Spring 2022 IU Second and Foreign Language Share Fair
MUSIC TO MY EAR:
INCLUDING SOUNDS, SONGS, AND MOVEMENT IN THE LANGUAGE CLASSROOM
“Music is the universal language of mankind,” American poet Henry Wadsworth Longfellow says. The sounds and rhythms of music, mimicking the ebb and flow of language, offer a unique instrument for bridging linguistic boundaries. Lyrics, too, can act as a medium for language transmission and retention. How, then, as language instructors, can we use the universality of music to create an interactive musical classroom? How can we teach grammar, vocabulary, and culture using pitch, lyrics, rhythm, songs, sounds and movement? How can music help us connect more deeply with students to bridge the diversity of backgrounds and experiences in our classroom? How do we motivate and engage students with the various facets of music?