Sometimes when I speak about the pedagogical and healing powers of music, it feels like I am talking to a wall as few teachers, doctors and newsmakers take music seriously.
Thankfully, National Public Radio (NPR) in the United States broadcast the ‘The Power Of Music’ To Affect The Brain interview yesterday about the book, The Power of Music: Pioneering Discoveries in the New Science of Song, discussing the role of music in the brain. Although the interview with author Elena Mannes and neuro-scientist Ani Patel, who wrote the introduction to her book, did not cover the role songs play in the learning of foreign languages, they did talk about how music has associative memories related to it and can cause emotional responses.
This emotional response can also help people learning a foreign language to remember words, pronunciation and the melody of their new tongue.
The interview is great and I encourage everyone to explore the positive effects of music in their life. It can reduce stress as well as help people heal from brain injuries.
And, foreign language music can greatly help you learn foreign languages. So find music you like in your target language and tune in.
