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Why is music a powerful tool for learning English?

5 min

One of the most enjoyable and simultaneously effective ways is learning English through music.

Many learners have naturally and effortlessly learned English by choosing simple and popular songs. However, the question remains: how can we optimally use songs for learning?🧐

In this article, we will explore the best methods for learning English through music, examine techniques for practicing English pronunciation with popular and simple songs, and explain the impact of practicing listening skills with English songs. Finally, we will provide a list of the best simple English songs for learning English to make your learning process more effective.😍🎼

 

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Why is music a powerful tool for learning English?

One of the main challenges for learners is facing English in real-life environments. Many people experience anxiety and struggle to understand concepts when exposed to fast-paced English conversations.

Music offers an engaging and natural way to overcome this hurdle, as it gradually familiarizes the mind with the rhythm, pronunciation, and new words. Unlike traditional methods that focus on direct learning and rote memorization of vocabulary, music provides an interactive and entertaining experience that enhances the retention of information.

"Music is life itself." - Louis Armstrong 

Moreover, many English songs have rhythms and rhymes that help the brain better remember words and phrases. This is why people often remember the lyrics of songs they heard in childhood even after many years. Accordingly, Vellso, as the most comprehensive English learning app, includes a dedicated section for language practice through music. Users can utilize this feature to learn vocabulary, practice pronunciation, and strengthen their listening skills.

A significant aspect of learning through music is the emotional connection established with the songs. When you enjoy a song, your brain involuntarily strives to understand its lyrics. This makes practicing listening skills with English songs a pleasurable process. Additionally, since song lyrics often involve strong emotions, understanding and remembering them becomes much easier than dry, textbook sentences. Considering these features, learning English through music, as a supplementary method alongside other learning approaches, can significantly accelerate your progress.

 

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Best methods for learning English through music

To effectively use music as a powerful tool in learning English, you need a specific strategy. Many learners simply listen to English songs, but this alone is not enough. To maximize the learning impact, you should follow specific methods that we will explain below.

Choose songs appropriate for your language level: A common mistake in learning language through music is choosing songs with complex lyrics and fast tempos. It's better to start with simple songs that have clear lyrics and understandable words!

 

1. Use song lyrics (Lyrics) while listening

For better understanding of vocabulary and correct pronunciation, you should study the lyrics while listening to the song. A useful method is to first listen to the song without lyrics and try to identify the words. Then, look at the lyrics and listen again to see which parts you understood correctly. This method is very effective in practicing listening skills with English songs.

 

2. Repeat and practice for better pronunciation:

Correct pronunciation is one of the most important parts of language learning, and listening to songs can greatly improve it. A great way to practice English pronunciation with popular and simple songs is to repeat phrases after the singer.

 

3. Divide the song into short segments:

Instead of continuously listening to the entire song, break it down into smaller sections. This allows you to focus on specific sentences and understand their exact meanings. Also, focusing on a small part of the song makes you feel less fatigued and enhances learning.

 

4. Use the "Fill in the Blanks" technique

One of the effective methods for improving listening skills and increasing listening accuracy is using the "Fill in the Blanks" technique. In this method, you can download the song lyrics and remove some of the words, then try to fill in the blanks while listening. It's interesting to know that the Vellso app provides this capability in the Interactive Exercises section, where users can perform similar exercises and strengthen their listening skills.

Reading along with the song (Shadowing): Another effective technique is Shadowing or simultaneous imitation. In this method, while listening to the song, you also try to repeat the lyrics exactly at the same pace and rhythm as the singer.

This helps in improving English pronunciation with popular and simple songs and makes your pronunciation and tone more natural. Combine learning with other methods: While learning language through music can be very beneficial, it should not be used as the only learning method. Combining this approach with other tools such as language learning apps, online courses, and daily conversations can multiply its effectiveness.

 

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Vellso, by providing an interactive environment, enables users to not only learn through music but also benefit from the Role-Play & Memorization System to reinforce everyday conversations. 

