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The Use of Music to Motivate Language Learners

Language and music are intertwined. Language learners pass through various stages when learning both, such as the silent stage of listening, experimenting with sounds and imitating both rhythms and words. Motivate learners by incorporating music in the language classroom to provide a non-threatening approach to producing and mastering language. The confidence gained through music will carry over to other content areas as well.
  1. Build Confidence

    • When a student sings, he is not singled out to produce an answer. Singing in class is a noncompetitive approach to introducing and practicing information. If the student does not know certain words of the song, he can sing the chorus, which is repetitive. He will learn more each time he sings and eventually become successful.

    Increase Cultural Awareness

    • Immerse the language learner with popular music about the culture he lives in. This helps the student learn about the new culture he's entered. Listening to cultural lyrics can also start a conversation in the classroom. For example, the song "Rocky Top" is about people of the Appalachian Mountains. The student will be able to make connections between his culture and other cultures through music.

    Practice Listening Skills

    • The novice language learner may not be ready to produce language. He needs motivation and exposure to basic sentence structure. Use easy songs in the language classroom that the learner can listen to each day. This will motivate him to begin repeating the music to himself and eventually attempt a simple conversation.

    Increase Fluency

    • The student increases his vocabulary when listening to the words of a song. He hears the words used in context and is able to decipher meaning this way. The rhythm and intonation of the song increase his speaking fluency and help improve pronunciation. The student is naturally becoming proficient in language usage without using monotonous drills. This is a stress-free way to learn.

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