This is a fun game for students because it is fun yet challenging and involves music. Also, sometimes even lower level students can do well if they know the song being played.
The game is very simple to play. Put students in small groups or pairs. In each group hand the students a ‘speaking baton’ which can just be a whiteboard marker or pencil. Next play a song. It is best to play a popular song or a song with reasonably slow lyrics, although for advanced students faster songs will suffice.
How to Play
As the song plays, the students much repeat at least three words they hear. Once the person with the marker repeats some words, she then passes the baton to another player. That player must then listen and repeat at least three words they hear.
Note: this is a good way to check listening comprehension as well as pronunciation. Just as with L1 speakers, sometimes students will incorrectly repeat the words on the song, due to them not hearing them clearly.
It is best to do this with the students standing in groups and spread out throughout the room. As the song plays, the teachers monitors the game and moves around the classroom and observes the students. As noted before, this is a great way for the teacher to assess listening and pronunciation skills.
Below are some good songs to use with their links to Youtube there are hundreds of songs that teachers can use:
If I had a million dollars by Bare Naked Ladies
I will always love you by Whitney Houston
Imagine by John Lennon
We are the World by Various Artists
Englishman in New York by Sting
One Hand in My Pocket by Alanis Morisette
For classes with monitors and an internet connection, most songs have videos with the lyrics displayed on the screen, so for a follow-up activity, the teacher can show the video with the lyrics for clarification and review. In most cases, the students will be very curious as to what was sung in the song.