Language Learning Enhanced by Music and Song Hilda F Israel Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University,

South Africa Abstract A song is poetry set to motion. A song in a second language enhances the learning
of that target language. This study confirmed that English second language learners were inspired by the
singing of songs and music to achieve better in their study of literature, as well as other aspects of the
target language. Learners were overwhelmed by the high standards and analytical thought skills
required in the understanding of poetry as an aspect of their English curriculum. Lack of interest quickly
set in, until the teacher decided to motivate them through the use of contemporary songs as a teaching
methodology. The skills learned were then transferred to the study of other aspects of the language
curriculum. The application of song and music as a teaching and learning classroom motivation was
affirmed, resulting in creative and enhanced language performance. 1. Introduction ‘If music be the food
of learning, play on’ (with apologies to Shakespeare). There are times when the language teacher has to
be very creative indeed, or else both content learning and the throughput rate of learners suffer. The
setting of this case study was a postdemocratic, secondary school in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa (SA).
Originally for South Africans of Indian descent only, it included all black learners living in the local area at
the time the study was undertaken. The class was Grade 11, a mixed ability group of learners mostly
from the local informal or shack settlement. Some were definitely at-risk learners. Many had just a basic
knowledge of the English language. The teacher’s task was to teach English literature, one aspect of
which was poetry analysis. After foundation lessons, and a review of two poems, she knew that
traditional methodologies and evaluations were not appropriate and had to change. “Turn the beat
around…” by Gloria Estefan became the newly adopted ‘teaching methodology’. Music and song,
whether pop, rock, kwaito, rap, Rhythm & Blues, hip-hop, house… healed the world and made it a better
place for these learners. The teaching and learning lesson plan and assessment was simple, but
experimental. The Plan: Learners chose one song (for example, the rap version of Just the two of us by
Will Smith; Beat It by Michael Jackson). The teacher chose one song (for example, Turn the beat around
by Gloria Estefan; California Dreaming by The Mamas & Papas) and the third was mandatory, the SA
National Anthem, Nkosi Sikelel’i-Afrika. Then followed the prescribed poetry list, but learning now was
based on how the music lyrics were analysed. The anthem was included to inspire national pride and
citizenship. Methodology: The introduction lesson was a marketing strategy. The class was moved to a
room far away from the main teaching block and music welcomed the learners for about fifteen
minutes. Popular music, kwaito and rap music was played at high volume to make an impact on the
young people. Singing the lyrics and dancing was a natural response from them. Students commented
that this classroom had an “electric mood” and that learning “had a vibe”. One student notably added
that this was “Africa in the classroom”. No learner stood still… until the words of the lyrics were
transferred onto the overhead projector screen. Then the teaching and learning began. Actually, this
was when the teaching and learning continued. The sudden dawning that the music they were enjoying
was actually a poem in motion seemed to fascinate the students. The language did not matter because
they sang in English and African languages. They accepted that they were singing a poem set to music. It
was this critical moment that transformed what they thought was a music experience into an education
situation, a teaching and learning situation. Music was the motivation behind the learning. Words were
analysed and meanings debated. Rhyme was clarified. Figurative language was identified and discussed
in the context of the text. The lesson was closed with five more minutes of music. No learner wanted to
leave the classroom. The beat had turned the learning experience around. More importantly, the young
people wanted to learn, they were motivated to engage with the words of the lyrics. The learners were
thereafter allocated three tasks: Literacy Information and Computer Education Journal (LICEJ), Special
Issue, Volume 2, Issue 1, 2013 Copyright © 2013, Infonomics Society 1360  A writing assignment based
on the analysis of the 3 songs as poetry.  A small group presentation of any 2 of the 3 songs as their
oral assessment.  A full discussion of what the learning process meant to them as individuals and as a
group. By three weeks later, all English language lessons were becoming increasingly boisterous in a
positive way. Five minutes of each lesson was devoted to a progress report on “Our Production”: music
motivated them to own the assessment tasks. Students wanted to learn. The motivation was clearly
intrinsic, with visible benefits in other learning areas as well. Grammar classes were not tedious any
more. Shakespeare was visualised as a poet too, exposing them to more imagery analysis. The learners’
oral presentations became more ambitious than expected, with music, song, costume and videotaping
all being integrated into the task. Funds were even raised to get T-shirts for their groups. The objective
in using music was to motivate the teaching and learning of poetry. Not only were the lyric productions
beyond expectations, but language ability in the written task improved as well. The poetry lesson
changed. Each poem now had the potential to be sung, while some learners proved adept at converting
them to rap format. The teacher realised that analysing the poem was now more accessible, more
possible. Music had made the environment more learner-friendly. Music had motivated the learners to
