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MUSIC IN LANGUAGE LEARNING

Music in language learning for elementary students

RMJ

LIB-495 LIBERAL ARTS CAPSTONE

Thomas Edison State University

Mentor: Dr. Augustus M. Black

May 13, 2022

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Chapter 3: A Review of the Literature

Music in education for elementary students has shown to increase language learning.

There are several benefits of including songs in English class because song improves the students

and improves their grammar skills and pronunciation. Music helps to develop your speaking

skills by playing music in class (M.N. Alefeshat, 2019). Language learning is notably poor in

schools with a large population of English language learners. English language learners are

students who are studying English as a second language in addition to their first. Since

motivation in a foreign language classroom is an important factor, learners need to feel

motivated in real-life circumstances to learn and use the target language (Villalobos Ulate,

2008). There is a vast variety of information pertaining to music education, language learning,

and elementary students. The number of materials available for all three disciplines is smaller,

but still adequate. This study can be used to discuss the efficiency of music in language

acquisition in a broader sense. However, the main goal of this research is to investigate how

music helps in language learning for elementary students.

Source Finding Analysis/Methodology

Strategic search approaches were used to find links in the wider topics surrounding music

in language acquisition in order to guarantee that this study was constructed on evidence that was

both current and relevant to the research objectives at hand. The New Jersey State Library's

research resources included databases such as EBSCOhost and ERIC, which allowed access to a

large number of peer-reviewed scientific papers. Key term searches on music, learning, language

acquisition, elementary students, development, and song benefits turned up publications

explicitly about the benefits of music in language learning for elementary students. When these
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databases lacked access to a required source, credible open-source publishers provided further

articles relating to this research.

This preliminary study highlighted components from a variety of academic fields,

including education, psychology, sociology, and linguistics, in order to get a wide understanding

of the impediments and benefits to music education and its effects on language acquisition. As

more useful publications were available, their bibliographies opened up new information

sources. This approach also led to a new array of reputable resources that were extremely useful.

Selecting materials that addressed themes explicitly related to the study questions, such

as, language learning, music, and elementary students further limited the literature selection. This

final list valued reputable sources that made original contributions to the discussion of music in

language acquisition for elementary students.

Each source cited in this article was obtained correctly to ensure that it conformed with

all ethical and legal limitations. The data that was used, was offered by open-source publishers or

by gaining access through the databases provided by the New Jersey State Library.

Themes

A review of the literature on music in language learning revealed some common themes:

integrating music and songs into second languages offers redundant resources for teachers to

inspire and collocate pupils, teachers are assisted by music and songs to create a learning

atmosphere of varied activities that encourage creativity and joy, continuous use of music in

language learning both offers a refreshing means of supporting the growth of various language

skills and provides a developmental connection. (Salcedo, 2010).

Elementary students require songs for teachers to teach a second language. And if a

number of songs are available in the class, the students will be able to pick their favorite songs
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and they will be more inspired to learn the English language. Songs encourage students to

improve their vocabulary, English learning abilities and the habit of learning the English

language with more excitement (Alefeshat, 2019). There are many studies who have taken into

account the benefits of music and songs on English as a second language learning. One of these

studies coming from Mashayekh & Hashemi (2011), who found that the learning of language is

facilitated by music and song. They facilitate the acquisition of language because their

motivational characteristics promote a more comfortable learning atmosphere (Coyle & Gomez

Gracia, 2014). A study by Purcell (1992) states that songs can also help to improve listening

skills because they provide students with practice listening to different forms of intonation and

rhythm. English has a stress-timed rhythm, for which songs can help to establish a feeling.

Mgr Jaroslav Suchý & Rosová (2007) mention that not all pupils are enthusiastic about

learning a new language. Some of them might have a negative attitude towards it, which

translates into a negative predisposition. As a result, it is critical to identify strategies to

challenge these assumptions and drive language learners. Among the different options that can

be used (illustrated books, internet, movies), we chose songs because it is possible to present a

significant part of the children's world in class and to establish friendly relationships with

students through song use (Joyce, 2011).

A study by Schön et al., 2008 stated that students would learn new vocabulary in a target

language faster if the syllables of the words were mapped to specific musical pitches, with the

conclusion being that therefore learners might learn a language faster through song. When the

"words" were presented musically, the listeners were better able to determine where they began

and finished. Students can learn language quicker by modifying prosodic characteristics of

speech and mapping speech to pitch. To further support the previous statement, Tanaka and
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Nakamura (2004) found that verbal and musical memory abilities seemed to measure the same

and that the better verbal (and therefore musical) memory, the better one pronounced a second

language.

The relationship between music, language, and development are intertwined. Some

findings demonstrate that phonological awareness, which is pivotal for reading and writing skills,

is closely related to pitch awareness and musical expertise (Degé & Schwarzer, 2011). Degé and

Schwarzer further demonstrate that school-age children can benefit from a program of musical

training to increase their phonological awareness. Schön & François, (2011) present a review in

which they focus on a series of electrophysiological studies that investigated speech

segmentation and the extraction of linguistic versus musical information. They demonstrated that

musical expertise facilitates the learning of both linguistic and musical structures.

Sources

The following sources contributed to the development of the themes. Particularly these

sources provided information on second language acquisition through songs. Coyle & Gomez

Gracia (2014) are both writers whose subject research study focuses on the use of songs to

enhance second language acquisition. As Salcedo (2010) also mentions the effects of songs in a

foreign language classroom and the involuntary mental rehearsal that occurs.

