Music and Language Learning

What is it about?

Melodies and rhythm are fast becoming key instruments for better understanding a way of experiencing language learning that takes advantage of the emotional and cognitive elements given by music. Two major theoretical issues that have dominated the field of applied linguistics for many years concern the type of linguistic content and the good strategies learners need to become successful language learners, but less has been said about learners’ willingness and mood to learn a second language although emotions have a clear impact on language learning. Affect, that is to say, learners’ beliefs, attitudes, interest, motivation, creativity, anxiety, self-efficacy, goals among others, are the driving force that support the sustained deep learning crucial for language learning. Learners’ willingness can be modified by the use of melodies and rhythm, by these stimulus appraisals that influence attention and effort due to their physiological properties of changing blood pressure, posture, respiratory rate, pulse rate and general activity. All of them have psychological effects as seen in its ability to induce a certain type of mood.

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