SONGS AND ENGLISH LANGUAGE TEACHING: DIDACTIC AND

METHODOLOGICAL ISSUES
Teacher, Irina Telișcă
Liceul Teoretic ,,Grigore Antipa,, Botoșani

A vital skill in interpersonal communication, listening represents a conscious effort of

converting the sounds that people hear into meaningful units. In learning a foreign language this
receptive skill requires considerable focus and attention because what matters is not only to
understand what people are saying to us, but also how we manage to make our utterances
meaningful to others listening to us. Listening to a variety of voices and accents as often as
possible fosters EFL learners’ capacity of comprehending human speech and of extracting
valuable information. In fact, the informative function of any language highly relies on this active
process of receiving and responding to spoken messages.
As essential forms of human communication, both songs and speech use words to
transmit meanings. However, the difference between spoken words and sung words lies in the
acoustic field: while spoken language is clear and the articulation of words is more precise, the
vowels of words tend to be longer in songs, where there is also a much greater variety of
rhythmic patterns (Sundberg 1970, Seidner and Wendler 1978 cited in Merrill et al. 2012).
Furthermore, Merrill et al. (2012) remind us that although both songs and speech have an
underlying pitch pattern, there are significant differences that matter. They state: “Song melody
depends on the rule-based (syntactic) arrangement of 11 discrete pitches per octave into scales as
described by music theory (cf. Lerdahl and Jackendoff 1983). The melody underlying a spoken
utterance is called prosody and may indicate a speaker’s emotional state (emotional prosody),
determine the category of sentences such as question or statement and aid language
comprehension in terms of accentuation and boundary marking (linguistic prosody). In contrast
to a sung melody, a natural spoken utterance carries a pattern of gliding, not discrete, pitches that
are not related to scales but vary rather continuously” (Merrill et al. 2012: 1).
In teaching a foreign language these major differences may have significant pedagogical
implications. On the one hand, sound-related activities are capable of increasing students’
capacity of remembering information. On the other hand, learning activities that involve the
presence of songs and music may prevent EFL teaching from falling into routine and may boost
students’ interest in learning English. At the same time, what is important to EFL teachers is to
give their students good models of spoken language and to help them develop their listening-
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comprehension skills by exposing them to both speech and songs. Interestingly enough, at times,
songs may prove a perfect scaffold for practicing and consolidating English grammar problems,
such as the formation use of tenses.

1.1 The importance of songs in English Language Teaching. Reasons for using songs in the
classroom
Besides being an excellent source of authentic English, songs also provide cultural
information, stimulate discussions and debates on various topics, bring variety and fun to
teaching and learning. What students learn is influenced by emotions, personal prejudices, self-
esteem and the need for social interaction. Thoughts, emotion, imagination and predisposition
operate concurrently, thus, emotions and cognition cannot be separated. Music and songs often
create an atmosphere of co-operation in the class and may fuel students’ interest in speaking and
writing activities.
Howard Gardner (1983) developed the idea that music is a powerful motivator in the
classroom and can help students improve their cultural awareness and communication skills. The
scholar also talked about the theory of multiple intelligences, and stated that since musical
intelligence was the first intelligence to emerge in young learners, it should be exploited more
often in class. In other words, music is believed to have a prominent role in learning and
education especially because it helps students learn faster, retain and remember important
information.
It is worth mentioning, however, Edgar Dale’s inspiring findings concerning our learning
experiences, the inter-relationships of the various types of audio-visual materials, as well as their
individual ‘contributions’ to the learning process. As his Cone of Experience suggests, learners
tend to retain more information by what they do than by what they hear or see. Nevertheless, it is
encouraging to notice that when teachers decide to organize activities that involve more than one
sense, the amount of retained information increases. Thus, Dale (1969) estimates that while
learners generally retain 70% of what they say and write, they remember 50% of what they hear
and see. Under such circumstances, it is evident that songs represent a valuable instructional and
learning resource, capable of supporting a variety of in-class activities.