go beyond their language limitations and respond to lyrics as poetry, and poetry as lyrics. Music brought
them together despite diverse racial, cultural, economic and social differences. Music made better
learners of the at-risk individuals. What was confirmed was that music as an innovative teaching and
learning intervention had worked. The poetry analysis section of the curriculum thereafter merged with
the oral presentation section. The fact that all of this was being performed in a language other than their
mother-tongue seemed irrelevant to many of the learners. “Editing” became their new “buzzword”. For
many, their confidence in using their limited knowledge of English visibly grew. The writing task
produced efforts that ranged from mediocre to outstanding. Evidence of research on the national
anthem brought national history and pride into the learning process. One group videotaped themselves
performing their song as part of their presentation. Another did a stage choral production, with all of the
learners wearing red Tshirts and jeans. The critical analysis of the whole music-asmotivation process was
an unexpected development, being exposed when learners shared their personal reflections on the
innovative teaching process. The hidden curriculum emerged as questions focussed on personal learning
growth. Questions included the following: What did it take to be a team player? Why did tensions arise
at times? How did each contribute to the final written and oral product? Why did they resent the “lazy”
learner who did not contribute as expected? Critical thinking was being applied without the learners
even recognising it, or knowing that they were even capable of it. Music motivated this enthusiasm and
desire to learn. Today, when the teacher meets some of the learners from her English class, the
conversation is not about how much they have progressed, but about how music helped them to enjoy
their language lessons. And they proudly add that, when they sing the national anthem, they do not
need to look at the words anymore. 2. Music and Learning The case study indicated that music enhances
one’s skills in academic achievement, self esteem, national pride, identifying with one’s culture and
general self confidence. Music is a means of communication. It crosses all barriers – language, culture,
belief systems, age, gender and nationality. It is an innate part of a person’s being. Depending on taste,
it soothes and relaxes, inspires and motivates. Used carefully in the learning situation, it can turn the
beat of the learning process around. In the SA Curriculum, the Arts and Culture Learning Area states that
music creates opportunities for a learner to: develop a healthy self-concept; work as individuals;
acknowledge and develop the diversity of South Africa’s cultures and heritage; develop skills in art;
respect human value and dignity; develop life-long learning skills [17]. As teachers of diverse primary
and high school learners, educators need to identify how we can use music to motivate the learner. How
can we tap into their learning styles, limitations and strengths? Eady and Wilson [4] confirm that various
studies prove that music does contribute to a learner’s academic achievement, motivation and creative
development. They conclude that music helps one to learn more, and more effectively. Music
contributes to all of education. The learner benefits by enhancing key developmental goals such as
selfesteem and creativity. Learners achieved better scores when music was part of their social studies.
McTeer and Bailey [8] reinforce the thesis that music motivates learning in other disciplines through
their research on student attitude towards history and subject knowledge Literacy Information and
Computer Education Journal (LICEJ), Special Issue, Volume 2, Issue 1, 2013 Copyright © 2013,
Infonomics Society 1361 matter. An experimental group of senior high school students were exposed to
contemporary music to rejuvenate their history class. The control group was taught using the lecture-
discussion method. With all other variables being constant, the outcome was that in the area of attitude
and subject matter knowledge, the group exposed to music as motivation scored better averages.
Research conducted by Weisskoff [22], as cited in Eady and Wilson [4], supports the premise that music
influences learning in core subjects and helps to achieve the core goals of learning. He compared two
learning situations: learning in language arts with music and without music, with his focus being on task
performance and continuing motivation. Did the presence of music make any difference or not? The
outcome was that those who learned in the music situation scored very much higher in terms of
sustained motivation, seen in the tendency of learners to continue working on tasks after the initial
motivational lesson. Task performance was not improved by the music motivation. Music was neither a
positive force nor a distraction in task achievement. He further clarified that background music during a
learning task does not enhance achievement. However, Weisskoff [22] proves that music as motivation
does work for learners. The research confirmed that there is a solid relationship between music and
continuing motivation: unmotivated learners became motivated because of the presence of music. The
SA case study, despite its unusual and innovative context, confirmed these findings. An aspect that
cannot be ignored is the massive technological advancement in music today. Learning tasks involving
technology provide excitement and innovation for the student. Moore [11] explains that Musical
Instrument Digital Interface (MIDI) technology allows learners to create, edit and recreate music
compositions, making the task more personal. Divergent thinking is rooted in such tasks. The creative
potential of the learner is clearly unlimited with such technology available at school. 3. Music and
Language Learning Language acquisition has a profound relationship with music in that they can both
