MONA LAZANU SCURT GHID TEORETICO-APLICATIV DE PREDARE A LIMBII ENGLEZE LA CICLUL PRIMAR SONGS AND GAMES-MAGICAL TOOLS IN TEACHING ENGLISH TO PRIMARY SCHOOL STUDENTS Editura „Sfântul Ierarh Nicolae” 2026Contents ACQUISITION................................................................................................................................... ENGLISH GRAMMAR AND VOCABULARY LESSONS IN PRIMARY SCHOOL................... 2 ARGUMENT Songs, musical rhythm, and games are universal human activities that have a positive impact on people’s emotional and intellectual well-being. As illustrated by timeless universal traditions and supported by numerous studies in fields such as anthropology, cognitive science, folklore, and second language acquisition, whether someone is tired, sad, angry, bored, or happy, these recreational activities can bring comfort, optimism, and the motivation to learn more, even if some effort is sometimes required to overcome one’s native abilities. First, music has a beneficial influence on children’s cognitive development, their memory, and their relationships with others. Second, the sense of rhythm develops progressively throughout childhood. It develops quickly if children are sufficiently encouraged by their parents to learn poems, songs, and games that can help them gain a better understanding of music. Involving children in musical activities from an early age has a positive effect on their intellectual, emotional, and personal development. Third, games stimulate curiosity, interaction, cooperation, and creativity, allowing young learners to practice and expand their intellectual and social skills. Considering all these factors, the main purpose of creating this book is to present to beginning teachers—and not only them—the way young learners react to information delivered through songs and games in a foreign language, as well as how they acquire it. This aspect has been personally observed, studied, and experienced throughout my teaching career, regardless of students’ age or prior knowledge, and the academic demonstration of these observations was carried out in my thesis for the First Teaching Degree, “Songs & Games in Teaching English to Primary School Students” (2019).3 INTRODUCTION Aiming to facilitate the learning of the English language within the formal framework provided by the school system, the present work seeks to demonstrate the usefulness of employing songs and games in the classroom. Since learning a foreign language involves acquiring communicative competences—which in turn include vocabulary and grammar knowledge—the following section will present an overview of the methodological and pedagogical issues related to the use of songs and games. The purpose of this work is not to propose a new theoretical approach, but to offer a systematic review of the specialized literature, which will allow for a methodological and practical description and for the sharing of effective English teaching activities. Adriana Vizental argues that a major shortcoming of traditional teaching has been the fact that teachers focused exclusively on vocabulary and grammar, ignoring the complex network of skills, the functional capacity of language, and interactive communication. In primary education, the students’ limited knowledge level leads the teacher to focus on basic vocabulary, with emphasis on spelling and pronunciation, in order to support the development of solid linguistic habits. Achieving these objectives would not be possible without the use of authentic materials such as “stories, poems, jokes, songs, and games,” whose unique combination of emotional relaxation and intellectual stimulation motivates students to study more. Music, in particular, has a positive influence on cognitive development and memory. Song has been described as “adolescent motherese” (adapted maternal language), offering the affective attention students need. The phenomenon of the “song stuck in the head” confirms that music activates both. This was personally observed, studied and experimented during my teaching career, regardless of the age or background knowledge of students. Therefore, I have decided to carry out further research and share my personal teaching experiences in this brief applied theoretical guide entitled: Songs and Games -- Magical Tools in Teaching English to Primary School Students. Divided into 2 main parts (Theoretical Framework of Songs and Games in Language Acquisition and Methodological Implementation-Practical examples of English grammar and vocabulary lessons in primary school) it has as the main goal beneficial learning outcomes for primary school students derived from the use of songs and games in Teaching English, particularly for 2nd and 4th grade students.4 PART 1-THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK OF SONGS AND GAMES IN LANGUAGE ACQUISITION Chapter 1 of the study establishes the pedagogical foundation for using recreational activities to achieve communicative competence, which involves integrating vocabulary and grammar into functional, interactive communication. The author argues that songs and games are not merely "time-fillers" but authentic materials that provide a unique combination of emotional relaxation and intellectual stimulation, facilitating the formation of good linguistic habits in primary school students. 1.1 The Educational Role of Songs Songs are described as a "language acquisition device" that triggers involuntary repetition, allowing children to learn language almost effortlessly. They are categorized into several genres, each offering specific benefits: Nursery Rhymes: These old, rhythmic poems (e.g., lullabies, bedtime songs) are essential for brain development and early education due to their repetitive structures. Jazz Chants: Defined as the "rhythmic presentation of natural language," they provide models for stress and intonation patterns used by native speakers. Pop Music: Because pop lyrics often mirror true-to-life spoken discourse, they serve as authentic material that increases motivation and immerses students in different cultural and moral environments. Traditional/Folk Songs: These are highly suitable for the classroom because of their formulaic nature and moralistic content, which easily fits a thematic teaching approach. Relevant Song Examples: Alphabet/Spelling: "A, B, C...". Grammar Structures: "Lemon Tree" for Present Continuous; "Yesterday" for Past Simple; and "Human" or "Don’t Worry, Be Happy" for the Imperative. Vocabulary Topics: "Old MacDonald Had a Farm" for animals; "Get Dressed" for clothes; and "I Can Sing a Rainbow" for colors.5 1.2 Methodological Strategies for Songs The study emphasizes that songs should be approached strategically across different lesson stages to maximize learning: Warm-up: Songs like "Scary Skeleton" or "Just the Way You Are" can energize or relax the class and activate previous knowledge. While-listening/reading: Students perform specific tasks, such as matching words to pictures or filling in missing lyrics (e.g., using "Pizza and Chips" to introduce food vocabulary). After-listening/reading: This stage involves personalizing the text, such as drawing a picture or writing a short composition about the song’s theme. 