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University of San Francisco

Music Speaks, We Listen: A Teacher's Guide for Using Music in the Adult ELL Classroom

Abstract

dc:description.abstract

<p>Too often adult ESL students are stymied by high levels of perfectionism, self-consciousness and anxiety when trying to learn English. They are further challenged because they may have come from a country where language teaching methods have not kept up with the times, so have an imbalance of skills—lacking speaking and listening skills. When students’ affective filters are high and their motivation is low they are less open to learning. Students need authentic, culturally-relevant material to stimulate learning and activate their multiple intelligences. The purpose of this project is to introduce adult ESL teachers to using popular songs to teach English. Music-centered curriculum offers rich, authentic and culturally-relevant material for use in the adult ESL classroom. This project explores research in second language acquisition and the neuro-cognitive and psychological benefits of using music in adult ESL. Finally, practical aspects of materials development are presented for music-centered classroom activities with specific songs as examples to teach vocabulary, speaking, listening, grammar and pronunciation.</p>

Degree

thesis:*
Name thesis:degree_name
Master of Arts in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL)
Level thesis:degree_level
Project/Capstone - Global access
Discipline thesis:degree_discipline
International and Multicultural Education (IME)
Year dc:date.available
2017

Author and committee

dc:creator, dc:contributor.*
Author dc:creator
  • Mitchell, Honora
Contributors dc:contributor
  • Luz García

Subjects

dc:subject × 8

Identifiers

dc:identifier.*
Repository record dc:identifier
https://repository.usfca.edu/capstone/484
OAI identifier oai:identifier
oai:repository.usfca.edu:capstone-1509

Chain of custody

source
Harvested from
University of San Francisco
Base URL
repository.usfca.edu/do/oai/
Last updated
2026-07-24
Source record
OAI-PMH GetRecord
citation

Mitchell, Honora. Music Speaks, We Listen: A Teacher's Guide for Using Music in the Adult ELL Classroom. Project/Capstone - Global access thesis, 2017. https://repository.usfca.edu/capstone/484