develop and support each other. Research cited reveals a positive interdependence when music is used
with much reflection and planning in the language classroom. “Melodic recognition, contour processing,
timbre discrimination, rhythm, tonality, prediction, and perception of the sight, sound, and form of
symbols in context are required in both music and language” Stansell [18]. The obvious implication now
lies with the language teacher, and linguistic researcher, to find methodologies that can be practically
applied in the classroom, ways that would make the learning of language more effective. Traditional
language teaching methods have to be reviewed, and music introduced as one means of further
enhancing learning. Fluency would be the outcome of merged methods of teaching and learning,
together with motivated learners, improved vocabulary development, use of vocabulary in context and
communicative confidence, as evidenced by the case study cited. There was positive impact on the four
key language learning areas: listening, reading, writing and speaking. “Researchers over the last twenty
years have made astounding advances in the theory of language acquisition. Many find the pedagogical
conjoining of language and music compelling” Stansell [18]. When the case study learners colloquially
talked of their learning having a vibe, they expressed what Stansell [18] more academically stated: “The
universal element of music can make the artificial classroom environment into a ‘real’ experience and
make new information meaningful, bringing interest and order to a classroom.” Moticoe [13] wrote the
newspaper headline: Music that speaks where language fails. The article which followed spoke of the
musical journey of a group of musicians called Ntjapedi. They were attracting much interest with their
new style of music, singing in Sesotho and combining jazz, poetry and soul to create a sound that
transcended language and cultural barriers. Their listeners came from various language groups in SA,
proving that music speaks and acts across all boundaries. As educators, how can one define the
relationship between language learning and music? Oats and Grayson [15] write of language acquisition
being rooted in phonology, morphology, syntax and semantics. Connections in the acquisition process
can be seen as follows: Levels of Language Learning 1. Phonology: consists of symbols that represent the
sounds of language. 2. Morphology: form of words establishes meaning and grammatical function. 3.
Syntax: order of words constitutes sentence formation. 4. Semantics: vocabulary creates meaning and
understanding. If music can be seen as a language as well, then parallels can be drawn between the
acquisition processes applicable in language learning and music learning. Literacy Information and
Computer Education Journal (LICEJ), Special Issue, Volume 2, Issue 1, 2013 Copyright © 2013,
Infonomics Society 1362 Another study conducted by Horn [6] also confirms that music is a form of
language, using tones, pitch, timbre and rhythm as a universal language. Both language and music are
‘communicative modes, aurally and orally transmitted, containing phonetic, syntactic, and semantic
components, develop early in life and are socially interactive media.’ Horn [6] adds that music enriches
one’s vocabulary and teaches articulation and pronunciation. She notes that music plays a vital role in
the teaching of English as a second language, emphasising that to be ‘able to learn, understand and
experience music and language, the learner should have well-developed listening skills.’ Developing the
ability to listen enables learners to learn the basic skills of language: listening, speaking, reading and
writing. Horn [6] suggests that music should be used to encourage learners to listen in a mentally active
and analytical way, adding that ‘In learning the language of music, just as in learning any language,
learners need to listen to the language and its sound patterns before they are able to use it.’ Clearly,
listening ability is basic to the teaching and learning of reading and comprehension, being therefore a
central component of language acquisition, education and social development. In language learning,
studies reveal a correlation between the teaching of music and reading. “Both use a symbol structure
that can be decoded into sounds that have meaning. Visual and auditory discrimination are required in
both subjects and are oriented to a left-to-right framework” Eady and Wilson [4]. The similarities
occurring in the learning process, during the acquisition of both language and music skills, reveal
remarkable benefits especially to an English Second Language (ESL) learner. Most of the learners in this
SA case study were ESL learners. Reading music is another form of literacy. The teaching methods may
be similar, but because more enjoyment comes from music, the learner is motivated to progress on to
other forms of literacy. Supporting this argument is Cohen-Taylor [2], who established that when
primary school learners were given contemporary song lyrics to read, they thereafter reacted positively
to other printed material. Their lack of motivation was broken by the introduction of contemporary
music that they recognised. He points out that reading skills can be more effectively taught through
song lyrics. Note should be taken of a study by Murray [14], who actively teaches French using song
lyrics. Her point is that most people spend almost 50% of their time listening, a critical skill in second
language acquisition. Listening formed a vital part of the case study, and expanded into assessment of
communication and language performance for each learner. Such evaluation included the meaning of
key words, why the singer chose to use them, their application in poetic forms and the idiomatic turn of
phrase applied. Like in the case study, Murray [14] analysed songs as poems, thus expanding the
