LyricsTraining

 

Listening is a major language skill which a second language learner is very concerned about. Listening in L2 requires a large extended knowledge of linguistic features from L2. However, this knowledge is always limited to its theories until you practice and learn from your real life experiences. 

Real life experiences here come as the source of opportunists a L2 learner has in the target language. In real life, the major source to listen to a foreign language is the speakers (native/non-native) of that language. For example, in Bangladesh, our major listening sources are our English teachers & English friends if we have any. To some extent, we also can listen to English news readings. As the listening source is limited within its speakers, practitioners; acquiring competence in this skill is difficult. However, it has been proven by researchers that without interactive listening , your concentration, learning is limited. As a result, English news, English music you can listen to, you hardly can keep your concentration on because these lack in interaction. As the L2 learners are not able to interact or involve in such listening sources, they lose interest while listening to any news, music, & it affects their listening competence. 

Introduction:

To make listening interactive and help learners to be more competent, LyricsTraining comes as a blessing. This is available in both form as an app to be used from your handy device or as a website to be used from desktop.  This website is basically designed with songs from many languages. A teacher can design quizzes on a song and can assign her students to practice. Without being assigned, a student can practice from choosing any songs by his own. To go to the website please follow the link https://lyricstraining.com/

How to use this website: 

 

This website is completely free for any interested learner. There you will be getting 13 other languages including English. You can look at the attached photo for your convenience. Here from the genres you can select different types of music you would love to listen to. There is also a search option & just by its side you can have the languages you would like to listen to. Although there is a sign up option, it is mostly required by a teacher or an editor.  Here’s a snap for the genres and languages: 

After you select a genre, a language; you need to choose a song. For your convenience, look at the attached picture where I have selected language English and the genre is children’s music. From there I have chosen This Is The Way We Get Dr…

After choosing the song you will be getting the page where you can select a level as the attached picture.

Select your level accordingly (consider age, competence, and challenge). After that, you will be directing the song but you need to choose the mode. If you select the write mode, you need to practice writing the lyrics but if you choose the choice mode you will be getting the fill in the blanks type question. Picture attached herewith for your convenience. 

Choose from the option- then click on Press here to start the game. 

Write mode-  Can you see the dot but there is no options to choose rather it wants you to write the word!

Choice mode- Can you see the dot (.) and the options?

Benefits: 

Using this website a learner can be benefited by in many ways such as: 

• Can choose from thousands of music

• Can practice the lyrics as many times as he wants to get the competence

• Can choose the levels- beginner, intermediate, advance, & expert. 

• Can choose the mode either to practice writing the lyrics, or choice mode to fill the blanks.

• Can compete with other users to check own level

• Can create a free account if you want to upload your own lyrics or to save the favorite lyrics to practice later on. 

Using this website  a teacher can be benefited in the following ways- 

• Can design listening tasks easily

• Can make listening activities interesting, engaging, and effective

• Can motivate learners to listen to the target language off to class as well. 

Limitations: 

Although this website seems interesting and interactive, it is not beyond limitations. This website is designed without any restrictions, therefore some songs may not be suited to a particular learner. Culture orientation can be a consideration while teaching listening through this website to the older adult learners. Although older younger learners and teenagers can find this website interesting, the very younger learners may not understand how to play from the first attempt. Additionally, the songs can not be controlled in its speed. Therefore, for non-native listeners these listening tasks are difficult. 

Suggestions: 

Being inconsiderate to the limitations, as a language teacher I would like to use this website in my class to help my learners with listening. Although by not challenging them with grades, to make them a competent learner I will promote this website. However, as there is an option to modify your lyrics, you can upload your own songs, I will suggest language teachers to do some work and make it according to learners instead of choosing from the uploaded one to avoid cultural clashes. 

 

Yet, to learn more about how to use the fantastic website to improve your listening skill, follow the attached link- 

Guide to use the website 

A Look of the app