These sources provided a wealth of information on the English skills that are enhanced

while utilizing music as an envoy. As a doctor at faculty of Education Alefeshat (2019) has

extensive knowledge and provided an in-depth study on the effectiveness of using children’s

songs on developing the sixth grader’s English vocabulary and pronunciation. The next source

by Joyce is a dissertation which provides information on the use of song picture books for

vocabulary acquisition with kindergarten children. Degé & Schwarzer (2011) placed their focus
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on one aspect of English skills. Their study is based on the effects of a music program on

phonological awareness. Finally, Villalobos (2008), provides insight into the uses of songs to

improve EFL students’ pronunciation.

The sources allowed for the information to be obtained in terms of fostering an ideal

English language learning environment. Mashayekh (2011), while focusing on the social and

behavioral aspect, studies the impacts of music on language learner’s performance. Another

contribution to creating a joyous learning environment was written by Purcell (1992). Purcell’s

study focuses on the use of songs to enrich the secondary class.

A great source of information was provided by, Mgr Jaroslav Suchý & Rosová (2007).

This a thorough thesis about the use of music to teach English. The author, Rosová, provides a

well-organized detailed insight ranging from the definition of song and music all the way to

providing research results. Her study further dives into the aspects of teaching and creating

lessons that would revolve around music. She does explain in detail songs and their importance

in the classroom; however, she fails to mention the songs that would best promote language

development. Thus, this particular issue must be further researched and discussed.

A Crucial Omission

A crucial omission that is not discussed in detail is the effects of music on the special

needs population. There has been a corresponding increase of special needs students within the

school systems of the United States. The National Center for Education Statistics reported that

there are 7.0 million students, or 14 percent of all public-school students who receive services

provided by special education (Effects of Music Education 1 the Social and Cognitive Effects of

Music Education on Special Needs Students Sarah Deacon, n.d.) Special needs students make up

a portion of the students that attend public school. In order to encompass the entire scope of
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music education in elementary schools, one would have to include special need students. Doing

so, however, would take the study on a different direction. The aspects of music therapy and

different diseases would have to be addressed. Straum (n.d.) suggested the use of music therapy

to assist students with autism disorder in the areas of social and language development. Autistic

children have eliminated their monotonic speech by singing songs composed to match the

rhythm, stress, flow and inflection of the sentence followed by a gradual fading of the musical

cues. Although, special needs students make up part of our elementary school systems and music

helps language development, the benefits of music in language learning for special needs will not

be discussed.

Conclusion

The body of literature of music helps in language learning of elementary students, proves

that music has been found to improve language acquisition. There are various advantages of

adding songs in English class, including the improvement of pupils' grammatical abilities and

pronunciation. Playing music in class might help you improve your speaking abilities and

vocabulary. In schools with a big proportion of English language learners, language learning is

particularly low. Therefore, the use of song is primordial in their learning. There is also the

connection between music and language which is discussed. The primary purpose of this

literature is to see how music might aid language acquisition in elementary school kids. It

provides information regarding the benefits of music towards language acquisition, while also

mentioning the phycological, social, and behavioral aspects. However, the connection and

influence of music and the certain special needs students who make up a part of the elementary

school system are omitted. This part focusing on the special needs demographic requires more

research.
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References

Coyle, Y., & Gomez Gracia, R. (2014). Using songs to enhance L2 vocabulary acquisition in

preschool children. ELT Journal, 68(3), 276–285. https://doi.org/10.1093/elt/ccu015

Degé, F., & Schwarzer, G. (2011). The Effect of a Music Program on Phonological Awareness in

Preschoolers. Frontiers in Psychology, 2. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2011.00124

Effects of Music Education 1 The Social and Cognitive Effects of Music Education on Special

Needs Students Sarah Deacon. (n.d.).

https://digitalcommons.liberty.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=2149&context=honors

Joyce, M. (2011). Vocabulary Acquisition with Kindergarten Children 1 Vocabulary Acquisition

with Kindergarten Children Using Song Picture A dissertation presented by.

https://repository.library.northeastern.edu/downloads/neu:2579?datastream_id=conten

M.N. Alefeshat, H. (2019). The Effectiveness of using Children Songs on Developing the Sixth

Grader’s English Vocabulary and Pronunciation in Syrian Refugees Governmental

Schools. Community Medicine and Public Health Care, 6(1), 1–9.

https://doi.org/10.24966/cmph-1978/100056

Mashayekh, M., & Hashemi, M. (2011). REMOVED: The Impact/s of Music on Language

Learners’ Performance. Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences, 30, 2186–2190.

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sbspro.2011.10.424

Mgr Jaroslav Suchý, & Rosová, V. (2007). THE USE OF MUSIC IN TEACHING ENGLISH.

http://is.muni.cz/th/84318/pedf_m/diploma_thesis_1.pdf

Purcell, J. M. (1992). Using Songs to Enrich the Secondary Class. Hispania, 75(1), 192.

https://doi.org/10.2307/344779
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Salcedo, C. S. (2010). The Effects of Songs in The Foreign Language Classroom On Text Recall,

Delayed Text Recall And Involuntary Mental Rehearsal. Journal of College Teaching &

Learning (TLC), 7(6). https://doi.org/10.19030/tlc.v7i6.126

Schön, D., & François, C. (2011). Musical Expertise and Statistical Learning of Musical and

Linguistic Structures. Frontiers in Psychology, 2.

https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2011.00167

Sze, S., & Yu, S. (n.d.). Educational Benefits of Music in an Inclusive Classroom.

https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/ED490348.pdf

Villalobos Ulate, N. (2008). Using Songs to Improve EFL Students’ Pronunciation. LETRAS,

65(44), 93–108. https://doi.org/10.15359/rl.2-44.5