I decided to share how you can learn a language through music with 3 easy exercises with you because this was my faaaaavorite way of learning back in the day! I got a kick out of it and it really didn’t feel like a task – I just enjoyed it so much.
So, why wouldn’t you? As far as I know, all of like at least some sort of music. Make the most of it!
What song do I choose?
There’s no ”best” answer to this question. If you don’t like Michael Jackson’s songs, why would you all of a sudden start listening to his music just for this task? Your brain will recognize it as a chore – you’ll be more motivated if you choose a song you like. I used to listen to rap songs…can you imagine what that was like?! Trying to get all the slang right was a pain in the neck, but still, I had fun and it helped me learn – and that’s what learning a language through music is really about.
1) Write your own lyrics
Get out your pen and paper (laptop/phone) and start writing! The best way to do this is by pausing the song after every sentence or 4-5 words so you’re not overwhelmed.
Look, it doesn’t have to be correct (and it won’t) so stop judging yourself. Like you already know, you NEED to make mistakes first in order to make progress and get better at your target language. No need to replay the parts you didn’t hear right, just write what you hear and with time you’ll get better.
NEXT, check the original lyrics at https://www.lyrics.com/ and compare the right one with yours. Pay special attention to the words you didn’t get right and listen to the song one more time with the right lyrics.
2) Underline and learn the new terms
This is not too demanding because most songs have a pre-chorus and a chorus that are repeated! Plus most mainstream songs are generally repetitive which doesn’t speak well for today’s mainstream music BUT repetition is AWESOME for language learning, so THANKS, mainstream music! 🙌 Of course, you can opt for something super sophisticated as well, you cool cat!
3) Sing along!
Karaoke mood ON, self-consciousness OFF! Be the star of your own concert and your Number 1 fan. You can also sing for someone. I was brave and used to post videos of me singing French rap on Instagram and Facebook. Yeah, I won’t be posting the link to that, no worries!!! Although honestly, the ones that spoke French loved the effort and all the other ones were like, woooow you speak French. Ummm I just learned the lyrics, guys. Which eventually led me to speak French so there you go!
Make sure you’re reading the lyrics as you sing along. You can even go a step further and learn the song by heart! If you do, I respect you and you’re the real boss of this language learning game.
A very important note😊:
NO need to analyze the song in regard to its meaning and know EXACTLY what it’s about (unless you want to). I mean, it’s probably only the artist who knows what the song is exactly about. For example, in Smooth Criminal by Michael Jackson, he keeps repeating: ” Annie are you OK?”. No need to know who Annie is. I don’t think anyone does. Remember that singers are artists, after all.
Hope this post about learning a language through music inspired you. Let me know what songs you’re listening to in the comments.:)
