Music makes the people come together- Use Ditty to Encourage Students to Write in English

I found out about this App today, I got really excited about this and immediately started writing this post. So we can all enjoy it, us, foreign language teachers :)

What is Ditty?

"Ditty.co is a text-to-music application developed by Zya which allows its user to combine any text-based message with a tune sampled from a collection of popular songs. Upon its release in 2015, the mobile app has garnered critical acclaims for its innovative use of kinetic typography, an animation technique that mixes motion and text to express ideas through the medium of video animation" (from: https://knowyourmeme.com/memes/sites/ditty).

I created a short Ditty for you about the advantages of Ditty in the EFL classroom:

Why use Ditty in the English as a foreign language classroom?

Ditty is a great app to use in the English as a foreign language classroom! It encourages students to write short messages! It combines writing with listening skills and musical skills! It is relevant to our students as we use pop culture, and it elevates motivation. It encourages learning that is beyond the classroom and beyond the bell as students continue playing and writing even after class! 

1. Enhance communication skills - Post those messages on a class website or social media and get responses. This encourages authentic learning that goes beyond the classroom doors! (Kasey Bell). 

2. Relevancy- Use pop culture, GIF animations and music to relate to students' lives and elevate motivation- students will continue creating so many written messages in English after school (Because it is wonderful to hear your own messages being composed and sung) - This will encourage learning beyond the bell and learning that is "beyond the due date". (Kasey Bell). It is really the perfect homework assignment.

3. Students get to practice singing and talking in English while learning to sing their own automatically created Ditty! This enhances pronunciation skills. 

Here is my first Ditty created with my grade 5 class in mind:

Here are some topics to be used as musical messages on Ditty:

1.   Writing about myself. – See example above.

2.   Writing about my city using "There is/ There are" : There are many trees in my city…"

Example, A ditty about my city:

3.    Creating a jingle for a school council elections campaign. 

4.    Writing about my favorite breakfast using the verb "have". I have two eggs and a cucumber for breakfast… I drink… " 

5.   A paragraph about my hobbies: "I like to… and to …".

6.   My message to the world.

7.   A musical message from a character in a book to another character.

Example from "Peter and the Wolf" - Grade 6 "Cool" textbook/ ECB.

8.   A musical message from a famous personality in history written in the Past Simple.

9.   Shortly answering an interesting writing prompt such as: What was your happiest day at school? Or Who is your best friend and why?

Here is an example about "My happiest day at school":

10.        Answering hypothetical questions such as: "If you could get a person who was sad to do one activity to get over that feeling, what would you suggest"? or  "If a space alien landed on Earth during a holiday celebration- such as a birthday or a Purim celebration- what would it see and think? 

11. Create a singing competition such as "The Voice" or "Eurovision Contest" from students' musical messages on Ditty. This will encourage them to practice speaking and presenting their messages orally.

 Here is a short tutorial I created:

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Hili

tags: games, technology, english, efl, distance learning.