6 surprising benefits of music in learning English

Learning English with songs is the best way to improve your child’s pronunciation skills. Many English learners (even advanced ones!) constantly struggle with correct English pronunciation. Some English sounds are really tricky to produce accurately by a non-native English speaker. Listening to natives singing their songs can help with understanding how particular sounds should sound. Furthermore, singing along with native singers can help with better articulation of English sounds and acquiring your desirable accent. 

Learning English through music is especially effective in terms of memorizing new vocabulary. Songs often get stuck in our minds because of catchy tunes and rhyming lyrics. It’s the greatest combo for our brain to memorize things. We all know how it goes… When someone starts singing “Because I’m happy…” the natural course of action is that we’ll try to finish the song with “Clap along if you feel like a room without a roof”. Try it! Pharrell Williams’ song “Happy” is a perfect example. You can easily memorize new vocabulary from song lyrics just by listening to them and singing along one time after another.

English songs are packed with intriguing vocabulary. Trying to understand the lyrics, and finding out what the song is about – that’s a great opportunity to learn some new words in English. In lyrics, there often are many interesting English adjectives and phrasal-verbs. You may also come across a pattern, where certain words are often used in rap songs and some others are repeated in love songs. If your child is struggling with learning new vocabulary from word lists or dictionaries, try learning new words that are placed in context and supported by the rhythmic melody of a song.

Listening to music is fun and can be also combined with learning new English vocabulary, grammar and pronunciation. Music in general creates a relaxed environment and creates a game-like experience in learning. When a child sings a song and even if some words are not 100% correct, they are still learning in a stress-free atmosphere. Singing English songs boosts your kid’s courage and enhances study outcomes and language performance. 

For example, Disney’s songs for children are truly great for keeping your kid entertained and teaching them new vocabulary. Disney creates great universes and main characters with great personalities. Each film always has suitable music which is well fit to the plot, easy to remember and usually encourages your child to sing along and dance with their favorite film characters.

You may wonder why so many English songs for children consist not only of catchy tunes and easy to remember lyrics, but also corresponding movements and gestures. The answer is: to support the process of learning new vocabulary. Songs like: „Head and Shoulders”, „Incy Wincy Spider” or „If You’re Happy and You Know It” have important moves which support what the child is singing. 

Children, especially in kindergarten age, learn mostly through their whole body. It’s easier to memorize things for them, when the whole body movements can be engaged in the learning process. Also, singing and dancing at the same time improves their physical abilities!

Singing and dancing to songs in a foreign language is an excellent way of improving language skills for people of all ages. Combining these two elements will lead to lots of fun and some cognitive benefits.

Listening to songs in English is beneficial not only for boosting your language skills. It is also a great opportunity to explore and understand the British, American, Australian and Canadian cultures. Getting familiar with popular artists from English-speaking countries can help you understand their background and national factors that had impact on their music. 

Listening to music regularly can make your child a huge fan. This love and appreciation for music can last for ages. Eventually, once your child becomes a true fan of a particular band or an artist, they may want to attend a concert in a foreign English-speaking country. And there is no better way of learning English than using it in real life situations, especially during travels abroad. 

If you cannot go on a foreign vacation with your child right now, there is a way to guarantee your kid contact with the real English language. At Novakid we use the immersive approach to language learning. This means that students learn English in much the same way that natives do – through communication with native teachers in a fun virtual classroom. During lessons, many games, activities and English songs are introduced to the little ones. Learning English through music is beneficial to students, who often sing new songs for hours after classes. Also, the fact that all classes are taught 1:1 means that your child doesn’t have to feel intimidated while making fun of themselves and singing out loud (even when it’s a little bit out of tune).  

All Novakid English online classes for children are being held in a stress-free environment and the main focus is always on making every lesson as entertaining and engaging as possible.  

Novakid online English lessons are engaging, fast-paced and last just 25 minutes, making it easier for children to maintain focus and retain the material. All learning programs at Novakid are based on the CEFR framework and consist of 4 main levels, as well as a special program for pre-school students and two advanced speaking-intensive courses. You can easily adjust the course level to the skills and abilities of your child. 

If you’d like to try learning English online through fun activities with native speakers at Novakid, sign up for your first, free trial lesson. Get familiar with Novakid’s approach to learning English and decide whether it’s something for your kid too!

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