student’s grammar and vocabulary, developing skills needed for learning the target language in greater
depth. Pronunciation was also improved, because her students listened to the beat, rhythm, flow or
accent that was used. Students were also able to study the differences between the oral and written
forms of the target language. Learning a language through lyrics in the target language will motivate
students because they define who they are through their own culture, and through the music that they
enjoy. Through music as a teaching methodology, students are further exposed to foreign language and
culture, making the learning experience far more integrated than perceived. Language acquisition
evolves into culture and communication acquisition. Mora [12] believes that music and language should
be often used in the teaching of English as a Foreign Language. Song introduces the repetition of words
and phrases, and such repetition enables the brain to remember learned content. She points out that
repetition in Russian is idiomatically referred to as mat’ ucheniya, the mother of learning. Mora [12]
found that repetition through song worked: “The musicality of speech has an effect not only on the
pronunciation skills of EFL students but also on their entire language acquisition process.” This ensures
that in addition to attending class, completing tasks and speaking out loud, the song enables rehearsal
of language that has been learned. Studies by Schunk [16] support this conclusion: children who heard
an intervention text sung had a significantly higher vocabulary gain over children who only heard it
spoken. They averaged 6.5 words learned, over the text group's 2.5 words. Clearly, song and music are
effective language teaching methodologies. Medina [9] further encourages vocabulary development
through oral stories, but found that learning was enhanced when songs were used as a medium for the
story. ESL educators should consider using song more often, and more consistently, in the classroom.
Eady and Wilson [4] suggest the following methods to teach reading and language skills:  activities
using word cards featuring favourite words of songs;  forming new sentences from words in favourite
songs;  guessing first lines of songs, with the teacher giving word configuration clues, and  creating
crossword puzzles in which the entries are words in song titles. Literacy Information and Computer
Education Journal (LICEJ), Special Issue, Volume 2, Issue 1, 2013 Copyright © 2013, Infonomics Society
1363 It is common knowledge that African peoples have a natural sense of rhythm. For the South
African ESL educator, this strength should be exploited and developed into a teaching tool that supports
the learning of language. Horn [6] recommends:  classroom activities that use music as a
complementary method because it makes full use of visual, auditory, movement and tactile senses; 
songs used should be short, rhythmic, simple and with a catchy melody;  schools having music-
educated teachers, music venues and suitable instruments and equipment,  well organised music
programmes that support teachers;  the integration of music into all aspects of the curriculum; 
mother-tongue instruction at pre-school to form the basis of later learning;  that parents be
encouraged to improvise music/sound related activities with their children, for example, family singing,
listening to music and doing household chores to music, and  that parents be involved in their child’s
taste in radio and television to guide the kind of music and language that influences their listening and
speaking. Monitoring Academic Progress of students (MAP) was a project where thirty primary school
learners attended workshops on music, poetry and reading selections with the aim of improving their
self-concept and reading achievement. They worked together in writing song lyrics. Songs and reading
passages chosen encouraged learners to think of themselves and others in a positive fashion; they wrote
their own poetry and presented this in readings and on posters. Speaking and reading skills were being
learned. Concentration and memory were tested through such exercises. The outcome confirmed that
reading and listening skills taught this way were very effective, as recorded in Hadley and Hadley [5].
Murray [14] aptly points out that songs “provide us with a window into a world that is not our own, a
world that we glimpse and remember thanks to the power of music.” Music is an integral part of our
lives today – it’s in our cars, homes, cell phones, MP3s, shopping malls, radios, television programmes.
Students walk around campus with earphones plugged on for the entire day – listening to their personal
music selections. This is an ideal context for the language teacher, who should explore as many ways as
possible to formally integrate music into the classroom. The teacher can expand on this by including the
understanding of culture through music. The literature cited justifies the use of song and music in ESL
teaching. However, the integration should be on a regular, planned basis for optimum effect.
Assessment of language performance should also include song and music where applicable. Exponents
of traditional text book methods of language teaching may consider this revolutionary, but need to
evaluate the hidden curriculum before writing it off. Stansell [18] sums this up succinctly when he states
that the musical method means having fun with language and letting words come easily; this identifies
with communicative language learning methodology, which includes social interaction, small groups and
peer discussion. Music does bring relief from vocabulary tests and grammar drills. Today, the use of song
and music offers a more natural and holistic way of learning language. Horn [6] points out that singing
songs, as was done in the case study, provides practice in language usage and music. When speech and
music are combined to produce singing, both hemispheres of the brain have to actively co-operate: left
