What is it about music that helps boost your English skills, confidence and pronunciation? A song can provide an emotional connection between the music and the listener, providing learners with new ways to express their feelings. Music and rhythm have also been shown to benefit memorization, which is a key component of learning.
Here are some of our favorite lyrics to some of our favorite songs:
The Beatles are the best band to help you learn English. There are many Beatles songs with catchy melodies and simple lyrics, but Blackbird captures the Fab Four at their most poetic:
Blackbird singing in the dead of night
Take these broken wings and learn to fly
All your life
You were only waiting for this moment to arise
This song is a great way to help learn the days of the week (that may be obvious). Love is also a very popular English word, so this one is for all the romantics out there.
Always take a big bite
It¡¯s such a gorgeous sight
To see you eat in the middle of the night
Another one for the lovers, Ed¡¯s heartfelt lyrics are huge in the mainstream pop charts. Here, he tells the sweet story of long-time love in this ballad and he¡¯s becoming one of the world¡¯s most sought-after songwriters.
Take me into your loving arms
Kiss me under the light of a thousand stars
Place your head on my beating heart
This classic from Morrissey and co was voted runner-up in VH1¡¯s Top Lyrics poll, for the lyrics: So you go and you stand on your own, and you leave on your own, and you go home and you cry and you want to die¡¯ but it¡¯s the opening lines of the song that are the most intriguing. Firstly, they¡¯re adapted from George Eliot¡¯s novel Middlemarch and include some rather clever double meanings ¨C namely ¡®son¡¯ (sun) and ¡®heir¡¯ (air).
I am the son
And the heir
Of a shyness that is criminally vulgar
This was Neil Young¡¯s only number-one hit single from 1972¡¯s Harvest album. He uses simple lyrics and melodies to tell his story of searching for true love.
I¡¯ve been in my mind
It¡¯s such a fine line
That keeps me searchin¡¯ for a heart of gold
And I¡¯m gettin¡¯ old
U2 is the second-best band to help you learn English and frontman Bono is the second-best male artist to help you learn (edged out by Justin Timberlake). The chorus was inspired by a moment during a performance in New York City, when Bono saw the audience lit up and shouted, ¡°Oh, you look so beautiful tonight!¡±
And I miss you when you¡¯re not around
I¡¯m getting ready to leave the ground
Oh you look so beautiful tonight
In the city of blinding lights
These lyrics are a good use of repetition and rhyme, which is excellent for helping memorization. Most people consider this a love song, but that¡¯s a common mistake. In 1983, Sting was interviewed for New Musical Express and explained: ¡°I think it¡¯s a nasty little song, really rather evil. It¡¯s about jealousy and surveillance and ownership.¡±
Every move you make and every vow you break
Every smile you fake, every claim you stake, I¡¯ll be watching you
Every move you make, every step you take, I¡¯ll be watching you
Dylan¡¯s whimsical, poetic lyrics might be difficult for an English language learner to interpret, but that doesn¡¯t mean they¡¯re not a pleasure to listen and sing along to.
Hey! Mr Tambourine Man, play a song for me
I¡¯m not sleepy and there is no place I¡¯m going to
Hey! Mr Tambourine Man, play a song for me
In the jingle jangle morning I¡¯ll come followin¡¯ you
This song takes you through the daily goings-on in a typical household in the 80s. This song has been around for a while now but is a story that most people can still connect with. This is an excellent song for understanding the concept of nostalgia!
I remember way back then when
everything was true and when
we would have such a very good time
such a fine time
Sadly, Otis Redding lost his life in a plane crash shortly after this song was recorded, and it was released after his death. His lyrics are quite reflective, provoking both contentment and sadness. You can really imagine yourself sitting on the dock with his simple yet descriptive words.
