This document discusses how songs can be a useful tool in the English language classroom. It notes that musical and language processing occur in the same area of the brain, and research has shown songs improve concentration, memory, motivation, and make learning fun by helping students absorb material. Songs can provide socio-emotional growth, physical development, cognitive training, cultural literacy, and support language learning. There are many types of songs that can be used, from nursery rhymes to pop music, though lyrics may need to be appropriate. Songs contain common words, use conversational language, and have repetition which aids learning.

1. Songs in the
Classroom:
A Useful Tool
Kathiuska Murcia Cortes
FUNLAM
2012

2. Songs are part of daily life…
Who doesn’t enjoy music at home, while
travelling or studying, or even at work?
Language teachers can use songs to open
or close their lessons, to illustrate themes
and topics, to add variety or a change of
pace, present new vocabulary or recycle
known language. But how do songs actually
benefit your students?

3. A useful tool
There is strong practical evidence supporting the use
of music in the English language classroom; there is
also a growing body of research confirming that songs
are a useful tool in language acquisition. In fact
musical and language processing occur in the same
area of the brain. (Medina, 1993)

4. Studies have shown that music...
• Improves concentration
• Improves memory
• Brings a sense of community to a group
• Motivates learning
• Relaxes people who are
overwhelmed or stressed
• Makes learning fun
• Helps people absorb material

5. What positive contributions to language
learning can songs make?
 Socio – emotional
growth
 Physical
development
 Cognitive training
 Cultural literacy
 Language
Learning

6. Types of songs…

7. Types of songs
 There are many types of songs which can be used in
the classroom, ranging from nursery rhymes to
contemporary pop music.
 There is also a lot of music written specifically for
English language teaching
 ‘Real’ music that students hear and play every day can
be extremely motivating in the classroom, too.
 WATCH OUT ! the lyrics may not always be suitable

8. WHICH LEARNER
LIKES SONGS?
 Aural / Musical
Intelligent Learners
 Physical Style
Learners
 Spacial Intelligent
Learner
 Verbal Style Learner

9. Why are songs so suitable?
Pop songs help learning a
second language:
• Contain
common, short
words
• Lyrics are often sung at
• Language is
a slower rate than
conversational spoken words.
• Time and place are • There is repetition of
usually imprecise words and grammar
• Motivate learners to
learn
Murphy (1992)

10. REFERENCES AND
CIBERGRAPHY
Lems, Kirsten, Using Music in the Adult ESL Classroom, ERIC Digest,
2001.
• Medina, Suzanne L, The Effect of Music on Second Language
Vocabulary Acquisition, ‘National Network for Early Language
Learning’, Vol 6-3, 1993.
• Murphy, T (1992), The discourse op pop songs, TESOL Quarterly
26”(4), 770-774.
• http:// www.englishclub.com/teaching-tips/music-classroom.htm
• http://www.eslbase.com/articles/songs
• http://www.eslbase.com/articles/pop-songs