TEACHING VIETNAMESE

THROUGH SONGS
Dr. Trang Le
Vietnamese Language Program Coordinator
CSU Fullerton

THE USE OF SONGS IN TEACHING

+ During the Medieval period.
Songs: used to teach Latin. Through songs, students practiced pronunciation,
syllables, and intonation patterns.
Songs: an effective means to educate Christians and arouse their passion for
the religion.
(Kelly 1969)

+ In 1905: The British Educational Council suggested that not only English songs
but also German and French songs translated into English should be used to
teach students.
(Opie & Opie 1985)

THE IMPORTANCE OF SONGS IN LANGUAGE LEARNING

Infants musical babbling and parents musical responses precede and help develop
young childrens language.
It is usually easier to sing a language than to speak it.
Songs create a relaxing atmosphere and are easy to remember
The melody of songs can arouse students artistic emotion and feelings.
(Murphey 1992)

Songs replace motherese or baby talk for children when they become teenagers or
adults
(Murphey & Albert (1985)

THE IMPORTANCE OF SONGS IN LANGUAGE LEARNING

Songs are a universal tool that can connect all languages and cultures.
Songs are one of the most motivating resources in the classroom
(Simon 2015)

Songs tend to create students interest in language learning.

Songs are a great source of grammar, vocabulary, and culture that can be used
to teach the target language.
Songs and music can be heard in so many places (restaurants and cafes,
shopping malls, cars, home, social and sport events, etc.) but are rare at
school.
(Murphey 1990)

ACTIVITIES DONE WITH SONGS IN LANGUAGE TEACHING

(MURPHEY 1992)

Teach grammar
Teach vocabulary
Teach pronunciation, intonation, and stress
Do choral repetition
Teach listening and reading comprehension
Dictate a song
Translate songs

ACTIVITIES DONE WITH SONGS IN LANGUAGE TEACHING

(TIM MURPHEY 1992)
Write song lyrics, articles about songs, or letters to singers
Write dialogues using the words of a song
Teach culture
Break the routine
Energize or relax classes mentally
Have fun by singing songs

HOW TO CHOOSE A SONG TO TEACH?

What you want your class to learn from the song (a grammar structure?
vocabulary? Expressions? culture?)
Consider the level of your class
Consider your students age
Song access (youtube, CD, DVD, MP3, etc.)
(Simpson 2015)

HOW TO CHOOSE A SONG TO TEACH?

Lower level
Lyrics: popular and easy to understand
Grammar: simple
Melody and beat: easy to remember
Upper level
Popular songs

SOME SUGGESTED ACTIVITIES

TEXT COMPLETION AND CONSTRUCTION

Level: All levels
Time: 5 15 minutes
Aim: To improve listening comprehension, reading, guessing, and composition
skills
Preparation
+ Choose a song appropriate to the language level of the class
+ Find a recording of it and type out the lyrics, leaving out some words or
phrases
+ You may want to focus on a particular word-class (verbs, prepositions,
adjectives, etc.).

TEXT COMPLETION AND CONSTRUCTION

In class
Distribute copies of the song with blanks. Students work in pairs to read the
text for overall comprehension and try to guess the missing words.
Play the recording for students to fill in the missing words.
Ask them to give the answers. If there is disagreement or doubt over a given
word/phrase, play this section again until the doubt/disagreement is resolved.

TEXT COMPLETION AND CONSTRUCTION

Example

Thu vng
Chiu hm qua lang thang trn ng
Hong hn xung, chiu thm mun hng
____________ hm qua mnh ti bng khung
C ma Thu v, t ___________ vng vng
Mt mnh i lang thang trn ng
____________ hiu ht v nh bng khung
Lng xa xi v su mnh mng.
C nghe l vng no n _____________ khng?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VX3_4qf1yrA

TEXT COMPLETION AND CONSTRUCTION

Thu vng
Chiu hm qua lang thang trn ng
Hong hn xung, chiu thm mun hng
Chiu hm qua mnh ti bng khung
C ma Thu v, t lng vng vng
Mt mnh i lang thang trn ng
Lng hiu ht v nh bng khung
Lng xa xi v su mnh mng.
C nghe l vng no n ri khng?

JUMBLED LYRICS
Level: All levels
Time: 15 30 minutes
Aim: To practice listening comprehension and to encourage students to use
contextual clues to order a text.
Preparation
+ Choose a song that tells a story and is appropriate to the language level of
your class.
+ Type the song with the sentences in a different order and make copies for
the class.