brain for speech; right brain for music. Language seems thus to have an underlying rhythmic principle,
integrating and harmonising speaking, listening, music, speech patterns, pitch, beat and timing. Her
conclusion is that since learners are taught through English as their medium of instruction, the problems
they experience in language acquisition may be addressed through the use of music as a teaching tool.
Music may be used to develop the language competence of ESL learners. Music and singing enables the
speaking of English in a more relaxed and non-threatening context. The use of song picture books allows
the learner to see, sing and learn the language. Music allows for the learning of language structures and
words, thus improving conversational and social communication skills. When it comes to language
learning, music can also be used for group work in reading exercises. The introduction of jazz enables
improvisation ideas that may well impact on other aspects of language learning. Vande Berg [19] adds
that jazz improvisation permitted every child to actively participate in a non-threatening context, since
verbal exercises are not seen as right or wrong. Exercises can be read to a steady beat in the classroom,
with pitch, rhythm and volume being altered in jazz-like ways. Language learning becomes thus an
enjoyable experience because the activity motivates the student. Curnow [3] clarifies that a basic
function of the teacher is to encourage a student to use the skills he/she has learned in a creative
manner. One way Literacy Information and Computer Education Journal (LICEJ), Special Issue, Volume 2,
Issue 1, 2013 Copyright © 2013, Infonomics Society 1364 would be through studying song lyric
improvisation. If the teacher had to merge improvisation and reading, there is every possibility that
students can ‘discover new insights when transforming and rearranging language to syncopated beats
and sound and composition projects. Various writers on creativity argue that musical improvisation and
composition should be as routine as writing an English composition…’, as stated in Eady and Wilson [4].
The goals would be integrated: to encourage involvement in creative musical arrangements; to develop
self-evaluation skills and to critically analyse one’s work. Improvisation involves creative thinking which
is a dynamic mental process that alternates between divergent (imaginative) and convergent (factual)
thinking, Webster [21]. One prominent feature of the case study was student interest in rap and hip hop
formats of music. Merina [10] confirms that poetry teaching is stimulated by rap. Learners can recite
poetry traditionally and set the poem to rap beats. Rap poetry excites learners because it is very similar
to what they have on their iPods, CDs, cell phones and black berries. They enjoy this because they
identify with rap culture and communication. However educators may feel about rap and hip hop, they
are here to stay. Since rap music is unifying an entire generation of various cultures, it should be
exploited in the classroom as part of a multicultural approach to education. Positive lyrics can be
improvised and composed to a driving beat, to add interest in lessons to be learned. Students argue that
learning English is vital for their career success, besides being a status symbol of their progress. Learners
at urban schools prefer to speak English instead of their mother tongue. This case study confirmed, to
some extent, that despite music providing motivation in the learning and understanding of English,
other factors also contributed to general academic success. If early teaching and learning is not solid and
supported, then this has a detrimental effect on further learning through high school and university.
Experience as a language teacher confirms that meaningful learning is established only when new
concepts are linked to relevant anchorage points in one’s cognitive structure, so understanding English
is a prerequisite if it is to be used as a medium of instruction. The learner’s cognitive development is
thus directly related to his/her language development. 4. Music and Motivation Music inspires and
soothes, and people who are musically talented seem to have an enhanced aptitude in the learning of
foreign languages. This is based on an “advanced ability in perceiving, processing, and closely
reproducing accent” Stansell [18]. Both music and language are ways through which humans
communicate through sound and gesture. How students are motivated and how they perform in school
has basic impact on their selfconcept. Low self-esteem results from poor academic results, drug
problems, violence, pregnancy, criminal behaviour, dysfunctional family background, HIVAIDS,
xenophobia and poverty, among many other factors. Research done by Viljoen and Mole [20] confirm
that behaviour problems can be further attributed to the stresses of second language learning. Learners
feel stressed by the increasing demands being made on them, and feel left out of the “main stream.”
Assessment tasks are challenging and grades earned depressing. In the education context, it is critical
that the educator recognises the relationship between music, motivation and learning. This case study
provides evidence that music actively motivated students to believe in themselves, to take on seemingly
difficult learning tasks and to gain confidence. It became clear that being competent in one area and
feeling good about one’s performance in this area, actually helped learners to cope with weaknesses in
other areas. The premise is that if one is good at music, this strength makes up for one’s lack of sport,
language, academic or social skills. This case study provides actual evidence that music gives
academically unsuccessful students a place to succeed. A positive musical self-concept thus makes up
for poor academic self-concept. Music then, is a tool for motivation in learning. Music can be effectively
used to achieve non-musical goals. The Tanglewood Declaration of 1968 calls for music to be placed at
