Learn English through music

Reyna Gordon of the Vanderbilt Kennedy Center, Tennessee, US has rightly said in his article published on the 7th November that music education could improve grammar skills. Of late many schools and colleges have adopted “music in the classroom” strategy to teach English, especially where English is taught as second language. It has been experienced that the students acquire embedded language contents: vocabulary and grammar skills unconsciously through this method.

Further students acquisition of spellings and linguistics skills has been improved to a greater extend. Since singing songs and listening to music are pleasurable activity it not only lessens student’s inhibitions about acquiring second language but also increases span of attention making students more receptive to learning. Thus song and music exposes students to authentic examples of second language and they are perhaps the strongest motivational factors.

As part of social skills singing songs in unison produces a sense of community feelings, increases students’ confidence in the language learning and evokes positive emotions that can lower the effective filters and bring about effective language acquisition.

Elvis Presley’s “Are you lonesome tonight” is a perfect example to teach question structure and simple present tense. Almost all the Boney M songs can be used effectively. Many worksheets can be had from www.tuneintoenglish.com to teach English through music in classroom where the students enjoy learning.