Songs are a great way to practice listening and to learn the rhythm of the English language. I try to find songs that tell a simple story and are fairly easy to understand. I usually remove the stressed words in the song, which are the most clearly spoken. I make two or three different levels of cloze activities, with lots of words removed for advanced students, and much fewer for beginners – but all the missing words on the beginner cloze are also on the advanced cloze, so you only have to go through the answers once. Sometimes I’ll include discussion questions and a link to the song on YouTube. Remember, students can practice rhythm and pronunciation by singing the songs, too; especially the chorus, which most beginners can have fun with. Enjoy!
My TESOL 2017 PowerPoint presentation (Mining Music for a Multilevel Class) on how to create multilevel cloze activities: Dropbox slideshow and PDF.
California Dreaming , by The Mamas and the Papas- Youtube video
Candle in the Wind, by Elton John – Youtube video
Cats-in-the-cradle by Harry Chapin – Youtube video
Dock of the Bay, by Otis Redding – Youtube video
Escape (The Pina Colada Song), by Rupert Holmes – Youtube video
Free Falling, by Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers – Youtube video
I Am A Man Of Constant Sorrow, traditional- Youtube video
I Won’t Back Down by Tom Petty – Youtube video
Lean On Me by Bill Withers – Youtube video
Margaritaville by Jimmy Buffet – Youtube video
No Woman No Cry by Bob Marley- Youtube video
Oye Isabel by The Iguanas – Youtube video
Return to Sender by Elvis Presley – Youtube video
Stand By Me by Ben E. King – Youtube video
The Girl From Ipanema by Antonio Carlos Jobim – Youtube video
Three Little Birds by Bob Marley – Youtube video
When I’m 64, by The Beatles – Youtube video