Music and Learning

I've often wanted to use music for learning a second language. It seems like such a powerful tool - you can find a song in a second language you enjoy listening to, learn some or all of the words in the lyrics, and then listening to the song is as educational as listening to those language-learning conversation tapes. The great part, of course, is that when you do repetitions, you're not forcing yourself to listen to a boring, awkwardly scripted and perhaps even unnatural conversation again and again; you're doing what you probably would do anyway - listening to a song you like.

The English textbook Miki and I have been using is nearing the end, and I suggested that we move onto learning with song lyrics. Unfortunately, she was only able to provide me with two English songs she likes. I need to introduce her to more music so she can find more songs she likes, but now I'm faced with the realization that I'm woefully out of touch with the middle school music scene. When I was that age, my friends and I were into Spice Girls and Backstreet Boys (no, really!). I wonder who the pop icons are nowadays?