1.1.1. The importance and the role of songs in ELT

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 Music and songs are essential parts of our human existence and are used to express
thoughts and feelings about our inner and exterior world; it is hard to imagine a culture without
music. Research has shown that during an electroencephalogram, music can change brain waves
and make the brain more receptive to learning. Songs connect the functions of the right and left
hemispheres of the brain so that they work together and make learning quick and easy. Brain
function is increased when listening to music and studies have shown that music promotes more
complex thinking. It can make connections between emotions, thinking and learning.
According to Lê H.M. (1999: 1), “the role of music in learning can be described in
terms of enhancement of social harmony, motivation force, and tool for learning”. One of the
most important factors for achieving teaching and learning effectiveness is social harmony
among learners. Teenagers and young adults seem to know an endless number of songs by heart
and share them continuously through the Internet and portable music players. Even though it is
not always easy to copy this spontaneous love of music in the classroom, singing songs in the
classroom is a social act which allows learners to participate in a group and express their
feelings.
“In our time, it is hard to escape music and song as it occupies even more of the
world around us: in operating theatres, restaurants and cafes, shopping malls, at sport events, in
our cars, and literally everywhere. It would seem that the only place that music and song is slow
to catch on is in schools” (Murphy, 1992). In schools, during English classes, songs are excellent
pretexts for study and leaning. “Songs have a place in the classroom for helping create that
friendly and co-operative atmosphere so important for language learning, but they can offer
much more”, claims D.T. Griffin (1995).
The teachers who use songs in the classroom, especially with intermediate learners,
are particularly interested in creating a positive learning atmosphere and in developing children’s
literacy. Fluency is one of the most valuable contributions of songs, according to Bartle (1962:
11), who considers that “some songs lend themselves to the incidental revision of grammatical
points or of verb tenses. Songs are a definite advantage in memorization of phrase constructions.
They are more easily learned and tend to ‘stick’ longer than straight-out grammatical
examples”.
Songs can also prove helpful in learning accents and tones, helping learners to
improve pronunciation and language comprehension. Most importantly, songs may assist
students in their attempt at understanding new cultures; they facilitate discussions and debates on
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culturally relevant topics, such as human relations, ethics, customs, history and humor, as well as
regional and cultural differences.
Another aspect of music and songs is that they prove helpful with learners’
attention and energy levels; if learning becomes tedious, it may be difficult for learners to keep
their focus on their tasks. When they are required to focus their attention for long periods of
time, they often lose interest in what they are supposed to solve and become less productive.
Activities created around songs may help them regain their attention and reset their willingness
to participate in class activities. Music and movement are both excellent ways to refocus and re-
energize.

1.1.2. Reasons for using songs in the classroom

It is generally acknowledged that EFL teachers can and should use songs as part of their
teaching repertoire. Songs contain authentic language and provide good examples of vocabulary,
grammar and cultural aspects and nowadays they are quite easy to collect (Lynch 2005). Most
scholars agree that there are at least three basic reasons for bringing songs into the EFL
classroom. Gruel et all (2012) have identified several reasons for using songs in the classroom:
1. To create a positive learning environment, because songs help create a positive
atmosphere and the students’ imagination is stimulated;
2. For cognitive learning, to create automaticity as new songs get stuck in the
teenagers’ heads, and, with the right kind of song, it will be easier to make students practice
grammar structures;
3. For language learning and practice, as songs help students to acquire new
vocabulary, practice or consolidate tenses.

a) The Linguistic Reason

The exposure of learners to authentic English is an important factor in promoting
language learning. It relates directly to both the affective filter and automaticity. If students are
exposed to songs which they enjoy, more learning is likely to occur since they may seek out the
music outside of the classroom. Some songs are excellent examples of colloquial English, that is,
the language of informal conversation (Schoep 2001). A song such as “My Best Was Never Good
Enough” by Bruce Springsteen is an example of a song that demonstrates idiomatic language
(e.g. Every cloud has a silver lining , which means that “there is something good even in an
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unpleasant situation” or Every dog has his day, which implies that “everyone gets a chance
eventually. In their everyday lives, most EFL students have more chances of being exposed to
informal and idiomatic English than to highly formal English patterns.
Besides their recurring themes or stories, songs offer examples of grammatical
modifications intended to differentiate spoken language from written language. Thus, one may
consider the usage of “Hit the Road Jack” sung by Ray Charles to illustrate the use of
contractions in casual discourse.
“Now baby, listen baby, don't you treat me this way
‘Cause I'll be back on my feet some day
Don't care if you do, cause it's understood
You ain't got no money, you just a no good
Well I guess if you say so
I'll have to pack my things and go (that's right)”

b) The affective reason

Krashen (1998) stated that the learner’s emotional state (his/her inner feelings and
attitude) acts like a filter that can be adjusted, often impeding or welcoming input needed for
language acquisition. Negative emotions, such as anxiety, demotivation or lack of confidence act
can prevent the learner from responding to the linguistic input from his/her environment. If there
is a good, welcoming atmosphere in the classroom, students will learn faster and they will
remember for longer periods of time. Happy songs are not the only ones capable of enhancing
learning (“I will always love you”, “Have you ever been in love” – Celine Dion, “Lady in red” –
Chris De Burg); the sad ones are equally powerful in transmitting worth remembering ideas or
facts transmitted in memorable linguistic patterns (“If I could turn back time” - Cher, or “My
way” – Frank Sinatra).
There are plenty songs that have become popular among most Romanian young
people especially in the last twenty years, songs such as Jingle bells, My heart will go on and
Big, big world. There are many topics and themes that may prove appealing to young people:
they generally range from holiday celebrations to memories of childhood, from matters of love
and friendship to unconventional ways of living one’s life.

