Learning a new language early in life can open a variety of doors for children. Becoming bilingual or multilingual at an early age helps improve one’s critical thinking ability, listening skills and memory.
Music, specifically, is a great way to introduce your child to a new language, and it can also be used to reinforce any existing knowledge.
While there are many ways to effectively learn a language, children tend to absorb information better while participating in activities they enjoy such as playing, singing or listening to music.
Listening Skills:
Listening is one of the first steps in learning and understanding a different language, and it’s an essential part of the process because it teaches correct pronunciation. Hearing which letters and syllables are emphasized for each word is essential and clearly why language immersion works so well.
If your child struggles with pronouncing certain words, hearing those words repeated in a song should help them get past this. To test their knowledge and pronunciation skills, have them sing along and repeat what they hear. They will get the hang of it in no time!
Critical thinking ability:
The brain is constantly at work when learning new information, and studies in neuroscience have proven music has the power to enhance brain function in children (“Musical Benefits,” 2020). At their young age, a million new brain connections are made each second!
When we hear a foreign language, we automatically think, “What do those words mean?” Within music, your child may not recognize the lyrics, but don’t worry! Kids are constantly learning new vocabulary and if they’re practicing this new language consistently, they will begin picking up new words quickly.
Once they recognize the meaning of key words, they can put the pieces together to understand the song’s message. If they already know the word(s) in their native language, they will find it easier to make connections. This leads to strengthening their critical thinking.
Memorization:
The human brain is divided into two hemispheres: the left hemisphere and the right hemisphere.
The left hemisphere is typically responsible for controlling hand use and language while the right hemisphere is usually responsible for creativity, spatial ability, artistic skills and musical skills (“Anatomy of the Brain,” n.d.).
Music activates both hemispheres of the brain, which maximizes learning and improves memory (Marketing Team, 2019). Because music can be catchy, certain songs are more likely to stick in our brains than others. The alphabet song is a perfect example of how music helps us recall useful information.
Children often don’t realize this, but their brains store the music they listen to and the more they hear it, the more likely they are to remember lyrics. If you play certain songs often, you might hear your child singing while playing, bathing or doing other activities.
Tips:
Now that you’ve learned about the cognitive benefits of adding music to the language learning process, let’s go over some ways you can help your child obtain a better understanding of the new information.
- Start with simple words – Choose songs with short, easy words to begin and increase the complexity as your child makes progress.
- Find songs with rhymes – Rhyming words introduce children to word families and familiar sounds. They are also easier to remember.
- Include visual elements – Try finding songs that include videos or animations to help match objects, people or actions to specific words. An alternative option is to accompany the music with physical objects such as stuffed animals or other toys. For example, if a song is about a dog, show them a stuffed dog.
- Sing along with your child – If they aren’t singing along just yet, hearing your voice might encourage them to do so. Even if they’re still a baby, hearing the words is still immersion to a new language.
- Create your own songs – Simple song creation about everyday tasks can help keep kids interested in what they’re doing while also teaching them syllable emphasis. You might even find them creating their own songs, which just reinforces their critical thinking.
- Practice, practice, practice! – Be sure to help them practice the new language(s) outside of music time. If you already speak the language(s), replace words in their everyday vocabulary with foreign words or phrases. If they’re learning Spanish, for example, you can say “agua” when giving them water.
Music can help children obtain the many benefits that come with being bilingual or multilingual. It’s a learning tool they can use for fun, while simultaneously exercising their brain and improving their listening skills, critical thinking ability and memory. There are multiple ways parents can get involved so choose a few songs you like and have fun with it!
Sources:
Brain anatomy. (n.d.). Mayfield Brain & Spine. Retrieved October 1, 2021, from https://mayfieldclinic.com/pe-anatbrain.htm#:%7E:text=In%20general%2C%20the%20left%20hemisphere,in%20about%2092%25%20of%20people.&text=The%20cerebrum%20is%20divided%20into%20left%20and%20right%20hemispheres.
Marketing Team. (2019, August 13). The benefits of studying with music. Florida National University. https://www.fnu.edu/benefits-studying-music/
Musical benefits. (2020, April 17). Learning Potential. https://www.learningpotential.gov.au/articles/musical-benefits
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