the core of the school curriculum, arguing that ‘Music and other fine arts, largely nonverbal in nature,
reach close to the social, psychological and physiological roots of man in his search for identity and self-
realization’ [1]. This case study involved students singing their chosen songs, creating in a sense a choral
music experience. Hylton’s [7] investigation exposes the relationship between choral singing and self-
concept, with students rating the experience highly on the following statements: 1. to help me get to
know myself better; 2. to feel more at ease, and 3. to help me to be at peace with myself. Students were
able to mix more on a social level, thus influencing their social self-concepts as well. The case study
emphasised that music and singing as integral parts of learning English as a second language cannot be
ignored. Not only were students Literacy Information and Computer Education Journal (LICEJ), Special
Issue, Volume 2, Issue 1, 2013 Copyright © 2013, Infonomics Society 1365 motivated, but they actually
enjoyed learning in a relaxed, non-competitive learning situation. The singing enabled learners to
discover language structures and new words incidentally. They were then able to use them in
communicative contexts. In conclusion, a positive attitude and motivation are essential when learning a
second language. Experience of success is vital to the learner’s progress, providing the motivation for
the next step. The educator’s planning and vision has to determine this, ensuring that the learner, as an
individual and as a member of a group, is set a task that is realistic, challenging and keeps him/her
involved to completion. Using song and music as an innovative teaching tool meets such requirements.
5. References [1] Choate, R.A. 1968. Documentary report of the Tanglewood Symposium. Reston, VA.1-
4. http://homepage.mac.com/wbauer/hpmused/archive/tangle wood.html# declaration. (accessed
February 5, 2010). [2] Cohen-Taylor, G. 1981. Music in language arts instruction. Language Arts, 58 (3),
363-368. [3] Curnow, R. 1987. The jazz experience: A curriculum for creativity. New Ways for New Days
in Music Education, 3, 12. [4] Eady, I and Wilson, J.D. 2004.The Influence of Music on Core Learning.
Education,125 (2), 243. [5] Hadley, W. H., and Hadley R. T. 1990. Rhyme, rhythm and reading for at-risk
students. Thresholds in Education, 16 (2), 25-27. [6] Horn, C.A. 2007. English second language learners:
using music to enhance the listening abilities of grade ones. Masters thesis. Unisa.
http://etd.unisa.ac.za/ETDdb/theses/available/etd09212007.133117/unrestricted/disse
rtation.pdf.(accessed February 5, 2010). [7] Hylton, J.B.1981. Dimensionality in high school students
participants’ perception of the meaning of choral singing experience. Journal of Research in Music
Education, 29, 287-303. [8] McTeer, H. J. and Bailey, R. T. 1980. The effect of the teaching technique
using popular music upon students' attitudes toward history and subject matter knowledge. A study
conducted at South Cobb High School, Austell, GA. April Dialog, ERIC, ED 196 749. [9] Medina, S.L. 1993.
The effects of music upon second language vocabulary acquisition. National Network for Early language
Learning, 6 (3). http://www.oocities.org/ESLmusic/articles/article01.html (accessed May 30, 2013). [10]
Merina, A. 1993. Sounds of our times. Rap: tool or trouble. NEA Today, 11 (8), 1. [11] Moore, B. 1992.
Music, technology, and an evolving curriculum, NAASP Bulletin, 76 (544), 42-46. [12] Mora, C.F. 2000.
Foreign language acquisition and melody singing. ELT Journal, 54(2), 146-152.
http://eltj.oxfordjournals.org/content/ (accessed May 29, 2013) [13] Moticoe, M. 2008. Music that
speaks where language fails. The Times. 21 April 2008. [14] Murray, S.K. 2005. Learning a Second
Language through Music, Baylor University, Academic Exchange Quarterly, 9 (2),
http://www.questia.com/library/1G1- 136071099 (accessed May 27, 2013). [15] Oats, J. and Grayson, A.
2004. Cognitive and Language Development in Children. The Open University. London. Blackwell
Publishing Ltd. [16] Schunk, H. A. 1999. The effect of singing paired with signing on receptive vocabulary
skills of elementary ESL students. Journal of Music Therapy, 36, 110-124. http://voices.yahoo.com/the-
music-song-esl-instruction- 423127.html (accessed May 28, 2013). [17] South African Department of
Education. 1997b. Discussion Document: Curriculum 2005. Pretoria. Department of Education. [18]
Stansell, J.W. 2005. The Use of Music for Learning Languages: A Review of the Literature. University of
Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. http://mste.illinois.edu/courses/ci407su02/ (accessed May 27, 2013). [19]
Vande Berg, K. 1986. Teaching jazz/show choir: The team approach. Georgia Music News, 47 (1), 39-41.
[20] Viljoen, C. and Molefe, R. 2001. Language related problems of limited English proficiency learners in
Grade 1. South African Journal of Education. 21(2):121-127 [21] Webster, P. 1990. Creativity as creative
thinking. Music Educator's Journal, 76 (9), 22-28. [22] Weisskoff, R. S. 1981. The relationship of pop/rock
music to children's task performance and continuing motivation in language arts instruction.
Unpublished doctoral dissertation. University of Connecticut, Hartford, CT. Literacy Information and
Computer Education Journal (LICEJ), Special Issue, Volume 2, Issue 1, 2013 Copyright © 2013,
Infonomics Society 1366
It doesn’t matter if it was your child, or you, who wanted them to learn an instrument. If you
have given in to their whim to learn, or you are pushing your belief that they should learn an
instrument, you are the financier of lessons and instruments and the taxi driver, but your support
doesn’t have to end there. In fact, if it’s your wallet that is being pillaged by term account, you
probably have a very strong feeling that you would like to see some results for the outlaid time
and money … and so you should.

