Inside: 15 Ways to Use Authentic Music in Spanish Class. Spanish class music ideas to mix up your classes.
Author – Allison Wienhold
Published – February 5, 2024
I have many, many posts about using music for Spanish class on the blog. Here is a place where many of those posts about using music in Spanish class are organized together.
Spanish Class Music Weekly Routines
Música miércoles
A routine that I started my first year of teaching was to start class on Wednesday with music. We coined the term Música miércoles and it stuck.
How to do Música miércoles? Project a slide with the artist, title, and task, with an embedded music video playing as all classes enter. Once the bell rings, watch the video as a class, discuss it briefly, and move on with the day. I like to use the same song across all levels to make it easier to plan for many preps. My newest Música miércoles 2024 has ready to go slides to project.
This could also be used to break up class as well. Some days we spent the entire class period doing activities with the song, but usually, it is just a para empezar call ringer to start class. Here are ideas of What to do with a song in Spanish class.
Baile viernes
Another routine using music is baile viernes, or dance Friday. This was my 2nd post on the blog in 2014 and another route I started early on with my high school students.
What is baile viernes? At the start of class, a dance video in Spanish is projected on the screen. The videos are usually easy Zumba or Just Dance in Spanish that play during passing time. If students are dancing and into it, the video will play again at the start of class.
Dancing has been a way to build a positive classroom community. It might take some time to build up the trust for students to be willing to be silly and dance together. Baile viernes 2024 has ready to go music slides you can use in class.
Also, see 5 Ways to use Dance in any classroom & Just Dance in Spanish Class.
Music as a brain break
Instead of starting class with music, another great way to incorporate it is through brain breaks. These breaks could be planned for a specific day or just as they arise. To help your students relax and recharge put on a song to listen to, dance to, or sing along to. Get Para Empezar 2024 for brain breaks for a year!
Spanish Music as a Time Filler
Do you ever have five to ten minutes left at the end of class that you want to fill with something worthwhile? You can always show an appropriate music video to expose students to new music or let them request a class favorite as a reward.
Canción/Artista de la semana
Instead of just starting one or two days a week with music, why not every day? I know many teachers, who use the same song all week, building each day with new activities. If you have the time, it is a great way to dig deeper with one song. For example, at the start of each class, there is a different task with a song. For example Monday – listen to the audio, Tuesday – watch the video, Wednesday – move the lyrics around in order, Thursday – Chat about the song using music question cards, Friday – Write a review.
Use music as a mini-unit in Spanish Class
Spanish Class Music Bracket
For the past many years during March Madness, I have put together a Spanish music bracket. Students vote for songs to be included, which are then put on a bulletin board, and students vote for songs to advance in the bracket.
We usually vote for one match-up per day, but this could also be done as a mini-unit for a couple of days. This is a great break in the routine for any time of year. You can get my NEW 2024 Spanish Music Bracket mania musical or NEW YOUNG Spanish March Music Bracket 2024 mania musical
I also do another bracket for Hispanic Heritage Month with one song from each country.
Teach Geography with Music
Instead of just learning the countries and capitals that speak Spanish, dig deeper. Use one song from each country to help give more meaning as you work on the geography of the Spanish-speaking world. This could be expanded to talk about artists from each country or popular genres of music. You could pair the music videos with travel videos about each country as well.
Chat about Music in Spanish
If you are digging deeper with a song in Spanish class, supporting conversation about music is helpful. Giving students the vocabulary to talk about music is essential. These music question cards support chatting about music for all levels of Spanish. Or if you want a one-day activity to chat and write about music in Spanish, I have a Spanish Music Find Someone Who.
Focus on Diverse Spanish Music
Besides using diverse music in Spanosh all year, you could choose to focus on a specific type of music. In particular, you could focus on Afro-Latino Music in Spanish Class in February for Black History Month. Or for November, honor Native American Heritage Month with indigenous music.
Movie talk a music video
Use the Movie talk or Clip Chat technique with a music video as a short film. This can be done by muting the audio, and describing what is happening using comprehensible Spanish while pausing many times.
You will want to warn students that you will be pausing, so they are prepared for the interruptions. In Spanish, you can then discuss student predictions of what they will see and hear during the song. Finally, watch the music video with sound, and see if the class predictions were true.
Celebrate Birthdays with a Spanish Birthday song
Use one of the many authentic Spanish birthday songs as a routine when there is a birthday in Spanish class. Build a positive classroom culture with authentic birthday songs. Read more >> Happy Birthday Songs in Spanish Class
Karaoke or Lip Dub
Have students pick their favorite songs to learn to lip-sync or sing to. These could be showcased in a class performance, a music video, or even better at a school-wide event that would help spread the love of music in Spanish. You could also do a lip-sync battle in Spanish, with students going back and forth competing with prepared lip-sync songs.
Authentic Resources for Spanish Class Music
Lyrics Training
If you have 1:1 devices, students can work through filling in the lyrics of their favorite songs in Spanish. There are multiple levels for differentiation and they are always adding new music. It was a favorite of students for choice homework options.
PBS Latin Music Site
This site has many different authentic Latin music concerts and events. Many of the videos would work well as a sub-plan.
Roxxem
A newer app to check out using authentic Spanish music.
Spotify Playlists
I think I am the only person ever who does not use Spotify, but there are tons of Spanish class playlists there. As always, preview to make sure it matches your school culture.
YouTube Playlists in Spanish
If you have any of my music resources, you know YouTube playlists of Spanish music are my jam. I have hundreds of Spanish class songs organized into many different playlists on my Youtube channel. I use YouTube so much, that it was worth it for me to upgrade to be ad-free.
Latin Billboard Top 100
Use the current hits as an inspiration for your weekly música miércoles and to discover new songs and artists. As always, make sure to preview before showing the videos as many songs on the Billboard Top 100 are not appropriate for class.
Want to learn more about Music in Spanish class?
Watch this 3 part video series.
Spanish Music Freebie
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