Joash Gambarage will present a research se minar (abstract below). The event will be held via Zoom: https://ubc. zoom.us/j/64763345823?pwd=WDNNOXJYN3dOcUhjeTRiZ2VqaU9PUT09. The passcod e is 635410. (The meeting ID is 647 6334 5823.).
Using "Grammar So
ngs" as an Innovative Way of Teaching Swahili to L2 learners
Ludk
e (2009) shares research findings from psychology and neuroscience regardin
g the potential use of music and songs to support foreign language learning
in modern language teaching. She illustrates that grammar songs can help L
2 learners to master a range of linguistic skills in the target language. S
ongs that teach particular aspects of grammar have been reported to provide
positive motivation and learning enhancements for students at different ag
es and stages of learning (Spicher & Sweeney\, 2007\; Rees\, 1977). While g
rammar songs have been useful pedagogical tools for modern language teachin
g\, this method has not been developed for non-classical languages like Swa
hili–a language spoken in East and Central Africa (now an official lingua f
ranca of Africa).
In this talk I illustrate that teaching an agglutina
tive language like Swahili using grammar songs makes it easier for the Swah
ili L2 learners to learn agreement phenomena involving pronouns\, noun clas
ses as well as tense and aspects in this language. I present 3 grammar song
s that I composed and recorded (video\, audio\, and karaoke style): the ten
ses song\, the pronouns song\, and the noun classes song coupled with my st
udents' reaction about how the songs reinforced their learning of Swahili a
s beginner students. This talk illustrates (i) the criteria used for compos
ing such songs (ii) how the grammar songs are employed as an effective peda
gogical material for teaching complex aspects of the Swahili language.