Let’s take for now that the music lessons themselves are going really well.

1) That there is a good rapport between the teacher and your child,

2) That the teacher is setting suitable tasks for your child to practise and home,

3) That the teacher has reasonable expectations of what can be achieved between lessons,

4) That the child enjoys going to weekly lessons, ready to learn.

The first step is to make sure the expectations of how much, and what to practice are perfectly
clear between the teacher, parents and student.

And that home practice consists of playing a phrase or a piece several times, or until
improvement is heard.

Many children (and some parents) have a different understanding of ‘practice’ so it is best to
make these terms clear for everyone so the child is meeting the teacher’s expectation.In some
cases, the teacher needs to understands that the child is not expected to practice, only to attend
lessons. In this case the parent and child need to understand that progress will not be as fast as a
peer who does smart practice 4-5 times a week, or even a peer who does one good practice a
week!)

We’re going to continue from here on the understanding that teacher and parent agree that the
child should do a smart practice 4-5 times a week.

If it’s you, the parent who wants the child to learn an instrument (as opposed to the child) you
probably have a constant battle, or quiet revolt raging away when it comes to practise at
home. If it’s the child who wants to learn the instrument its still possible that they don’t know
whats best for themselves in terms of practise and naively believe that one (or no) practise
between lessons will get them through, regardless of how much they really want to be able to
play that instrument, practise is not always that appealing.

We all know that “practice makes perfect” but the reality is GOOD practice makes perfect, and
PERFECT practice makes perfect. To be blunt – we get out what we put in to our instrument.

(Another issue which we won’t go into here is “a good instrument to get a good sound” – its fine
to start on beginner instruments, but there comes a time when this can inhibit the progress of a
good student musician)
But the more times the student can place their hands on the instrument and do a good, smart
practise, the better the progress will be.

One 2 hour practise a week will not achieve the same results as four thirty minute practises
achieves. (We gain a little better understanding of our pieces each time we smart practise them
and then when we revisit them the next day we improve on yesterday’s improvements and
continue building on this)

We all know how busy today’s kids are, and music may not be your child’s main point of focus
but even so if you are paying for the lessons and the instrument you may as well be getting
progress too, otherwise you may as well pay for a babysitter rather than a music teacher.

Remove the Barriers to Learning

Remove any obvious barriers to learning – things that get in the way of a sucessful practice
Consider if the problem is (problem key)

a) To do with the operator/body/enviroment

b) To do with the instrument
c) To do with the musical notation
Tired (a) (refer to the problem key above) What is the best time for this musician to practice? Before school

Hungry (a) Feed them up, get the musician in a good space before they start

Distracted (a) Do they have their own practice space away from other siblings…

Can’t read the music …. At all… (c) This may be part of the learning process.

Discuss with the teacher how the child will know what to practice

Harp Tips – coloured notes for C and F, notes or counts written in

The print is too small to read (c) Enlarge it – the teacher will probably be delighted with your use
having only one piece of music on the page, enlarged to twice the
and Fs coloured makes the task of reading so much easier. These
teacher removes them later as they are progressing.

Better lighting on the music.

Where is my music? (a) Make the music books/bag distinctive so its easily accessible and
to see and find quickly. Ideally have a music stand and practise sp

Finds body/arm/hand position of the You Tube – how does everyone else manage?
instrument difficult or heavy (a/b)
Have you discussed this with the teacher?
 If its in the first 3-6 months, it may be that the body is still getting
needed to comfortably play this instrument

It’s easier to play on my teacher’s harp…. The student might be right – not every instrument suits every bod
(b) from the beginner harp to something that they can produce a good

Set them up for Success

*Give them some quiet space and the resources to achieve well – allow them to have a place
where their music stand is already set up, where their books, and instrument are handy, the CD
player is nearby and kid friendly.

There is nothing more annoying than having to go and find everything to make practising
possible – make this part easy!

Praise them - “wow that sounds great – I can hear the improvement”

*Slot practises and lessons in as part of their homework or chores.

We all sit and agree on a timetable for homework, hobbies, computer time and chores so that the
kids have their input and the decision of what to do when is theirs initially, and then they have to
stick with it until the end of the term. Before and after school they check to see what they are
supposed to be doing rather than being ‘told’. Being told to practise can often put them in a
negative mood to start with.

*Make sure they are fed and watered before they practise – think of it like a sports practise in
that they need plenty of energy and concentration to do it well.

Praise them and slip in a little challenge – “hey that is sounding so much better. Can you play it
up to speed with the CD/ can you play it with all the dynamics/can you try that again and do all
the repeats….” Anything to get a little extra mileage out of the practice.

*Choose the child’s best time of the day to practise.

