Music can be understood in every language

Dear Parent,
One effective method when learning a foreign language is to listen to songs and sing along. Relevant studies show that you can learn quicker (and with more fun) when you sing along. So don’t be shy: simply sing along during the next language lesson! Whether you are alone or with your children – singing considerably improves language understanding.

Choose songs from your favourite music genre. There are many ways to find out about suitable artists, for example on the internet there are websites of various providers and streaming platforms (such as Amazon or iTunes). The best method is to bring back some music from your holiday which is typical of the country you have visited so that learning is associated with pleasant memories. If you principally want to practice with your children it is recommended to use songs with simple lyrics and a catchy melody.

As soon as you have found your favourite music you are ready to go. Make yourself comfortable, close your eyes and listen to the songs. Don’t try desperately to understand every word and don’t worry if you don’t understand much to begin with – it is perfectly normal. The main aim is to absorb the sound of the foreign language and the rhythm when it is sung. Many words which you may already know can sound quite different when they are stressed in an unfamiliar way when singing or overlap with subsequent words. Of course the dialect of the singer and the genre of the song are also crucial; a folk song will certainly use different vocabulary to a pop or rap song.
Younger children have a clear advantage with this learning method. They just sing away, whether or not they understand the lyrics. They try to imitate the words instinctively. Even though this often sounds wrong and sometimes unintentionally results in strange words, the best way to learn is through imitation. 

Get into the habit of listening to music whenever you can, when cleaning, cooking, driving, etc. Incorporate singing in your everyday life and discover which songs you like in particular. You could also try to find the song lyrics. They are available on the internet, usually on free websites, often with the translation. However you should be careful: The song lyrics and translations are usually created by other users and could contain errors. If in doubt it often helps to compare different sources.

Have fun singing!