Friendship

     Friendship is something most people have experience with or an interest in and that is why I liked the Spanish podcast  "Cancion por Ti"  which means "Song for You."   The song would be truly handy as part of  a Spanish lesson.  It is by the singing group  "Ella Baila Sola"  which means "She Dances Alone." It  is a song about love and friendship.  The translation is as follows:

     I want to give you words, be your support when you fall, hold your hand when walking and tell you things in your ear. I want to be your blanket when you are cold and I want to be your shoulder to cry on.  For you, I  pledge my life to seeing you smile for one moment. For you,  I sell my soul in exchange for time that you need to be happy.  I drop everything for one of your kisses. I want to be your sword and your shield, to tell you that I want you one more time. I want to be your wings and your sky. I want to be the ocean and your sailboat, the ground and your feet for walking.

    I could imagine a mother saying these lyrics to her child.  Students might select one or two lines of the song to create a friendship card and draw or find a picture to match the words. Students could create a story about who the words are addressed to, why the  words are said, where the people are, what a person's response would be,  if the characters are friends, relatives or pets as well as what happens before and after the song.  This song could be used to practice subjunctive by replacing subjunctive verbs such as "caigas"  with other subjunctive verbs.  This song could also be used to reinforce the difference between "por" and "para" by dramatizing or by  creating pictures pertaining to sentences with "por" and "para."  Nouns could be replaced by other nouns.  If  students feel comfortable enough with each other, this would be an ideal song for karaoke.  In an intermediate or advanced conversation class, this song could be used to spark a discussion about important qualities to look for in a friend.

     In conclusion, possibilities and learning opportunities are abundant. Depending on the learning objectives, this song could be used to enhance grammar, vocabulary, speaking, writing and listening skills as well as spark debate about what is important in a relationship with a friend, family member and/or  pet.