Little Miss Muffet, It’s Raining, it’s Pouring u Cooking- Peas Porridge Hot, Pat- A -Cake u Counting-1, 2 Buckle my shoe, Ten Little Indians u Gardening and plants-Mary Quite Contrary u Animal Names-Hey Diddle, Little Bo Peep, Little Boy Blue u

Itsy Bitsy Spider by grade level u u 3 rd – phonics, rhyme patters, finger puppets, singing, coloring pages 4 th- - phonics, rhyme patterns, finger puppets, singing, drawing, weather (sun and rain) 5 th –phonics, rhyme patterns, puzzles (find the water spout), drawing, creative writing ( change some words in the song), role plays, weather, arts and crafts, recreate the scene through cut-outs and poster boards, Reader’s Theater 6 th – phonics, rhyme patterns, puzzles, weather, creative drawing and writing. Make a new song about the itsy bitsy spider, role plays, reader’s theater, weather (scenarios, what is there is a typhoon, what would the itsy bitsy spider do? )

Sample Lesson- It’s Bitsy Spider-3 rd Grade u u Goals – Students will use English to sing the song Itsy Bitsy Spider. Objectives– Students will repeat the words of the nursery rhyme with the teacher. – Students will sing the words of the nursery rhyme with the teacher. – Students will say the words to the song individually and in groups. – Students will sing the words to the song individually and in groups. – Students will learn the meaning to the following vocabulary words u Spider u Spout u Rain u Wash u Dry – Students will create spider puppets. – Students will recreate the nursery rhyme using the finger puppets they made.

Sample Lesson, cont’d u Materials – Nursery Rhyme – Computer and or CD Player – http: //www. youtube. com/watch? v=Cww Ub 978 l_c – Pencil and Paper – Colors and Markers – Construction paper – Spider Finger Puppet cut-outs

Spider

Spout

Finger Puppet Cut-outs http: //www. dltk-teach. com/t. asp? b=m&t=http: //www. dltkkids. com/members/images/bfingeritsybitsy. gif

Resources-Rhymes and Teaching Materials – www. zelo. com/family/nursery/ – http: //www 3. amherst. edu/~rjyanco 94/literatur e/mothergoose/rhymes/menu. html – http: //wwwpersonal. umich. edu/~pfa/dreamhouse/nursery /rhymes. html – www. mothergoose. com/ – http: //www. apples 4 theteacher. com/mothergoose-nursery-rhymes/

Resources- Books

Resources- Books u http: //www. amazon. com/s/ref=nb_s s? url=search-alias%3 Daps&fieldkeywords=mother+goose+books&x= 11&y=16

Resources- CD’s and songs

Resources- CD’s and Songs u http: //www. amazon. com/s/ref=nb_s sc_2_15? url=searchalias%3 Dpopular&fieldkeywords=mother+goose+cd&sprefi x=mother+goose+cd

Resources-Games

Resources- Games u http: //www. amazon. com/s/ref=nb_s s? url=search-alias%3 Dtoys-andgames&fieldkeywords=mother+goose&x=8&y=1 6

Teacher Practice-Directions u Six groups of teachers will be assigned a nursery rhyme and grade level and create a short lesson that includes the following: u Goals u Objectives u 3 activities u Short assessment

Teacher Practice-1 u Baa, black sheep, Have you any wool? Yes sir, yes sir, Three bags full; u One for my master, One for my dame, And one for the little boy That lives in our lane.

Teacher Practice-2 u Hickory, dock, The mouse ran up the clock. The clock struck one, The mouse ran down! Hickory, dock

Teacher Practice-3 u Little Miss Muffet Sat on a tuffet, Eating of curds and whey; There came a big spider, And sat down beside her, And frightened Miss Muffet away.

Questions and Comments

Thank you!!