Sing, Sang, Sung, Singing
Irregular Verbs
Suzanne
L. Medina, Ph.D.
School of
Education
Graduate Education Department
California
State University, Dominguez Hills
1000 East
Victoria Street
Carson, CA
90747
Fax: (310)
514-0396
E-Mail:
ESLSongs@aol.com
Presentations on
this topic were made at the following
conferences:
* CATESOL
(California Association of Teachers to Speakers
of Other Languages) Conference held in Pasadena,
California on April 13, 1998.
* The Los
Angeles Regional CATESOL Conference held at Mt.
San Antonio College (Walnut, Calif.) on November
1, 1997.
* Southern
Nevada Regional CATESOL Conference held in Las
Vegas, Nevada on October 16, 1997.
Overview of
the Presentation
"Ring,
rang, rung, ringing." "Sweep, swept,
swept, sweeping." These are but a few of the
many irregular verb forms which non-native
speakers of English must acquire. Needless to
say, recalling these irregular verb forms is
difficult for many E.S.L. learners. Yet what can
E.S.L. teachers do to facilitate the process of
learning these verbs? While there are no pills or
injections, there is an alternative and enjoyable
way that can be used with E.S.L. students: songs.
Songs offer a viable alternative since, in the
research literature, songs have demonstrated to
have a powerful impact upon rote memorization and
language acquisition (Medina, 1991).
During this
session, the presenter demonstrated a technique
which she has used with hundreds of E.S.L.
students to help them successfully recall English
irregular verb forms. Participants were
introduced to the three irregular verb songs
which have allowed students to master these
forms, then they experienced first-hand the
process of acquiring English irregular verbs
through songs. Finally, the presenter discussed
step-by-step the procedure and strategies used in
order to teach irregular verb forms with these
songs.
Participants
received handouts containing an outline of the
procedure used to instruct irregular verbs
through song, the words of a sample irregular
verb song ("Hernando’s Irregular Verb
Hideaway"), and information regarding tape
cassettes which are available for purchase. If
you would like to learn more about these tapes,
visit http://www.oocities.org/eslmusic/tapes/.
Procedure for
Presenting Songs
Step 1: Teach
the meanings of irregular verbs in a song (i.e.,
the base form)
a. Select a
group of 4 irregular verbs to teach.
b.
Teacher models vocabulary
c. Add
Student Volunteers
d.
Accelerate and vary order of verbs.
e. Test
volunteers
f. Test
entire class
g. Have
students say verbs
Step 2: Test
students’ comprehension of the irregular
verbs while listening to song.
Step 3:
Model the song and song lyrics.
Step 4: Have
students practice singing the song with you.
Step 5: Help
students retain what they have learned.
IRREGULAR
VERB HIDEAWAY (Tango)
The following
irregular verbs and their various verb forms were
sung to the melody of "Hernando’s
Hideaway."
Verse 1
break broke
broken [breaking]
choose chose
chosen [choosing]
freeze froze
frozen [freezing]
¡Ole! I
must learn these today! ¡Ole!
Verse 2
speak spoken
spoken [speaking]
steal stole
stolen [stealing]
weave wove
woven [weaving]
¡Ole! I
must learn these today! ¡Ole!
Chorus (spoken,
not sung)
beat beat beaten
[beating]
eat ate
eaten [eating]
tear tore
torn [tearing]
wear wore
worn [wearing]
throw threw
thrown [throwing]
fly flew
flown [flying]
¡Ole! I
must learn these today! ¡Ole!
(Musical
interlude)
Verse
3
blow blew
blown [blowing]
grow grew
grown [growing]
know knew
known [knowing]
¡Ole! I
must learn these today! ¡Ole!
Note:
An alternative tango is provided on the cassette
tape.
Copyright © 2000
Suzanne L. Medina. All rights reserved. No part of this document
may be copied or reproduced in any form or by any means, photocopying
or otherwise, without written permission. Exception: Teachers
may duplicate these materials as long as the copyright symbol
and statement appear on all copies made. Fax: (310) 514-0396.
E-Mail: ESLSongs@aol.com.
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