c) The cultural reason

There is hardly any embargo imposed on the circulation of songs in today’s world. Songs
are selected by EFL teachers in order to make students appreciate other cultures and learn about
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the essence of human relations, ethics, customs, historical moments, humour, or regional
differences.
Alan Pulverness (2003, 429) explains that “the experience of learning another language is
more than simply the acquisition of an alternative means of expression. It involves a process of
acculturation, akin to the effort required of the traveler, striving to come to terms with different
social structures, different assumptions and different expectations”. Language and culture cannot
be learnt apart since ‘’ ’’[…] language teaching and learning inevitably involve issues of
sociocultural meaning, and that approaches which disregard the cultural dimension of language
are fundamentally flawed’’ ( Pulverness 2003: 426).
Since learners are going to use English not only with native speakers but also with any
other person who can speak this language, it means that they are being exposed to different
cultural backgrounds, different accents. Therefore, students should be exposed to the
intercultural skills, as suggested by the Common European Framework:
 “the ability to bring the culture of origin and the foreign culture into relation with each
other;
 cultural sensitivity and the ability to identify and use a variety of strategies for contact
with those from other cultures;
 the capacity to fulfil the role of cultural intermediary between one’s own culture and the
foreign culture and to deal effectively with intercultural misunderstanding and conflict situations;
 the ability to overcome stereotyped relationships’’(CEF_EN, 105)
Shen (2009) states that in addition to being fun and helping build retention on knowledge,
music and songs can be used to increase cultural awareness. When listening to “I’ve been
everywhere” sung by Johnny Cash the students listen to American accent, stress and intonation;
also the students come into contact with names of American cities. With the song “Streets of
London” by Ralph McTell the students come into contact with a very common theme, the
homelessness as it is being seen by Englishmen; the song was inspired by McTell's
experiences busking and hitchhiking throughout Europe; the song contrasts the common
problems of everyday people with those of the homeless, lonely, elderly, ignored and forgotten
members of society. “Englishman in New York” sung by Sting is about conforming to society
and its rules; at the same time students are encouraged to be themselves, to take decisions and to
do what makes them comfortable.

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 Today’s learners are already familiar with a multitude of English songs promoted
on websites, on online radio stations, in movies, in shows or in clubs. Songs have become a
strong motivational factor for learners of English because they have become the “staple diet” of
any young man who wishes to live an interconnected world. Before being English learners, the
young people of today are fans of worldwide singers and groups who have deliberately adopted
the English language to promote their messages.

Bibliography
1. Dale E. (1969). Audio-visual methods in teaching, New York. Available at
http://ocw.metu.edu.tr/file.php/118/dale_audio-visual_20methods_20in_20teaching_1_.pdf
2. Gardner H. (1985). Frames of mind: The theory of multiple intelligences. New York: Basic Books.
3. Krashen S., (1982), The theory of second language acquisition. Oxford: Pergamon Press
4. Krashen S., (1982), The theory of second language acquisition. Oxford: Pergamon Press
5. Lê M. H., (1999). The role of music in second language learning. A Vietnamese perspective., Paper presented at
the meeting of Conference of the Australian Association for Research in Education and the New Zeeland
Association for Research in Education, New Zeeland http://www.aare.edu.au/data/publications/1999/le99034.pdf
6. Lerdahl F. and Jackendoff, R. (1983). A Generative Theory of Tonal Music. Cambridge, MA: MIT Press.
7. Merrill, Julia et al. (2012). “Perception of Words and Pitch Patterns in Song and Speech”. Frontiers of
Psychology 3: 76, Doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2012.00076.
8. Pulverness A. (2003): “Materials for cultural awareness”, in: Brian Tomlinson, (Ed.) Developing Materials for
language Teaching. Continuum, London & New York, p. 426- 429
9. Shen C., (2009). “Using English Songs: an enjoyable and effective approach to ELT”, in English Language
Teaching, 2(1):88-94.

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