Author: Erika Basso
The relationship between music and learning in children—and, with other nuances, in adults—has been the focus of several studies over the years, especially in pedagogy and musicology.
Music engages multiple areas of the brain, making it a rich and holistic activity for development.
In a study conducted by Murray State University, neurocognitive learning is more easily manifested with music, particular attention will be given to the influence of music on language learners, as well as the implications of incorporating music into the language learning curriculum.
Here are some specific benefits of music in various areas of growth:
Cognitive Development: Music can enhance memory, attention, and problem-solving skills. For instance, learning to play an instrument requires understanding complex patterns and can improve mathematical abilities.
Language Acquisition: Exposure to music aids in language development by enhancing phonetic awareness and vocabulary. Songs often emphasize rhythm and rhyme, which can help children learn the sounds and structures of language more easily.
Social-Emotional Skills: Participating in music-making, whether in a group or solo, fosters emotional expression and can improve self-esteem. It also provides opportunities for social interaction, teamwork, and empathy as children learn to collaborate and communicate through music.
Motor Skills: Playing instruments or engaging in musical activities that involve movement (like dancing) can enhance fine and gross motor skills. For instance, coordinating hand movements while playing an instrument requires precise timing and dexterity.
Literacy and Academic Readiness: Music education is linked to improved reading skills and overall academic performance. The skills acquired through music such as pattern recognition and auditory discrimination translate well into literacy and other academic areas.
Cultural Awareness: Music is an integral part of cultural identity and can promote understanding and appreciation of diverse cultures. Exposure to different musical styles can broaden a child's perspective and foster inclusivity.
This thesis aims to explore the multifaceted role of music in enhancing second language acquisition by examining its academic, cultural, and linguistic impacts on the four primary modes of language: reading, speaking, writing, and listening.
Incorporating music into daily activities or educational settings can significantly enrich a child's developmental experience, paving the way for a well-rounded and engaging learning environment.
Studying musical language under many perspectives (playing, singing, listening) helps the development of one’s own language, improving reading and listening skills.
If we look at the behavioural benefits, for example, musical education promotes the ability to manage anxiety and helps in building identity and self-esteem.
From the union of these two disciplines, many methods of musical pedagogy and listening education were born, based on different parameters, with different purposes and functions.
The Orff method
One of the more interesting methods is the Orff method, also known as hip-hop pedagogy, this type of language could be learned by the children without formal instruction. Carl Orff, a German composer, whose most famous composition is the oratorio "Carmina Burana".
The important thing in this approach is the lessons, that are presented with an element of play, which helps the children learn at their own level of understanding, in fact, the education started from musical skills through the practice and the expression.
The Gordon method
Another method of music education is the Gordon method. This is based on the Music Learning Theory (MLT), developed by Edwin E. Gordon. He explained the analogy between learning music and glottodidactic.
Gordon claimed that learning music through reading scores and solfeggio was equivalent to starting from the end, and that this derived from a conception of music as a graphic, written language.
For Gordon, on the other hand, music is a language that is learned through hearing, therefore learning it should begin with listening, to develop musical thinking skills. Audiation – a term coined by Gordon himself – is the final goal of this type of work: the ability to think about music when the music is not present.
Music improves your brain's processing speed. If you’ve ever taught kids, you realize the power that melody and rhythm have in memory. There’s research to back this up, like a recent study by the University of Edinburgh Reid School of Music where participants had to learn and try to recall songs in Hungarian.
If we envisioned a society where musical education was accessible to all, starting from schools, the cognitive and the linguistic development of young learners would be significantly enhanced.
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