Pronunciation: Being Eminem for a day (rythme)

Many students are unaware that English has stress and intonation, areas of pronunciation which are often neglected, and a good way to show them is to use rap music. I choose an inoffensive Eminem song that many of you surely know:

Put the following on the board:
"I'm Slim Shady
Yes I'm the real Shady
All you other Slim Shady's
Are Just Imitating
So won't the real Slim Shady
Please Stand Up
Please Stand Up
Please Stand Up"

Show the Ss where the stresses are in each line and tell them that English is like music, it has a beat. Get all students to try to say the lyrics together with you, the teacher, before asking individual students to say it for the class (perhaps it's better to start with a student you think will do a reasonable job with it, to begin).

I get the Ss to say it with me while snapping their fingers so they have a beat to work with (a VERY slow beat to start). You can also incorporate "Rap Actions" as they do it to make it fun. My students got a kick out of this and left the class "chanting" together... Get other rap songs and you could even get studets to teach the other students a portion of a rap song they've prepared as a presentation. This also works well with tongue twisters!

Enjoy! I always do!

Paul Surette
Seoul Women's University
South Korea