*Try to get them to have a quick run through on their instrument immediately on getting home
from their lesson. This gives them the chance to play it on their instrument, in their practise
space which will feel a bit different from at their lesson. They are then having a go at new
material when it is still fresh under their fingers.

*Praise them and add a bit of fun …” how fast can you play that keeping the notes and timing all
correct?”

*Does your child know what they need to practise? (its difficult if you weren’t at the lesson, but
maybe you can ask the teacher for a practise plan or clear description of the tasks/pieces in the
notebook)

Some children like a concise or detailed plan of what to do in their practise attached to the music
stand that they can work through.

*Does your child want you to be listening to their practise, or is it something they want to do by
themselves. Some children like the encouragement of a parent …. “that was great…can you play
it again a bit slower/faster” while some want to sort it out by themselves.

*Praise them and if you are able to play an instrument “ hey, lets do that again, and I’ll play with
you this time”

*Practise with someone else or with a CD.

This is easier in families with other musicians – my son loves it when I write or play tunes with
him but he enjoys it even more when his friend comes over with his flute each week. While his
friend’s sisters are having their harp lesson we decided the boys could do just ten minutes of
playing together – of what ever they wanted, and then do a little performance for the mums
before they went to play. Some days they are still playing after 20 minutes, some days they read
a tune from a book, some days it’s a duet, some days they teach themselves something by ear. Its
always fun and they did it under their own steam which is worth so much more than being
directed by an adult.

*Everyone learns in different ways

It may be tiresome, but your child might need to play something through many, many times
before they can perfect it. Please always be supportive of this as repetition is a positive technique
is learning music, not a negative one.

Whether your child is primary a visual, aural or tactile learner, they will need to learn how to
practise in a way that best suits them.

*Praise them and if you know you have a tired/sick/distracted child …. Give them a bit of a
break ocassionally “you played that piece really well, how about playing it through once more
that well, and I’ll let you off the other pieces today and you can start with the ones you missed
out when you practise tomorrow”

*Incentives – don’t shy away from the opportunity for your child to perform at any events the
teacher thinks are suitable. Working to a goal is a great way to bring a piece of music up to
scratch, and if the idea of performing is not enough of an incentive (it is in my family of
showponies) then other incentives may be useful at the completion of the performance also.

*Pick your battles

Is it more important that they do the dishes or their practise when they have to be in bed in
twenty minutes and they have a music lesson tomorrow? I don’t imagine many children would
complain if you said “I’ll do your dishes if you get a good practise done before bed”
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Music and learning

Eight ways to use music for teaching and learning

1. Music relaxes the mind and lowers stress levels that inhibit
learning. When used effectively, it increases alpha levels in the brain,
boosting memory and recall and allowing the brain to access reserve
capacities.
.
2. Music acts directly on the body, specifically on metabolism and
. Accelerated learning
heartbeat. Listening to certain types of music can trigger the release . ADHD
of endorphins, producing a tranquil state that leads to faster learning. . Brain based learning
. . Business education
. Diet-Nutrition-Education
3. Music stimulates and awakens, reviving board or sleepy learners . Distance learning
and increasing blood and oxygen flow to the brain. . Education futures
. . Education and schools
. Elementary schools
4. Music is mathematical. Certain musical structures stimulate . Emotional intelligence
. Foreign languages
specialized brain circuits, allowing learners to decode complex ideas . Future trends
more easily. . Games - Learning games
. . Games - Teaching games
. Games - Training games
5. Music inspires emotion, creating a clear passage to long-term . High School Dropouts
memory. . Home schooling
. . Ideas & Critical Thinking
. Information technology
6. Music is a stage-changer and can be used effectively to get . Innovation and Thinking
. Integrated studies
students into an effective learning state. . IQ tests and Intelligence
. . Kaizen
7. Music is a universal language, uniquely capable of crossing . Learning Disabilities
. Learning English
cultural barriers and training in ethnic traditions and values. It can set . Learning organizations
a dramatic stage for lessons in history, foreign language, sociology, . Learning society
. Learning styles
political studies and geography. . Learning by yourself
. . Memory Tricks
. Mind mapping
8. Music is a powerful anchor that moors learning in memory. . Maria Montessori
. . Music and Learning
These eight steps are summarized from An introduction to The Music . NLP
. Phonics
Revolution, by Dr. Jeannette Vos, co-author of the world's biggest- . Jean Piaget
selling book in 1999,The Learning Revolution. That introduction is . Pregnancy and Nutrition
. Preschool Education
one of many interesting articles in the "Topics" section of this . Quotes and Quotations
. Reading Recovery
website. . Ritalin and ADHD
. Schools of the future
. Self esteem
 . Speed Reading
. Teaching Breakthroughs
 Click here to see the full book contents. . The Learning Revolution
 Click here to visit The Learning Revolution Library. . TQM
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