Sittin¡¯ in the morning sun
I¡¯ll be sittin¡¯ when the evening comes
Watching the ships roll in
Then I watch them roll away again
No list of standout turns of phrase would be complete without Leonard Cohen, a man whose songwriting process is so painstaking he¡¯ll often spend years on the same song. When quizzed on his process, Cohen once said it often took so long because, ¡°After a while, if you stick with the song long enough it will yield.¡± It¡¯s interesting to note then that, even for a master of the English language, the words don¡¯t always come easily. Everybody Knows remains a firm favorite among fans, with the majority of lines starting with the words ¡®Everybody knows¡¡¯ It¡¯s a lengthy song, but for the sheer beauty of its words and phrasing, the opening lines are a highlight:
Everybody knows that the dice are loaded
Everybody rolls with their fingers crossed
Everybody knows that the war is over
Everybody knows that the good guys lost
As demographic shifts and technological advancements reshape the global workforce, the gap between the skills people have and the skills they need continues to widen. This "skills chasm" is particularly evident in language learning, where traditional education systems often fail to keep pace with the demands of the modern economy.
With the continuous evolution of AI tools, it has become more critical to incorporate AI into our teaching practices. AI has the transformative power to improve our teaching methods, tailor learning experiences, and increase student engagement.
To give you a taste of our webinar 'Teaching in the age of AI: 7 tips for preparing for an educational evolution'. We'll cover seven tips designed to prepare you for an educational evolution with AI.
The first step in integrating AI into your teaching practice is deciding your approach. Are you an AI methodologist who practices based on theory or an AI experimentalist who develops theory based on practice? Both paths are valid, but it's crucial to choose one to avoid inertia. Understanding AI's basics and experimenting with different tools will help you find your footing.
AI should be seen as a thought partner and assistant, not a replacement. Use AI to enhance your creativity and efficiency. For example, if you're stuck on creating a warm-up activity, ask AI for ideas. Treat AI as a helpful assistant to handle tasks you find time-consuming or less enjoyable, allowing you to focus on what you love about teaching.
Understanding AI's capabilities and limitations is essential. AI learns from the data we provide, so it's crucial to feed it accurate and relevant information. Developing empathy for AI means understanding how it processes information and how to give clear instructions to get the best results.
AI can help cover all aspects of language learning, including:
Move beyond simple substitution and augmentation of tasks with AI. Aim for modification and redefinition of your teaching methods. For instance, use AI to create interactive and personalized learning experiences that were previously unimaginable.
AI offers new teaching possibilities that break away from traditional constraints. Embrace these opportunities to redefine your pedagogy. Think about what is now possible with AI that wasn't before and how you can leverage these capabilities to enhance learning.
Use AI to develop formative assessments that provide continuous feedback. These assessments should help students understand their progress and guide you in improving your teaching strategies. AI can generate rubrics, provide instant feedback, and help track student performance over time.
To help you integrate AI into your teaching practice, here are some practical tips and challenges:
1. Experiment with AI tools: Find tools for creating text, audio, images, and video. Create activities using these tools to see how they can enhance your lessons.
2. Develop custom AI applications: Create custom GPTs for specific tasks, such as generating rubrics or formative assessments.
3. Engage students with AI: Design activities where students use AI to generate content, evaluate AI-generated work, and reflect on their learning process.
4. Focus on formative feedback: Use AI to provide continuous, formative feedback to students, helping them understand their strengths and areas for improvement.
Integrating AI into your teaching practice is not just about using new tools; it's about transforming your approach to education. By embracing AI, you can create more engaging, personalized, and effective learning experiences for your students. As you embark on this journey, remember that the goal is to enhance your teaching, not replace it. Embrace the challenges, experiment with new ideas, and let AI help you become the best educator you can be.
Ready to dive deeper into the world of AI in education? Watch our webinar, 'Teaching in the Age of AI: 7 Tips for Preparing for an Educational Evolution'. Discover how AI can augment teaching, personalize learning, and boost engagement. Delve into the AI-first pedagogy, ethical considerations and practical strategies to make your classroom more effective, engaging, and innovative.
Engaging in conversations, especially in a language that isn't your first, can sometimes be daunting. Whether English isn¡¯t your first language or you¡¯re just looking to improve your conversational skills, having a few handy phrases up your sleeve can make a world of difference. Here are seven essential phrases that can help you navigate conversations in English with greater ease and confidence.
