Sometimes you teach a lesson and it’s perfectly timed the first three times you teach it, but then one class of students will fly through it and you’re left with a few extra minutes before the bell rings.
Sometimes I have a few minutes of extra time and nothing prepared, I play a song that is related to the lesson or just a song that I know my students will enjoy (and maybe learn some English at the same time).
Here are a couple of songs I’ve discovered myself or learned about from my co-workers that work really well for my students in Korea.
- Any video by Dream English
For some reason, my kids love this guy, even the slightly older students. I think its his goofy smile and his awkward way of staring into the camera as he sings.
This particular video is great if you’re teaching daily routines. The channel is called Dream English Kids has lots of videos that you can choose from.
Something about these videos feels very nostalgic to me, like a PBS kids show from the early 2000’s (for those who don’t know, PBS kids is an American non-profit educational media brand).
2. Lemon Tree by Fools Garden
I had no idea this song was so popular in Korea. Even my kids who never speak in class can sing the chorus of this song entirely in English.
It has been rewritten into Korean and covered various times by different Korean artists over the years, so the song has sustained its popularity. Of course, I always play the original English song for my students.
3. Line Rider – Mountain King
This one doesn’t have any English, so I haven’t used it much, but it’s a good one to have in mind to use during a waiting period or whenever the occasion pops up. And the kids will lock in on this once it goes up on the screen.
4. Alphabet Dance
Tell me why my 3rd graders love this SO much?? They are always requesting this song, and they go all in on the dance moves too.
This is definitely better for younger students who haven’t learned what it means to be an overly self-conscious pre-teen yet. Not every student enjoys dancing, but the ones who do will dance to the fullest with no shame and make it fun for everyone in the classroom. It’s so great every time.
5. When I Get Old by CHUNG HA and Christopher
This is a good one for my 6th graders. They stop chatting so much and pay attention to the song lyrics, which is a welcome break for me. In this video, I like that the lyrics are in Korean and English because there are always some students who give up and stop listening if they see too much English on the screen, but the Korean translations help them out a bit more.
6. Puff the Magic Dragon by Peter, Paul and Mary
Another one that is a surprising hit with the kids. This is a classic song by one of the most influential folk-singing groups in American music history, so it’s not too surprising that it is still internationally recognized. But it was written in 1963, so it really is surprising that elementary students in Korea know of it too. Even if your students haven’t heard of it, they would probably still enjoy it because it’s just a nice, relaxing song. I use it for younger students when they need to chill out a little. This video has the lyrics in English and Korean!
It’s always interesting to me to see what lands with students, particularly my elementary students in Korea. Even if they would never watch these on their own time, they still enjoy seeing it in class. Having these videos ready to pull up from time to time has really saved my life as a teacher!
I wonder what other time-filler songs are popular among students here or around the world? Let me know if you happen to know.
Love,
B.
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