A chant

Emily comments she had a "fun" high school teacher who liked to make up songs to help students learn verb conjugations.  She remembers a chant they used in class in order to memorize the present tense conjugation of the verb llevar (to take or bring).  The "grammar chant" follows the tune of what seems like a children’s song, which allows for repeating three times the conjugation for each personal pronoun.  “I have sort of used that method of … repeating in a rhythm in my head to get certain conjugations down.”

Why use this strategy?
If you learn well by hearing, this strategy should be appealing to you.  A lot of the information you get in language class is visual.  If you learn better by hearing things, you may want to use a musical or rhythmic approach.

Learning material through a song or jingle becomes a matter of simply replacing the original lyrics. Isn’t it true that you sing the refrain of a song over and over again? Why not do it with, say, an irregular verb song as well?

The process for composing a song, jingle, or chant involves (a) identifying the irregular forms, (b) paying attention to how they sound, (c) making sure the stanzas rhyme, and (d) choosing a familiar tune.

As the composer of a grammar jingle, you may not get the recognition that the composer of the original song got, but you benefit from taking the time to create the jingle and learn the forms.  Besides, it’s fun.  And having fun when learning is what it’s all about!