English as a Singing Language

We hope your new year is off to a good start. If your new year’s resolution is to improve your English language ability, and you want some inspiration, we encourage you to take a listen to this episode. Most people worry about what others think sometimes, and in this episode, we are using the hit song, “This is Me,” from the 2017 film, “The Greatest Showman,” to talk about accepting yourself and having a positive attitude. The language focus of this song is the pronunciation of the schwa sound in unstressed syllables. The schwa sound is part of what gives English the rhythm and sound that it has. This song will help you sing your way to natural-sounding English! Official YouTube Video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wEJd2RyGm8Q For more content, visit ⁠⁠⁠⁠For more content, visit ⁠⁠⁠⁠the ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Singing Languages website⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. https://singinglanguages.wixsite.com/home/post/season-2-episode-10 ⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠Follow us on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ @singinglanguages. ⁠⁠⁠⁠

What’s the weather like where you are? It’s definitely winter where we are, and Ece is once again trying to get Heather to enjoy the cold and snow. In this episode, we’re using Ariana Grande’s hit song, “Winter Things,” to talk about useful words for everyday conversation, and some special winter-themed vocabulary, too! Grab your hat and your gloves and get ready to visualize yourself doing some winter things like skating, skiing… and singing!! Check out our YouTube channel @singinglanguages for a video version of this episode! For more content, visit ⁠⁠⁠the ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Singing Languages website⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. https://singinglanguages.wixsite.com/home/post/season-2-episode-9 ⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠Follow us on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ @singinglanguages.

Do you like to practice perfect pronunciation? If you said “yes,” then this episode is for you. This song has many examples of aspiration. If you don’t know what this is, you should definitely listen to this episode. There is plenty of pronunciation practice, and a song with a good message. In this episode, we’re talking about Joni Mitchell’s hit 1970 song, “Big Yellow Taxi.” In addition to pronunciation, we also discuss the idea of “taking something for granted.” Isn’t it true that you don’t know what you have until it's gone?

The most recent episode of the podcast featured the song, “Adventurous Girl,”  which was written and sung by our friend and fellow language teacher, Patti Spinner. We were so excited to meet someone who loves using music to teach and learn language as much as we do - some people might even say more! We couldn’t pass up the opportunity to talk to Patti and ask her about her experience as a teacher and singer/grammar songwriter!  In this special Connections Episode, we would like to share our interview with Patti Spinner. We hope you enjoy it as much as we did! ⁠L-Pop Website⁠ ⁠https://lpop.commons.msu.edu/ ⁠ ⁠About Patti Spinner, Ph.D. ⁠ ⁠https://people.cal.msu.edu/spinnerp/ ⁠ For more content, visit ⁠⁠the ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Singing Languages website⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. https://singinglanguages.wixsite.com/home/post/season-2-connections-episode-patti-spinner-interview ⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠Follow us on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ @singinglanguages.

Have you ever climbed a mountain? Have you ever flown in a plane? What kinds of adventures have you had? There is something extra special about the song  featured in this episode. This song was written and sung by a friend of the podcast, and it is part of a series of songs that were created specifically to practice different grammar points in English! In this episode, we’re talking about the adventures that we have or haven’t had using the present perfect tense.  The song in this episode, “Adventurous Girl,” by our friend, Patti Spinner, is full of examples of the present perfect verb tense. You may not have heard this song on the radio before, but we’re sure you’re going to enjoy listening to it and singing along! Adventurous Girl Lesson https://lpop.commons.msu.edu/lesson-1/ L-Pop Website https://lpop.commons.msu.edu/ About Patti Spinner, Ph.D. https://people.cal.msu.edu/spinnerp/ For more content, visit ⁠the ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Singing Languages website⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. https://singinglanguages.wixsite.com/home/post/season-2-episode-7 ⁠⁠⁠ ⁠Follow us on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ @singinglanguages.

In each season, we have to include at least one fun, silly traditional folk song that might be considered a “children’s song,” but is actually for everyone! The traditional folk song, “Down by the Bay,” was recorded by the children’s artist, Raffi, in the 1970’s. People of all ages can enjoy creating rhyming lyrics of their own. For example, Ece came up with, “Have you ever seen Heather, enjoying cold weather?” (No, nobody has ever seen this!) Heather’s lyrics were, “Have you ever seen a teacher chasing a creature?” (No, but we’ve seen several creatures chasing teachers!) We hope you have fun inventing your own lyrics to this singalong song!! Official YouTube Video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DWKVKfk6e40 For more content, visit ⁠the ⁠⁠⁠⁠Singing Languages website⁠⁠⁠⁠. https://singinglanguages.wixsite.com/home/post/season-2-episode-6 ⁠⁠⁠ Follow us on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ @singinglanguages.

Heather is getting together with her friends from high school, and she’s putting together a playlist of songs from the 80s that they can listen to. One song in particular catches her attention, and it turns out it is a great song for talking about past, present and future tense verbs. In this episode, Ece and Heather are talking about Tracy Chapman’s 1988 song, “Fast Car.” It’s a song that tells the story of a young person who is facing choices, remembering the past, facing the present and looking ahead to the future.  Official YouTube Video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AIOAlaACuv4 Luke Combs Cover https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=st6XCAv0E4M For more content, visit ⁠the ⁠⁠⁠⁠Singing Languages website⁠⁠⁠⁠. ⁠https://singinglanguages.wixsite.com/home/post/season-2-episode-5 ⁠⁠⁠ Follow us on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ @singinglanguages.

Michael Franti, a musician and singer-songwriter, discusses 'The Sound of Sunshine,' a 2010 pop song with blending genres and positive lyrics. The hosts analyze the figurative language in the song, highlighting metaphors like water representing obstacles and storms symbolizing challenges. They also emphasize the importance of friendship and fluency in Michael Franti's music.

The hosts discuss the impact of online communication, reductions in pronunciation, and promoting individuality through colloquial language. They emphasize the importance of not worrying about others' opinions and encourage listeners to embrace their true selves.

Ece is planning a block party in her neighborhood, and she needs the perfect song for her summer playlist. Heather suggests the 1964 Motown hit, “Dancing in the Street,” by Martha and the Vandellas. It’s the perfect song for a summer party that is, or that’s, full of singin’ and dancin’!  This episode focuses on contractions and reductions. You may have noticed when talking with proficient English speakers, (people who have a very high level of English), that they do not, or don’t, pronounce every sound of every word carefully. This song provides great practice with how and where to use contractions and reductions, and it’s perfect for dancin’ in the street! YouTube Videos Martha and the Vandellas: ⁠https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=68Uv959QuCg⁠ David Bowie + Mick Jagger: ⁠https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HasaQvHCv4w⁠  For more content, visit ⁠the ⁠⁠Singing Languages website⁠⁠. https://singinglanguages.wixsite.com/home/post/season-2-episode-2 ⁠ Follow us on ⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠ @singinglanguages.