Table of Contents
Listening Activity
This listening activity is based on the song “Coat of Many Colors by Dolly Parton“. The song lyrics can be perfect for English Learners and contain many interesting language topics, such as the simple future and the past simple.
Let’s start with some information about the song!
Coat of Many Colors by Dolly Parton
Coat of Many Colors is a song by Dolly Parton, released in 1971. This page provides information about the song, a link to the lyrics, and the official video.
Coat of Many Colors by Dolly Parton
Level
Beginner and intermediate students.
Facts about the Song
- Song: Coat of Many Colors
- Album: Coat of Many Colors
- Date of release: October 30, 1971
- Genre: Country
- Writer: Dolly Parton
- Produced by: Bob Ferguson
Interesting Information about the Song
Dolly Parton has described “Coat of Many Colors” as her favorite song she has ever written. She composed it in 1969 while traveling with Porter Wagoner on a tour bus.
As she recounted in her 1994 memoir, My Life and Other Unfinished Business, she couldn’t find any paper when the song came to her, so she wrote it on the back of a dry-cleaning receipt from one of Wagoner’s suits. When the song became a hit, Wagoner had the receipt framed.
The song narrates the story of Parton’s impoverished childhood. Her mother sewed together a coat for her from rags given to the family. The young Dolly, excited to wear her new coat despite “patches on my britches and holes in both my shoes,” rushed to school only to be laughed at and ridiculed by her classmates for wearing a coat made of rags.
The Video
The Lyrics
Language Points
The song includes many examples of the past simple. Here are some expressions that may be useful to students:
- My Momma Put the Rags to Use
- There Were Rags of Many Colors
- Every Piece Was Small
- And I didn’t Have a Coat
- And It Was Way Down in the Fall
- Momma Sewed the Rags Together
- She Made My Coat of Many Colors
- That I Was So Proud Of
- As She Sewed, She Told a Story
- About a Coat of Many Colors Joseph Wore and Then She Said
Listening Comprehension
Sentence Completion Exercise
Complete the sentences using the words or phrases provided.
- Back through the years, I go ________ once again
- Back to the seasons of my ________, I recall a box of rags that someone gave us
- There were ________ of many colors, every piece was small and I didn’t have a coat and it was way down in the ________.
- Mama ________ the rags together sewing every piece with love
Gap Fill Exercise
These words are used in the lyrics of the song:
Here are brief definitions for the requested words:
- Wandering: Moving around or traveling aimlessly from place to place.
- Blessed: Having a sacred or special favor; often associated with divine favor or happiness.
- Sewed: The past tense of “sew,” meaning to join, fasten, or repair (pieces of fabric or other materials) by making stitches with a needle and thread.
- Stitches: Loops of thread or yarn used to join pieces of fabric or to create a design, especially in sewing.
- Proud: Feeling deep pleasure or satisfaction as a result of one’s own achievements, qualities, or possessions, or those of someone closely associated with oneself.
Fill in the blanks with the appropriate word from the list:
wandering, blessed, stitches, proud, understand
- After the ceremony, everyone felt truly ____________ and grateful for the new beginnings.
- The grandmother carefully sewed the quilt, ensuring all the ____________ were perfectly aligned.
- He couldn’t help but feel ____________ of his accomplishments after receiving the award.
- The teacher tried to help the students ____________ the importance of kindness and empathy.
- They spent the entire afternoon ____________ through the city, exploring new places and enjoying the sights
Source: Wikipedia