This workshop used reggaeton music to motivate students to reflect on lyrics and write about social issues. Reggaeton is a Puerto Rican genre that blends rap, hip hop and reggae with Latin rhythm. Its lyrics are often about violence and young people's perspectives. The workshop included a presentation on reggaeton, group analysis of sample lyrics, and teachers developing writing lessons based on song lyrics. Groups then shared their lesson plans and a student poet performed some of his works.

1. La música actual y su
influencia sobre el
lenguaje
Workshop Borinquen Writing Project
Prof. Elizabeth Coló n, Phd.
April 9, 2005
Faculty Room
University of the Sacred Heart

2. About Elizabeth Coló n
• Professor of Education
Department at the
University of the Sacred
Heart
• Has researched
extensively in the area of
socio-linguistics
• Received award for her
research about the jargon
used by prisoners

3. La música actual…
This workshop uses “reggaetó n” music as a
means to motivate students to reflect about
the lyrics and write about the issues the
songs present.
“Reggaetó n” is a Puerto Rican blend of rap, hip
hop, reggae with a touch of Latin rhythm. Its
lyrics are often violent and/or express young
people’s view of the world.

4. Prewriting Activities
• Power Point
presentation about
“reggaetó n” music
• Group work with
sample lyrics

5. Writing Activity
Using lyrics from different “reggaetó n”
songs, teachers were asked to develop
writing activities based on what the songs
said.

6. Closing Activities
A teacher from each
group shared the
group’s lesson plan.

7. Student poet, Antonio
Fornaris, read some of
his poems for the
audience.