LA MUSIQUE ET LEURS HUMEURS

Music hath charms to soothe a savage breast, To soften rocks, or bend a
knotted oak. -William Congreve, dramatist (1670-1729)
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Guitar with a painting of Frank Sinatra
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Humeur... Rabindranath Tagore and Albert Einstein were friends. Here is one of their exchanges, in which they are talking about communication between people of different cultures: EINSTEIN: The difficulty is that the really good music, whether of the East or of the West, cannot be analyzed. TAGORE: Yes, and what deeply affects the hearer is beyond himself.

EINSTEIN: The same uncertainty will always be there about everything fundamental in our experience, in our reaction to art, whether in Europe or in Asia. Even the red flower I see before me on your table may not be the same to you and me. TAGORE: And yet there is always going on the process of reconciliation between them, the individual taste conforming to the universal standard... (quoted in EDUPAGE).

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LA MUSIQUE ADOUCIT... Positive results with background music in difficult classes Difficult here means: lack of motivation, less-abled, tired of trying after 7 years of formal school instruction and behavioral problems. In short, one of those classes which resembles the one in the movie "To Sir With Love" but different, because unlike Sydney Poitier I cannot solve my problems in 90 minutes like they can in the movies. Several years ago I had an 11th grade class with drove me crackers trying to find some method or gimmick which would turn these kids on to learning. I was frustrated because I could see many students with great potential and capable of taking an Israeli matriculation exam in 12th grade but THEY COULDN'T SEE THEIR OWN POTENTIAL AT ALL !!! One day I walked into class with a tape recorder for listening comprehension with songs, and they requested that I leave the music on. I agreed to play music during each entire class if they promised me they would prepare any work given to them and behaviour problems would cease to exist, as much as possible. I allowed them to bring in their own tapes stipulating English songs only. The students kept on bringing tapes which I played softly in the back of the room. At this point I was not censoring tapes and music, if it was English and they wanted it then it was played. Once the principal entered my disco but since the music was English all was cool. It was miraculous. They could remain in class for almost 90 mn without any problem.

MOZART POWER Last year after reading a newspaper article about the effect of classical music on mood and concentration I played a tape during a class that was made up of students who had difficulty concentrating(!). I was shocked and delighted at their collective reaction. They thoroughly enjoyed the music, appreciated the fact that it was classical music - Mozart for the most part - and even went so far as to request more music on a regular basis. These students had never been exposed to classical music and found it very soothing. They told me that it helped them to focus on our work - even when the tasks consisted of oral work. As a result of last year's experience I intend to use tapes of classical music this year. Carol Seitz, tiré de Discipline in the Classroom, a synopsis prepared by Lee Risley (recommended reading).

The music set the tone and calmed them as well as calming me. Sometimes a student would stop working for a while and just listen to the music or sing along with the tape, but it didn't bother me because I knew that same pupil was finally investing time in English studies. As the weeks went on, I would turn off the music for ten minutes in order to "teach" something, and little by little I could turn off the music for longer periods of time in order summarize a point or present some new point, etc. Eventually, after about 4 months or so, I dispensed almost totally with the music, but a learning environment had slowly been established and many students starting feeling good about themselves. No, it wasn't a utopia and problems in learning and behaviour did appear but it was much easier to cope with the situation. In the 12th grade, many of these pupils passed their matriculation exams, and some of those who didn't pass at least had a better working knowledge of English. I can't guarantee that music with solve all our problems, but my experience did strongly show me that while I may not always have the "key" which opens the door for my pupils, it doesn't mean that such a key doesn't exist or that all these pupils are "unteachable". The tough part is finding that key, whether it be through chants, games, hikes, music, computers sports or whatever... - Sheanor Zatloff in ETNI - an English Teachers Network of Israel - reproduced with kind permission.

Obtenir la discipline en classe - la méthode de Colette Pourrier, prof de lettres en collège. A festival of links for teaching english with music. Working up the song Hotel California for practicing the Past Simple in the English class - an activity plan. Let's sing Love me tender avec Frédéric Delaroche et les élèves du Lycée de Presles à Vichy. Expose your students to classical musicwhile they are reading quietly by letting them listen to music on portable cassette players or CD player... Contemplator's Folk Music Midi page - dozens of files!

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Agreg interne format 2003 Préparer agreg & capes AGREG & CAPES 2003 Oraux et entretiens Didactique sur dossier Dissertation Midsummer Night's Dream Objectifs du Site Poverty in GB chronology Linguistique NEW ! The Sound and The Fury Eliza Bishop Complete Poems Programmes 2003 CAPES, agreg J. Donne's Poems Gulliver's Travels Oraux d'agreg interne 2001 Le commentaire en civilisation Crime in fact Crime on film CAPES l'oral RAP DE JURY Arundhati Roy Piazza Agreg interne les épreuves soon NEW ! Special Relation US-GB Manage exam stress Petitions cned files soon Manifestos actions Visitors comments TRANSLATION BOOTH traduction bibliographie traduction à l'agreg méthode anglicismes thème écrit et oral Profession traducteur dictionnaires traduire la Presse analyse de segments traduction et colonialisme génitifs et noms composés Glossaire de traductologie traduction: transpositions traduction:procédés lexico-sémantiques lexique grammatical section linguistique La Page d'Agreg - First posted in December 1996 Page  indépendante, tiçage de Jean S. Sahai PLP2 HC agrégatif, Guadeloupe, Antilles Françaises. L'auteur n'approuve pas nécessairement les contenus cités ou les liens proposés. Commentaires, suggestions et autres réflexes sont un élément important d'une approche sans parti pris. AGREG PAGE - first posting December 1996 © Jean S. Sahaï, 1996-2011 Guadeloupe, Antilles Françaises