JUMBLED LYRICS
In class
+ Distribute the copies to pairs.
+ Ask them to put the sentences in the correct order, depending on what
they think would be a logical order.
+ Pairs can compare their versions with those written by other pairs.
+ Play the recording of the songs; stop after the third line for students to
check their versions and guess what will come next.
+ Finally, play the whole songs for students to check the last time and discuss
further amendments.

CHUYN TNH LAN V IP (ADVANCED LEVEL)

Original version
Ti k ngi nghe i Lan v ip mt chuyn tnh cay ng
Lc tui cn th ti vn thng mng m em vit thnh bi ca
Th y ip vui nh bm trng say m bn Lan, Lan nh bng hoa ngn
Thng yu v vn nguyn th non nc s khng h la tan
Chung cha xa chiu tan trng v ip cng Lan chung bc
Cui no ng i i bng hn ma thi Lan khc i ngi i
Ln cui gp nhau lan kh ni: Thng mi nghe anh em yu anh chn tnh
Nu duyn khng thnh ip i Lan ct tc qun i v anh
Nhng ai u ng li xa chng minh khi i tan v
Lan au bun qu khi hay ip i xy mng gia nh
Ai no bit cho ai i qu chua cay duyn nh l v ai
Bao nhiu nim vui cng vi chn t y, vi chn t y
L mt cung n phi chng tnh i l vng dy oan tri
Nu v tnh yu Lan c ti g u sao vng vo su au
Nng sng m tim nh cht ring bng c n i mi xinh phai tn
Thng thay cho nng la xa nhn th nu thn ca t bi
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I8WCqwcuZTQ

JUMBLED LYRICS
Jumbled version (the first two paragraphs)
Ti k ngi nghe i Lan v ip mt chuyn tnh cay ng
Thng yu v vn nguyn th non nc s khng h la tan
Chung cha xa chiu tan trng v ip cng Lan chung bc
Ln cui gp nhau Lan kh ni: Thng mi nghe anh; em yu anh chn tnh
Lc tui cn th ti vn thng mng m em vit thnh bi ca
Thu y ip vui nh bm trng say m bn Lan, Lan nh bng hoa ngn
Cui no ng i i bng hn ma thi Lan khc i ngi i
Nu duyn khng thnh ip i Lan ct tc qun i v anh

WRITING TO KNOWN TUNES

Level: Adaptable to all levels
Time: 15 40 minutes
Aim: To use language creatively and to explore the use of rhythm and rhyme
Preparation
+ Choose a well-known song (for teenagers or adults, choose current hits)
+ Type out the words and make copies for students
In class
+ Give students a theme and ask them to write different lyrics.
+ Students sing their songs to the whole class.

HA MI TC NU
(M TM)
Original version

Second version: Tng t (Lovesick)

Ho mi ht gia bu tri xanh

Mt ngy nng mi ta gp nhau

Ha mi long lanh cho ngy mi

Tnh ta n khng cn bo trc

Ha mi ti nhng khu vn th

V em o trng mt nhn anh

Ha mi ch v lc m v

Ming ci xinh anh thy thn th

Tng tia nng thp ln ma xun

Ri em bc i trong chiu m

Tng ma xun em m em ht

Tng hng cy ong y ni nh

V em ht lc tui cn th

Tnh yu anh vn trao v em

T tui th em bit m mng

M em i sao qu hng h?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g-Xkyg05aRE

PARTIAL SONG DICTATION

Level: Intermediate to advanced

Time: 15 minutes
Aim: To encourage students to create and predict a text.
Preparation
+ Find a song that the class would enjoy but that is not known to them.
+ Prepare hand-outs of the lyrics.

PARTIAL SONG DICTATION

In class
Dictate the first few lines, and ask students to complete the rest of the verse,
either in rhyme or in prose.
When they have finished, ask them to share their version with other students
or with the whole class.
Give the actual lyrics and ask students to compare those with the version they
developed.
Finally, play the song.

SONGS TO LITERATURE
Level: Upper-intermediate to advanced
Time: Variable
Aim: To underline the parallelism between music and other artistic
expression.
Preparation:
Look for a song with a theme analogous to that of a literary work you are
currently teaching your class (e.g. The story Trng Chi M Nng and
the song Khi tnh Trng Chi, the story Tt la lng and the song Lan v
ip)

SONGS TO LITERATURE

In class
Option 1: Play the song as an introduction to the theme before starting the
literary work.
Option 2: Use the song to illustrate and reinforce what has already been
talked in the literary work.
Option 3: Stimulate a discussion by asking how the song and the work are
different, and which one students prefer and why.

