Music can lift our moods and help us switch off from the world around us. But did you know that music can also help with learning languages? Studies have shown that listening to music and humming along to our favorite songs has some surprising benefits.
It enriches our vocabulary
Think about how many songs you know the words to and then think about how many words this totals. Some of these words may use in your day-to-day life, others might not be part of your vocabulary and this is why listening to music – especially in the language you’re trying to learn – is so important. Songs are usually made up of informal expressions and phrases that you might not hear when learning the basics of a language. Music can introduce you to the contemporary language.
Another plus side to this is that lots of great music have broken the language barrier. Say you’re taking German lessons. As well as learning one-on-one with a tutor from home, search out some Nena or Andrea Berg and use it to cement when you learned in your lesson.
It improves pronunciation
Similarly, it’s allegedly easier to learn a language abroad, or if you have a native-speaking tutor, listening to music in the language you’re trying to learn can help with pronunciation and emphasis. This is because you can hear first-hand how words and sentences should be spoken and structured.
Not just this but you’ll be able to pick up words quicker and, if you do realize you’ve been saying a certain word incorrectly, you’re more likely not to do it again. TV shows and video games can also have the same effect.
It helps with memorization
Struggling to remember all of the words and phrases you’ve just learned? Why not try turning them into a song? After all, that’s how most of us learned the alphabet when we were younger. Scientists have even revealed that singing words instead of just speaking them makes them easier to memorize. This is because the rhythm and repetition that comes from learning music and song lyrics are believed to help the brain process languages and make language learning easier.
It boosts concentration
Finally, language learning isn’t just about speaking the words out loud. You might need to read, write and even study for hours. This can be hard if you struggle to concentrate for long periods but music can help you here too.
When you play music in the background, it can prevent any distracting noise at a low level and stimulates and engages the brain. This can enhance your mood, and the music’s rhythm will keep you alert while allowing you to focus on the task at hand.
These are just a few ways that music can help if you’re trying to learn a language. However, if you want to boost your language skills, and make learning easier, you need to be dedicated, and thorough and remember that practice makes perfect.
