Question
Why is music especially suited to CLIL?
Answer
Music helps learners to develop acute listening skills, respond to the ranges in tone, pitch and expression in the voice and concentrate hard on details of pronunciation, stress and rhythm.
Singing helps children to memorise words and phrases and to develop familiarity with the sounds, rhythms and structure of English.
Music lessons offer three distinct sources of language input:
- general classroom management and language used for setting up musical activities
- the process of attaining the music aims leading to a performance, (sample classroom data, audience participation in rhythm games and use of home-made instruments)
- the actual words and phonological features of songs, rhymes, chants, musical stories, (audience participation and CD).
In addition, teachers can focus on specific language features and also further develop topic areas, broadening into cross curricular subjects
Above all, children enjoy making music and engage with the processes involved.
See Jane’s conference presentation slides Exeter 2008.
And if you have young learners, have a look at English Through Music