1.3. The Importance and Classification of Games Games are vital for channeling the natural energy and competitive spirit of young learners into positive language production. They increase the social dimension of learning, allowing students to cooperate and interact creatively. The text outlines various game typologies: Hadfield’s Typology: Includes Information gap games (useful for grammar), Matching games (useful for vocabulary), and Role-play. Lewis and Bedson’s Classification: Divides games into Movement (physical activity), Task-based (meaningful group work), and Computer games. Jacobs’s Division: Distinguishes between Competitive and Cooperative games based on group dynamics. Relevant Game Examples: Grammar Games: "Action Race" for Present Continuous; "Pass the Box" for practicing varied structures; and "Going on a Picnic" for introducing the "Going to" expression. Vocabulary Games: "Chinese Whispers" for pronunciation; "Anagrams" or "Spelling Race" for spelling; and "Simon Says" for commands/body parts. Psychology Games: "Predictable Partner" or "Photo Dialogues" encourage extended writing and reading by making personal answers more memorable.6 Conclusion The theoretical framework concludes that while games and songs are highly effective, the teacher must be judicious in their selection. For instance, "isolated word" games like Hangman should be balanced with cognitively deep, contextualized activities to ensure that "repetition," the mother of learning, remains purposeful and entertaining. When correctly matched to lesson aims, these tools lower anxiety, eliminate boredom, and improve all basic language skills.7 PART 2: METHODOLOGICAL IMPLEMENTATION- PRACTICAL EXAMPLES OF ENGLISH GRAMMAR AND VOCABULARY LESSONS IN PRIMARY SCHOOL The multi-method approach employed in this research demonstrates that, when songs and games are purposefully aligned with clearly defined instructional objectives, they significantly reduce learner anxiety, prevent monotony, and enhance the development of all four fundamental language skills: listening, speaking, reading, and writing. As the researcher, I emphasize that, although these tools are highly effective, the teacher must act as a critical and informed selector, ensuring that each activity corresponds to the lesson aims, the learners' developmental stage, and the specific dynamics of the group. The successful integration of songs and games into the English language classroom requires a strategic and principled approach, most effectively structured through the Presentation–Practice–Use (PPU) model. This model provides a coherent framework for introducing new language, guiding learners through controlled practice, and enabling meaningful communicative use. Within this framework, the practical component of the present chapter is organized into two complementary strands — vocabulary lessons and grammar lessons — each illustrating how songs and games can be adapted to serve distinct, yet interrelated, pedagogical purposes. Selection Criteria Teachers must apply rigorous criteria when selecting instructional materials. Songs should be chosen for their linguistic simplicity, natural conversational patterns, and repetitive structures, all of which facilitate acquisition. Games, in turn, should be selected according to their suitability for the class profile, ensuring that both outgoing and reserved learners are able to participate actively and confidently. Skill Integration Whereas traditional instruction often isolates grammar and vocabulary, songs and games support an integrated-skills approach, enabling learners to internalize linguistic rules and lexical items through simulated real-world interaction. This approach fosters natural language acquisition and promotes communicative competence, while simultaneously reinforcing the distinction — and the connection — between vocabulary-focused and grammar-focused practice.8 Classifications A wide range of pedagogical resources can be employed, including nursery rhymes, jazz chants, and pop songs, as well as game types such as information-gap, guessing, and role-play activities. These categories allow teachers to address diverse learning needs and to scaffold instruction effectively, whether the lesson's primary focus is the acquisition of new vocabulary or the consolidation of grammatical structures. In this section, I present a series of fully developed lesson plans illustrating how songs and games can be employed to teach both vocabulary and grammar in the primary classroom. The vocabulary lessons address topics such as Family Members, Weather, School Objects, Domestic Animals, Jobs, Wild Animals, Food and Drinks, and Christmas, while the grammar lessons focus on the structures most relevant to this level of instruction. Each lesson plan follows the PPU model, demonstrating how musical and game-based activities can support both vocabulary acquisition and grammatical understanding in primary school. 2.1 Vocabulary lessons Lesson plan 1 Grade: 2nd Level: elementary Number of students: 25 Lesson title: Family members (song) – Members of the family Type of lesson: mixed Time: 45 minutes Lesson derivative competences: to introduce the new topic and create a relaxing classroom environment; to get students interested in the topic; to increase the students’ interest for learning a foreign language in an attractive manner; to use the new vocabulary in simple personal communicative situations. Teachingaids:theIWB,theinternet board,flashcards Teaching techniques: observation, demonstration, explanation, the song and game, mimicry and gestures, repetition. Assessment: formative, oral, systematic observation, homework.Next >