Area of Interest:
Skills: Listening, Speaking, and Writing
Competences:
Age Bracket: 11 – 15
Time Commitment: 30 – 60 minutes
Affordability:
Materials:
– Writing materials (in a group – A4 sheet and writing material for each; individually – notes or a sheet if the teacher wants to collect them)
– Access to the internet (individual option)
Expert recommendations:
A language CV modification where the “family tree” is made up of favourite songs (in as many languages as used), playing/singing a musical instrument may also be specified. The aim is to create a positive attitude, tolerance towards different genres and types of music, to discuss the influence of music in identity building.
Step 1: Family survey (as homework, research phase)
Find out about three generations (self, siblings, father and mother, grandparents): whether they sing (have sung) or play (have played) a musical instrument. Each family member is asked about their favourite song or songs. In particular, they are asked to think of a favourite song in a minority or regional language.
Step 2: Building “a family tree” in 3 generations
There are many samples, choose the one you like best (see example). For each member of the family, write down if he/she sings (has sung) or plays (has played) a musical instrument. Also write down favourite songs and the language in which the song is sung.
Step 3: Presentation of music and song CV
The teacher can do this: 1) in one lesson, which is more like a conversation, answering the questions below; 2) spread the presentation over several lessons, focusing more on each speaker and his/her family, singing or listening to at least one song from each family tree.
How many members of the family sing? How many play musical instruments?
Which languages are their favourite songs? How can this be explained? Why and exactly do these languages appear?
Are there songs that are repeated in three generations? Why? How can this be explained?
Which song would you like to sing with your classmates or at least listen to?
Step 4: Conclusion
These works can be used as material for an exhibition viewed by all who enter the classroom, but can also be used as social media posts, encouraging others to explore their family’s musical history.
This material can serve as a further object of research, exploring the vocabulary, the origins of the song. Assuming that many are folk songs, then surely the idea, the message of the song is also a further conversation about the customs and traditions of the bearers of that particular language.
