Pop music hits right note in language learning: New Zealand study

Pop songs can strike a chord with students trying to learn a second language, according to New Zealand research out Tuesday.

Victoria University researcher Friederike Tegge said she was inspired to study the effect of pop music during her time as a teacher of German and English, when she observed how many students showed a surprising memory for song lyrics in a foreign language and could repeat whole verses even years later.

"I realized that the mnemonic effect of songs could come in handy when learning vocabulary," Tegge said in a statement.

She conducted a series of classroom studies in Europe with learners of English as a foreign language, where college and university students participated in a lesson based on a song, poem or prose text.

"They then undertook a number of memory tests, the results of which revealed that learners remember a text better when it is presented as a song," she said.

"This is useful not just for learning single words, but for remembering words in context and how they are used in phrases."

But learners had to ensure they correctly understood the meaning of the lyrics as well.

She also explored the beliefs of teachers in 41 countries -including New Zealand, the United States, Japan and Germany - and their teaching practices involving songs.

Her survey indicated that songs were not viewed as a reward for tired students at the end of a day, but were used for clearly defined educational purposes.

"When songs are used in the classroom, there are often thoughts about whether students are learning or just having fun - in some countries more than in others," said Tegge.

"My research findings indicate that songs can facilitate vocabulary acquisition, and it supports teachers in their use of songs."