Have you ever wondered how to best use music to learn English? More importantly, have you ever thought, “I'd love to learn English through music. It's so fun, but I don't know where to begin.” Perhaps you've even tried it? And then gave up because you weren't sure how to do it right! Look no further. Music is one of the most powerful and engaging ways of learning a language. It is a great resource, but people give this piece of advice loosely, and it is too general to be effective.
Here I will be more specific on how to use music and why. As usual, I have been thinking about the best practices to learn English. I've spent quite some time looking for tips and different methods of learning English and have found that music is a perfect tool for language learning, if used in a particular manner depending on your learning objectives.
SLOW down a little.
One way to do this is by using slow music which forces you to pronounce each word
perfectly. This can seem strange as how does music improve my ability to speak English? It's also an effective way to avoid fossilization mistakes; at the very beginning, a bit of a focus on pronunciation can make wonders in the long run (pronunciation is key to making yourself understood in an English speaking environment). So remember, Use slow paced music to practice pronunciation, consonant articulation points, accuracy, and get used to frequent phrases of expressions.
Press the gas, I want to go fast
Let the lyrics flow and now let's use fast music. Keep in mind, it's not about the music genre. When we use fast-paced songs, it tends to help fluency, conversations strings, vowel sounds, word stress, and intonation. However, as it is quite difficult to follow, it may be challenging for beginners. But I insist! Try it as soon as you're willing to and the pay off will be huge.
What kind of music should learners listen to?
Learners should listen to songs from their favorite artist or connected to social media trends (as long as it these aren't NSFW). Then, as a learner, you should try to match the songs you list as close to your needs as possible. Teachers looking to integrate songs into their lessons should keep in mind the songs selected should have a connection, either with the language skills or systems seen in class, to make it relatable and effective. Let's be honest, a typical rookie mistake EFL teacher make is choosing a song with little to no connection to the class (I'm not judging, I did it too).
Now, if you're curious and you'd like to explore different artists; I've created these Spotify playlist. The lists have a wide variety of artists, from the Red Hot Chilli Peppers to Ariana Grande. The first list focuses on songs for A1 and A2 and the Second list is recommended for learners who are B1 onwards. Just follow the links and explore them, I'm sure you'll find something you like. Keep in mind, some songs will increase in complexity and may need some cultural background to be understood properly.
OK, I have the songs, now what?
Another band I love is KISS, and KISS could also mean KEEP IT SIMPLE STUDENTS! Remember, effective activities should be around 15 to 20 minutes tops. I even use these types of activities in my personalized classes when they're relevant.
Sing a long and go for a Karaoke activity. This is usually better at the end of a study session, but do it anytime you feel like it.
You could play with the lyrics. Remove some words, and complete them. Usually teachers select words which are part of the plan (for instance, I removed the transitive verbs from an Eminem song). Fortunately, the internet brought us websites like LyricsTraining, so you could do this type of exercise online; or on the go (Yeah! They also have an app).
Most daring learners who are really advanced could go for lyric interpretation and analysis, or even spot "language mistakes" that are either connected to lyrical properties, slang, or language variations. Now that's a tough task.
I want you, my dear readers, to take away a different point of view. They get stuck when they are learning English, not only because it's a difficult language but also because they don't have time and they put pressure on themselves. Hopefully, I've provided you with enough information to help you choose whether or not you want to use music for learning English. Of course, practicing your English skills is only one half of the battle; the other is getting an opportunity to use them in a useful context. If you have specific tips and examples, it would be great if you can share with me here in the comments. Thank you so much for reading!
Academic references:
Bellés-Calvera, L. (2018). Teaching Music in English: A Content-Based Instruction Model in Secondary Education. Latin American Journal of Content and Language Integrated Learning, 11(1), 109–139.
Bonilla-Salazar, E. M. (2019). Tuning the Chords of Youth Identity: A Community-Based Project Focused on Music in English. GIST Education and Learning Research Journal, 18, 48–67.
Brooks, L. Donnelly, M.& Mills, R. (2017). Mad Dogs and Englishness : Popular Music and English Identities. Bloomsbury Academic.
Temur, M. (2021). The Impact of Awakening Perception of Learners’ Comprehension on English Learning via Regularly Listening to Songs in English. International Journal of Progressive Education, 17(1), 145–157.
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