English through the Arts: Your journey to English begins Here

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A great song for teaching opposites. A Dolly Parton song but I like this version.

"The Grass Is Blue"

I've had to think up a way to survive
Since you said it's over
Told me good-bye
I just can't make it one day without you
Unless I pretend that the opposite's true

Rivers flow backwards
Valleys are high
Mountains are level
Truth is a lie
I'm perfectly fine
And I don't miss you
The sky is green
And the grass is blue

How much can a heart and a troubled mind take
Where is that fine line before it all breaks
Can one end their sorrow
Just cross over it
And into that realm of insanity's bliss

There's snow in the tropics
There's ice on the sun
It's hot in the Arctic
And crying is fun
And I'm happy now
And I'm glad we're through
And the sky is green
And the grass is blue

And the rivers flow backwards
And my tears are dry
Swans hate the water
And eagles can't fly
But I'm alright now
Now that I'm over you
And the sky is green
And the grass is blue
And I don't love you
And the grass is blue

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pRB3kMCvBdk

Norah Jones - The Grass Is Blue

Paradoxically I have been very lazy and very busy so I will endevour to post somethig really soon.

Here is a link to a copy of the full script.

I usually start my unit of work on The Crucible with a process drama where students explore themes within the text while working in and out of role.The teacher is also required to be in and out of role and must workout how students distinguish between teacher and a role.This can be achieved with a simple prop which indicates the teacher is in role.

I will post step by step instructions for an engaging process drama exploring superstitions through Miller's classic play. Stay tuned.
https://www.ciaranhinds.eu/pdf/crucible3.pdf

www.ciaranhinds.eu

One of my favourite plays of all time is Arthur Miller's The Crucible. It is considered to be a classic of modern theatre. It has a number of themes which could be explored in the language classroom. I will post a number of ideas and activities over the next few days.

Apologies to anyone who has visited in the last two weeks expecting something new. I've been flat out.

It's been a hectic few weeks. I will endevour to contribute something very soon. Stay tuned.

I've been quiet this week sorry, but I'll post something over the weekend.

Lyrics
If these old walls, if these old walls could speak
Of things that they remember well
Stories and faces dearly held

A couple in love livin' week to week
Rooms full of laughter
If these walls could speak

If these old halls, hallowed halls could talk
These would have a tale to tell
Of sun goin' down and dinner bell
And children playing at hide and seek from floor to rafter

If these halls could speak
They would tell you that I'm sorry
For bein' cold and blind and weak
They would tell you that it's only
That I have a stubborn streak
If these walls could speak

If these old fashioned window panes were eyes
I guess they would have seen it all
Each little tear and sigh and footfall
And every dream that we came to seek or followed after

If these walls could speak
They would tell you that I owe you
More than I could ever pay
Here's someone who really loves you
Don't ever go away
That's what these walls would say

They would tell you that I owe you
More than I could ever pay
Here's someone who really loves you
Don't ever go away
That's what these walls would say
That's what these walls would say
That's what these walls would say

Songwriters: Jimmy Webb
If These Walls Could Speak lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group

TEACHING THE SECOND CONDITIONAL

I love using songs to teach the conditionals.They are all really quite easy, but students seem to have a lot of trouble recalling them. For native speakers who didn't learn them explicitly they are second nature, but for others not so much. There are so many good songs to use when teaching the 2nd conditonal which is used for improbable/impossible situations in the present or future.

FORM: (If + past simple + would/could, might + infinitive)

If I won the lottery, I would buy a big house.

One of my favourite songs to teach the 2nd Conditional is Nancy Griffin's version of If These Walls Could Speak which comes from the 1994 album Red Hot + Country. The whole concert is also available on line just Google it. I will add the lyrics in a another post on the 2nd Conditional.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x44bwDKn0sg

Nanci Griffith, If These Walls Could Speak Nanci Griffith singing a great Jim Webb song, from early '90s(?)

I've believed in the power of the Arts for language acquisition for a long time.

What adjectives would you use to describe a painting by Kandinsky?

Today I taught a great lesson with a Survival theme.
We began by looking at a Bear Grylls video (5 common Items that can save your life).

Then we discussed what sort of people we would like to be in a survival situation with and the things we'd need to survive after an apocolypse.

Of course I had to use Gaynor's classic disco hit to teach some vocabulary, phrasal verbs and idioms. Such as, afraid, petrified, strength, strong, live, life, alive, chained up, look upon and lay down and die. I know surviving love and surviving in the wild are two different things, but both need considerable strength.

It was a lot of fun and the student really liked it.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GLHY0Pqeyzw

Gloria Gaynor - I Will Survive + Lyrics [Best Version] Please rate and comment, thanks!

I have created a page dedicated to my passions. Education and the Arts.