Questões de Concurso Público Prefeitura de Osasco - SP 2014 para Professor de Educação Básica II (PEB II), Deficiência Auditiva

Read text III and answer questions 60 to 70:

Text III

The use of music and songs in the EFL classroom

There are quite a lot of positive sides of learning English via

the medium music. First of all it is a very positive way of

learning English. Music is a part of our everyday life and

especially young people are very familiar with music. If the

5 teacher provides the possibility of a positive access to a new

topic, the kids will learn the new things easier and with more

fun and readiness. I am sure that the one or the other pupil

turns out to be a little “music-expert”. This can strengthen the

self-consciousness of students who are not so good at other

10 areas because now they have the opportunity to show what

they know about a special artist or band. Another pro of

teaching language by using songs and music is that it is

something different for the students – it is an alternation to

the common methods of language learning, because it is not

15 only interested in input. Learning with music speaks more than

other language-learning-methods to the audio-channel of the

learner, which has the positive effect of training listening and

comprehending language which is modified in terms of

intonation, pronunciation and articulation. Music in the

20 classroom can also be arranged in corporation with teachers of

other subjects, so that kids have the opportunity to use and

practise the new knowledge in more than one subject.

Teachers of English could not only work together with teachers

of music, but also with teachers of German, religion, ethics and

25 history. There is a variety of different thematic blocks which

can be taught with the help of songs, for example cultural or

social studies, to name only two areas.

However, using music and songs as a method of language

teaching can also have negative effects. Not every student likes

30 singing, acting or working with music and songs. Some find it

embarrassing and childish, especially older students. If the

majority of a class consists of students who feel like that about

working with music and songs in the classroom, the teacher

should be aware of the problem that it will be hard to motivate

35 the pupils. It can also be that some pupils protest and even

refuse to do several activities given by the teacher. […] Another

problem for teachers is the question of the right choice of

songs. Nowadays the kids are crazy about music which is called

“Death Metal”, “Hip Hop” or “Acid House”. So, many teachers

40 think that it is hard to fill the pupils of today with enthusiasm

by using Oldies.

Despite the fact that there are more positive effects of

learning a second language with songs and music than negative

ones, most teachers look at this method with mixed emotions.

45 Some are of the opinion that this is no real teaching and a

waste of time with some senseless activities. This is not true, of

course. Out of my own pupil-experience I can say that I have

learned quite a lot with the help of songs. I have acquired not

only a plenty of new words and vocabulary, but also several

50 idioms and many ways to express feelings.

(From http://www.grin.com/en/e-book/122444/the-use-of-music-and-songs-in-theefl-classroom)