Music and Hearing Language
Written By Wendolyn Craun
It is said by many that music is a universal language. From an ethnomusicologist perspective; however, this may not be true for musical pieces from different cultures have unique soundscapes and meaning not limited to one form or genre. But it is true that music is a form of communication enjoyed worldwide. So if you are teaching students to communicate in the English language, why would you not teach your students songs in this language as well?
Once you have decided that you want to teach your students English songs, where do you start? What is out there that is good material for an adult ESL learner, a teenager navigating the English world, a college student learning English in a non-English speaking environment, and a child learning English from a non-native English teacher? Environment and fun are two key words to consider and employ into your strategy for your ESL student of any age.
When we laugh, we relax. When we listen, we learn. When we comprehend the meaning of what we hear, we have grasped language. So as you consider where to start to bring music into your ESL classroom, I invite you to share Rhythmic Pattern’s WAM English songs. Our songs are organized into sets around commonly used vocabulary words. You can even choose songs as aural comprehension classroom content for your students.
For the most basic lesson, an aural comprehension exercise could be simply asking your students to listen for one key vocabulary word in a song. Teach students the chosen vocabulary word, play the song, and ask students to listen to the song and respond physically when they hear that word. For example, in the song “Blue Water”, students could listen for the word “blue” and raise their hand every time they hear the word “blue”. This is a comprehension exercise that doesn’t involve reading or speaking and can be used with beginner learners as well as advanced students. The students’ goal is to listen and identify one word in the stream of sounds they hear. How happy they will be when the word “blue” stands out clearly in their minds. They have comprehended a word, pulling out the sound from the other surrounding sounds. For more advanced students, simply choose more advanced or multiple vocabulary words to try to hear in the audio music sample.
By playing Rhythmic Patterns’ WAM English songs in the classroom, you create a fun language learning environment. You are creating the world where students are hearing language. The beauty of song is that the audio content is limited and can be repeated. This makes it easy for the mind to grasp and remember the content. Along the way, it’s also a great deal of fun!