Music as a key to learning a language
Music and language learning
Music is the key to learning English as a second language from Asbury Park Press- Rose Powers, 44, of Metechun teaches English and uses creative ways to make learning a language easy and fun. Powers uses Pod-Casts on a video I-Pod in addition to books and worksheets. She also incorporates music into her everyday teachings. This technique was derived from experiences as a young Spanish-speaking girl in an unfamiliar environment. Powers is from Callao, Peru, and is fluent in Spanish. Powers and her family immigrated to the United States when Powers was in grammar school. “Learning the American language was difficult for me, but I had good teachers who put an emphasis on music as a way of learning the language,” Powers says.Teachers associated everyday vocabulary with lyrics from songs by artists such as The Carpenters and the Eagles. Now, as a teacher, Powers continues to emphasize the use of music as a learning aid.
This topic deserves more depth, however, by translating lyrics and listening to songs over and over you will pick up a lot of vocabulary, some in useful sentences others less useful depending on the genre of music you listen to. Perhaps this is more of a girl’s way of learning a language, but regardless, it is effective. The songs should be what you like, not some simple jingle that you would get board of. You can also listen to music for grammatical patterns. I have seen books organized to teach grammar in this way. The key thing is every way to learn a language is a good way as long as you enjoy it.
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