Do you use songs or chants to teach? I’d love to hear about what you do. This past year I made up a few songs and chants to help my students remember grammar terminology. Let’s face it, to a 3^rd grade special education English language learner, the words progressive, possessive, and prepositions are hard to discern, especially when you have no prior knowledge of formal grammar in any language to link to the new words.

Songs and chants can really help English Language Learners develop background knowledge on words that are foreign to many native English speaking children. The difference between native speakers and language learners is that the natives know how things should sound; therefore they have prior knowledge to work with.  Once the songs or chants are taught, the English learners will use the rhythm and lyrics for background knowledge.

The chants and songs are done with hand and body movements. This summer I plan to create short videos that demonstrate the movements along with the phonetic typing chants. If you are interested in this type of teaching and learning, sign-up for the FREE Phonetic Typing tutorial and you will receive my video newsletter.

Prepositions

Pre   po  si  tions

Show the position

Anything the plane

Can do to the cloud

Over,

Under,

Around

Through

Possessive

I’m the first person and the book belongs to me

You are the second person and the book belongs to you

He is the third person, the book belongs to him

Song to the tune of “if you’re happy and you know it clap your hands”

Progressives

If you’re progressive and you know it clap your hands

If you’re progressive and you know it clap your hands

If you’re progressive and you know it then clapping really shows it

If you’re progressive and you know it clap your hands.

Substitute different action verbs and change them to progressive form for the third line of the song.