Practicing listening skills with English songs: Strengthening listening skills is one of the major challenges for language learners. Many people still struggle to understand real conversations even after years of studying English. The reason for this issue is the unfamiliarity with the natural rhythm and pronunciation of English in different conditions. Music can largely solve this problem, as it naturally exposes us to various accents, different speaking speeds, and common phrases. Below, we discuss methods through which you can improve your listening skills with English songs:

 

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Active Listening

 Unlike usual listening where you just enjoy the music, active listening involves focusing on the details of the song, understanding the meanings of the words, and analyzing the pronunciation of the singer. For this:

  • Choose a song with clear lyrics.
  • First, listen without lyrics and try to recognize the words.
  • Then, check the song lyrics and find the differences between what you heard and the actual text.
  • Listen to the song again, this time focusing on the words you previously did not understand. In Vellso, this method is enhanced with the Review Mistake Section. Users can identify their listening mistakes and work on them.

 

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Recognizing accents and speech rhythm

English songs provide a great opportunity to recognize accent differences. In many cases, even if you have a wide vocabulary, different accents may still be incomprehensible to you. For this:

  • Choose songs from British, American, Australian, and Canadian singers. 
  • Try to understand the pronunciation differences and pay attention to how syllables are emphasized. 
  • Use the Learning with 4 English Accents tool in Vellso, which allows you to practice with different accents.

 

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Listening at different speeds

Some songs may be too fast for learners. Therefore, adjusting the playback speed of the song can be a helpful method.

Comparing the audio and video versions of the song: Sometimes, watching a live performance of a song helps you better understand how the singer articulates the words. Watching musical videos can aid in recognizing mouth movements and speech tone. Also, seeing a live performance of a song helps you establish a better connection with the content.

Practicing understanding colloquial phrases and idioms (Idioms & Slang): Many English songs contain idioms and colloquial phrases that are also used in everyday conversations. By reviewing song lyrics, you can identify these phrases and use them in your daily speech. For this, the Vellso app provides more examples of similar idioms in the More Examples Section to deepen your learning!✨

 

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Conclusion

Learning English with simple songs, an attractive and effective method: Learning English can be a challenging process, but when accompanied by music, it becomes more enjoyable and more effective. Listening to simple English songs not only strengthens listening skills but also helps improve pronunciation, grammar, and vocabulary. As we have discussed in this article, effective learning through music requires more than just listening. You must use proper methods such as active listening, repetition, accent imitation, vocabulary practice from song lyrics, and note-taking. Vellso, as the most comprehensive solution for learning English, offers advanced tools such as Pronunciation Practice, Memory Box, Role-Play & Memorization System, and Mistake Review Section to help users enhance their language skills through English songs.

Additionally, the Learning with 4 English Accents feature in Vellso enables learners to understand and practice different accents. Therefore, if you are looking for a creative, effective, and engaging method to learn English, include music in your educational program. Choosing the best simple songs for learning English and using methods to practice listening skills with English songs and practice English pronunciation with popular and simple songs will accelerate and solidify your learning process. Combining this approach with Vellso's advanced features, you can reach a higher level of language skills in the shortest possible time.

 

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Best Simple Songs for English Practice🥳🎵🎶

Here’s a selection of simple English songs ideal for practicing accents, improving pronunciation, and even shadowing techniques:

  1. Fly Me to the Moon Frank Sinatra
  2. Don’t Worry, Be Happy – Bobby McFerrin
  3. Hello – Adele
  4. Strangers in the Night – Frank Sintara
  5. Thinking Out Loud – Ed Sheeran
  6. Tears in Heaven – Eric Clapton
  7. Someone You Loved – Lewis Capaldi
  8. Count on Me – Bruno Mars
  9. Let It Be – The Beatles
  10. Yesterday   The Beatles
  11. Creep Radiohead
  12. If You’re Happy and You Know It – Traditional
  13. Yellow Submarine – The Beatles
  14. Everything at Once – Lenka
  15. All of Me – John Legend
  16. Shallow – Lady Gaga & Bradley Cooper
  17. Imagine  John Lennon
  18. I Want to Break Free  Queen

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