Instrumental Soundtracks

There's always a good opportunity to play this little game bound to make for a great time. With my Advanced groups it was given last Christmas when we were talking about muzak or piped music that is played in public places such as restaurants, shopping malls or the lift, whereas with my Intermediate groups, the chance came along while learning vocab related to films... plot, cast, soundtracks, and so on.

In any case I play those less popular soundtracks such as "Into the west" (The Return of the King), Blade Runner soundtrack by Vangelis... etc. and make them think about the way they feel about them. This brings about a good bunch of words to describe feelings. Get them to think next of the story behind, the scene that soundtrack may accompany or the few images the music conjures up in their visual mind with very simple questions: Where is the scene? Who is in it? How do they feel? What's happening? You'll be amazed at what they can come up with.

Play some more popular ones after (Ennio Morricone- The Mission, Life is Beautiful, La Valse d'Amelie, "The entertainer" from The Sting...) to see whether they can guess the movie or remember the real scene and encourage them to tell you about their favourite soundtrack, why they like it and let them know they can bring their own soundtracks to the classroom for the rest to take the guess challenge.

Well, just some ideas that usually work pretty well and that students often find motivating =)