Music and Identity

Between the Autumn and Christmas holidays we will be working on a large music project! We do hope that you will help and support us.

November 2019 ML ENGSRO

Dear parents and guardians,

From autumn break until Christmas break we will be using music as a theme in our ML English lessons.

One important activity is for the children to interview a favourite English speaking adult about important music in their life.

We will need your help!

The main goal of the activity is to begin a conversation between the student and someone close to them about the important music in their (the adult’s) life. This links to the part of the course plan that deals with listening and speaking with English speakers. The reading and writing aspect of this activity is NOT a MAIN goal so please don’t let it interfere with the conversation or spoil the fun and close aspect of this activity.

For pre-readers, please read out some of the questions but encourage the children to ask more of their own questions.

For early readers, it would be wonderful if you could encourage them to read the WHO, WHAT, WHEN, WHY words and create their questions from that.

Established readers can read the interview questions themselves with appropriate support if that feels comfortable for them.

It would be wonderful if you could audio record the interviews and send them to me ([e-mail]) . If not, please could you provide written answers so that we can discuss them in our class?

 

I do hope that you enjoy this activity and that the children learn new things about the adults that they love!

 

 

This activity is inspired by an English radio program on BBC Radio 4 called Desert Island Discs which has been running for many, many years. You can listen to the interviews of the very famous guests as pod casts. I highly recommend that you listen to at least one of the Desert Island Discs (perhaps you might find an interview of your favourite author or film star ?). Generally speaking, the Desert Island Discs episodes are not made for children.

 

As always, I am very happy to answer any questions you might have about this activity or your child’s progress in English ML.

 

[e-mail]

0702205106

 

Music and identity interview guide.

UPDATE*******

Some good questions that the children have suggested and practised:

1) Why is this music special to you?

2) How do you feel inside when you listen to it?

3) Where do you listen to it? (in the car? with headphones? alone?)

4) Does this piece of music make you remember or imagine?

Desert Island Discs:

A favourite English speaking adult chooses 5 songs or pieces of music that they would want to have with them  if they had been cast away alone on a desert island. This adult also chooses one book (they can have a religious text and the complete works of Shakespeare) – what other book would they choose?) They can also choose one luxury item to take with them.

 

Child interviews the favourite adult and audio records or writes down the answers to the interview.

 

Interview:

You have been cast away on a desert island alone and you can only have 8 songs or records with you to listen to on the island….

WHAT is the 1st record you have chosen? WHO performs the song/music?

WHY is this song important to you?

 

Now tell me about the 2^nd record. WHAT is it called and WHO recorded it?

WHY have you chosen this one?

Can you remember the first time you heard it?

 

Now the 3rd. WHAT is it called and WHO recorded it?

WHY have you chosen this song?

What emotions do you feel when you listen to it?

 

The 4th song…What is it called and who recorded it?

Why this song?

What do you think about when you listen to it?

 

The 5th song…..What is it called and who recorded it?

Why this song?

Is this song important to anyone else you know?

 

 

 

If you could only save 1 song, which would it be?

 

You are allowed a religious text and the complete works of Shakespeare, what other book would you like to take on a desert island and why?

 

What luxury item would you take?

 

Do you think you would survive on a desert island alone?

What do you think you would do with your time?