Using music in the English classroom can benefit students in several ways. Music helps create a positive learning environment and allows students to focus. Direct music activities can help students understand concepts and improve creativity. Listening to certain types of music may increase brain activity and relaxation. The teacher should choose music based on the desired effect, such as inspiring students or teaching about other cultures. Identifying metaphors in song lyrics, like the example of "I Am a Rock", can help students understand this literary device.

1. Music at the English
lessons
By Victoria Fedchuk,
a teacher of Uzhhorod school №2

2. Importance of Music in Learning English
• "If you have never tried using music in these ways.... please do!" -- Chris Brewer [1]
• Using music in any class can help to create a more positive learning environment .
English class is a time in the school day where students are exploring different
forms of literature and media which allows the teacher an opportunity to play non-
distracting music for the class. Simply listening to music while doing activities and
independent study can help students to focus and raise energy levels. Listening to
music can also help students get inspired about the study of English and make
connections between the two arts.

3. • A very effective way of using music in the English classroom is through
direct music activities. Using music in assignments and activities help
students understand important concepts, use their imagination, and improve
their creative abilities[2] . Everybody has their own personal experience to
different kinds of music and English teachers can use these experiences to
help students engage with the lessons found in English class.

4. "Listening" to Music in the English
Classroom
• Studies have shown that listening to music can temporarily increase right
brain activity in students. Music is used frequently by many people to relax .
Listening to certain types of music such as classical or smooth jazz may have
positive effects on an English class.
Certain types of songs can have different positive effects on students. The
English teacher must pick the music based upon the desired effect.

5. Music can be chosen because
• - the class is not functioning to the best of its ability,
• - the focus level in the class is down,
• - the teacher wants to use music to help associate memories.
•
• Some music can inspire students to get involved in class as "music has the ability to
produce greater student motivation. Songs and rhythmic chants invite the students
to become active in the learning practice." [3]

6. Culture
• Music can be used to help teach students about the cultures that are related
to what they are learning in English. Some lessons require literature from
different parts of the world that may have a culture that is not familiar to
that of many of the students in the class. A good strategy to introduce
foreign cultures is to play music from that culture to get students engaged
and interested in learning. Playing music could help catch the attention of
some students and make others want to get a greater understanding of that
culture.

7. Mozart Effect
• The Mozart Effect is a study on the effects that music has on the human mind. "In
1993 Rauscher et al. made the surprising claim that, after listening to Mozart's
sonata for two pianos for 10 minutes, normal subjects showed significantly better
spatial reasoning skills than after periods of listening to relaxation instructions
designed to lower blood pressure or silence".[4]
• The Mozart Effect is one example of how music can positively affect the brain to
help engage neural connections. This study focuses on spatial understanding which
can help people understand shapes and their surroundings. This research found that
listening to classical music written by Mozart increased scores on standardized tests.

8. Project : Metaphor Identification and
Interpretation
• Using examples of songs can help students to understand concepts in
English that may be difficult to express. Metaphors are one example of a
lesson taught in English that can use music to help explain its use. It is
important to first make sure that students understand the basic definition of
a metaphor.

9. What is Metaphor?
• "A figure of speech in which an expression is used to refer to something that it does
not literally denote in order to suggest a similarity."[5]
Once students have heard the definition of what a metaphor is, the English teacher
can begin working with music to further their understanding and to associate songs
with identifying metaphors. From learning to identify metaphors in something that is
familiar to students, such as songs, students will be better equipped to identify
metaphors in other aspects of English literature.

10. I am a Rock
• …In a deep and dark December;
I am alone,
Gazing from my window to the streets below
On a freshly fallen silent shroud of snow.
I am a rock,
I am an island.
I've built walls,
A fortress deep and mighty,
That none may penetrate.
I have no need of friendship; friendship causes pain.
It's laughter and it's loving I disdain.
………….
I am a rock,
I am an island.
And a rock feels no pain;
And an island never cries. [6]

11. References:
• ^
• http://www.songsforteaching.com/teachingtips/classroomoutcomesofusingmusic.htm
• ^http://www.tesol-ua.org/tesol-essentials/teaching-methods/music-english-classes.htm
• ^http://www.ehow.com/list_6312308_effects-songs-teaching-english-
classes.html#ixzz11y9G84bo
• ^ http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1281386/
• ^ www.wordnetweb.princeton.edu/perl/webwn
• ^ http://www.lyricsfreak.com/s/simon+and+garfunkel/#share