hello and what's your name song

modifying this technique

  • If you have nonverbal students in your class, you can change the words to “What’s their name?”. The song becomes a game to test how well you know everyone's names, and it stays low-exposure.
  • If you have a large class, this song can take a while. Keep students focused by asking them to chant in the style of different characters. For example: a robot, a mouse, the Queen of England. For a faster name game, check out the Look Who's Here Song.
  • This song can be modified to elicit responses to a wide range of questions. Consider changing “What’s your name?” to something based on your lesson’s content, for example “What’s your favorite color?” or “We learned about lots of animals that live in the forest, so... Hello, hello, which animal are you?”






 

lyrics

Hello, hello!
And what's your name?
(Student says their name.)
Hellooooo [name]!

Repeat around the circle until everyone has shared their name.

skill breakdown

SCAFFOLDING
Remember, every activity in your class can be scaffolded, even songs. Make sure everyone understands each step before moving onto the next.

  • Why? Scaffolding activities is a way to make sure no one is left behind.
  • Notice: Ruthie covers each step quickly. This might not work for a younger class. If your class is struggling to keep up, try to focus on learning only one step at a time. Practice each step until you can see that your class has mastered it.

STEP ONE: THIS IS A SONG
Let your students know this is a song. Ruthie specifically calls it a “What’s Your Name Song.”

  • Why? Being specific about the activity you are starting helps set clear behavior expectations for your students.
  • Notice: Ruthie uses "let’s all say that" to repeat “...a what’s your name song!” while she makes a clear hand gesture. She is asking students to be vocally and physically engaged from step one.

STEP TWO: FIRST VERSE
The first verse goes “Hello, hello!” Ruthie introduces the words and gestures at the same time.

  • Why? The gestures help students remember the song through kinesthetic learning.
  • Notice: Ruthie uses “Let’s all say that” to teach the song. “Let’s all say that” can be applied to lots of different teaching moments!

STEP THREE: SECOND VERSE
The second verse goes “And what’s your name?” Ruthie again introduces the gestures and the lyrics at the same time. She is careful to make sure the gestures match the rhythm of the lyrics.

  • Why? This helps students remember the song and also helps them develop rhythm skills.

STEP FOUR: GO AROUND THE CIRCLE
Ruthie explains that this song will go from person to person around the circle.

  • Notice: She goes over this step quickly, but you could slow it down if your class needs to.
  • Tip: You could even have students repeat “aroooound the circle” by using “let’s all say that!”

STEP FIVE: FINAL VERSE
The final verse consists of saying “Helllooooo [name]” to whomever has just shared their name.

  • Notice: When Ruthie leads this she seamlessly transitions a practice round into the real song by moving onto another student.
  • Tip: Again, this works well for older students, but feel free to take more time to practice with young learners.