KHI TNH TRNG CHI (PHM DUY)

m nm xa khi cung n ln t
Hoa l qun gi tn, my trng bay tm n
Hn ngi thn thc trong phng loan
m nm xa nghe cung n gy m
u ym nng t qut, hn gi a v thuyn
Tng ngi trn sng du thn tin
m m m dn lan
Cung nam thng m vang
Em yu ai b sng nh thng ai trong n
Xa xa xa ri tan
Cung Nam Ai th than
Ai thng em lu bun mi lc khuya tn canh .
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tO1l5n0-Qpw

SONG FEEDBACK
Level: All
Time: 10 20 minutes
Aim: To teach vocabulary and to develop critical awareness
Preparation
+ Choose a song that is not familiar to your students.
+ Prepare hand-outs with some discussion questions. Below are some suggested questions.
1. How are you feeling after listening to the song?
2. How do you like the song? Why or why not?
3. What do you think about its content?
4. Do you ever have the same feelings as expressed in the song?
5. Do you like the singer? Why or why not?

SONG FEEDBACK (CONTINUED)

In class
Play the song two or three times
Give students the handouts with the discussion questions
Students discuss the questions in pairs or small groups.
After that they share their ideas/opinions with the whole class

SONGS AND CULTURE

Level: All levels

Time: 30 40 minutes
Aim: To teach a certain aspect of Vietnamese culture
Preparation
+ Choose a song that presents a certain aspect of Vietnamese culture such
as customs, religion, tradition, history, etc.
+ Prepare hand-outs with discussion questions

SONGS AND CULTURE

In class
Explain any difficult words/phrases in the song
Play the song two or three times
Give students the handouts with the discussion questions
Students discuss the questions in pairs or small groups.
After that they share their ideas/opinions with the whole class

BNG HNG CI O
(THCH NHT HNH & PHM TH M)
Mt bng hng cho em
Mt bng hng cho anh
V mt bng hng cho nhng ai
Cho nhng ai ang cn M
ang cn M lng vui sng hn
Ri mai ny M hin c mt i
Nh a hoa khng mt tri
Nh tr th khng n ci
Ng i mnh khng ln khn thm
Nh bu tri thiu nh sao m
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BF9KxbYhydE

BNG HNG CI O
(THCH NHT HNH & PHM TH M)
Some suggested discussion questions
1.

Have you ever heard of this custom?

2.

What is the name of this festival?

3.

What do Vietnamese people do on this occasion?

4.

Do the Vietnamese communities in the US celebrate this occasion?

5.

What do they do?

6.

What will you do for your mother on this day?

CONCLUSION

The application of songs in language teaching still remains unsystematic and

unpopular.
Songs are a rich source of language and culture.
Using songs to teach languages creates a relaxing and enjoyable atmosphere
in class.

REFERENCES
Albert, J. L. & Murphey, T. (1985). A pop song register: The motherese of adolescence as affective
foreigner talk. TESOL Quarterly, 12 (3), 24-30.
Kelly, L. G. (1969). Centuries of language teaching. Massachusetts: Newbury House Publishers.
Murphey, T. (1992). Music and Song. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
Murphey, T. (1990). Song and Music in Language Learning. New York: Peter Lang.
Opie. P & Opie, I. (1985). The singing game. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
Simpson, A. J. (March 14, 2015). How to use songs in English language classroom. British Council.
Retrieved from http://www.britishcouncil.org/blog/how-use-songs-english-language-classroom on
August 7, 2015.

CONTACT INFORMATION
Dr. Trang Le
Vietnamese Language Program Coordinator
Dept. of Modern Languages and Literatures at CSU Fullerton
Email: trle@fullerton.edu Phone: 657-278-2268

Dept: 657-278-3534

For information on CSUFs Vietnamese Bilingual Authorization Program, contact:

Dr. Grace Cho
Professor, Dept. of Secondary Education; Asian Languages Bilingual Authorization Coordinator
Email: gcho@fullerton.edu

Phone: 657-278-3283

Visit: http://ed.fullerton.edu/Vietnamese/Vietnamese-bilingual-authorization/