The Role of Music in Second Language Learning: A Vietnamese Perspective
Mark Huy Lê
University of Tasmania
1. INTRODUCTION
Music is an essential part of human existence. Different kinds of birds have different cries, songs and melodies to communicate about their world. Similarly music is used by human beings to express their thoughts and feelings about their inner world as well as their social world. It is hard to imagine a culture without music. Thus, music can be seen as the soul of human culture. In the context of education, music has become a popular subject in primary and secondary education and it is an established academic subject in tertiary education. However, research on the role of music in second language learning is surprisingly still in its embryonic stage while its popularity is strong and its impact on society is readily recognised. This paper will examine the importance of music in education, particularly in relation to second language learning. It will then present a qualitative study on the role of music in second language learning in the Vietnamese context.
2. THE ROLE OF MUSIC IN LEARNING
Halpern (1999, p1,) states that "of the many factors that influence learning, few are as far-reaching - or little understood - as sound and music". When one thinks of music, the first thing in mind is enjoyment. Its entertaining function is widespread in many human activities, individually and collectively. The sound of music brings into the world its magic power to activate the mind when it is dormant, to soothe the soul when it is in turmoil, and to heal the body when it is hurt. Its magic power is the reason why children love to play with songs and rhymes even at an early age in life. Babies ,even inside their mothers, show some appreciation to music when exposed to it. The sound of singing among villagers across a rice field in Asian countries turns a hard-working day into a festive one. An image of a mother singing her baby to sleep has a lasting impact on many individuals who have experienced such tender human interaction. It is unthinkable to see human existence without music. According to Neuenfeldt (1998), Aboriginal musicians in Australia use music in school curricula in a unique way. Over the past decade, they have been introducing Aboriginal knowledge and perspectives into schools at all levels by performing and teaching with the Aboriginal musical instrument 'didjeridu'. The music incorporates an empowering social context in an entertainment format to convey indigenous interpretation of Australian life.
Harwood (1998) argues that context affects both the musical content children learn (choice of repertoire, stylistic conventions) and how they attempt to learn it (problem solving skills and strategies). Through exposure to multiple contexts where music learning occurs, (formal and informal, school, home, church, playground) children acquire different understandings about what it means to be a music maker and learner. Smith (1998) carried out a study on trialing the intercultural communication of Indigenous Australian music and dance, through a specified series of teaching and learning strategies, to urban west-centric primary school settings. Campbell (1998) studied children's engagement in music beyond school, including the manner by which the various folkways, technologies, and institutional settings help them to perpetuate and preserve particular musical expressions and experiences. According to Campbell, discussion of music in children's play, the use and function of music in their lives, and the means by which they are musically enculturated will lead to a consideration of music's place in their schooling.
Music generally manifests in tune, melody, rhyme, and lyrics. The role of music can be divided into two aspects: participant-orientated and performance-orientated. The former refers to the joy that music brings to each individual as an active music experiencer. They are actually involved in the performing act such as singing a song, whistling a tune, or playing a musical instrument The latter focuses on the product such as a performance on stage, a record or cassette of songs normally performed by well-known artists. The dichotomy of participant-orientated process and performance-orientated process is also seen in sport activities in which participants are either performers or viewers. This distinction will be taken into account in discussing a Vietnam-based study on the role of music in second language learning to be dealt with later in this paper.
Researchers have shown that personality factors play an important part in second language learning (Heyde, 1979; Brown 1994). Some studies revealed that self-esteem appears to be an important variable in second language learning (Gardner & Lambert, 1972; Brodkey & Shore, 1976; Watkin et al., 1991). Personality, emotion and self-esteem are powerful affective factors in human learning.
Human beings are emotional creatures. At the heart of all thought and meaning and action is emotion. As "intellectual" as we would like to think we are, we are influenced by our emotions. It is only logical, then, to look at the affective (emotional) domain for some of the most answers to the problems of contrasting the differences between first and second language acquisition.
(Brown, 1994, p.61).
Suggestopedia was introduced by Lozano (1979) which stresses the significance of mental calmness in learning. Suggestopedia is a method of second language teaching that capitalises on relaxed states of mind for maximum retention of material. Music plays a vital part in this teaching method. For example, Baroque music, with its 60 beats per minutes and its specific rhythm creates a kind of "relaxed concentration" for active learning (Ostrand & Schroeder, 1979, p. 65).
The role of music in learning can be described in terms of enhancement of social harmony, motivation force, and tool for learning.
- Enhancement of social harmony: One of the most important factors for achieving teaching and learning effectiveness is social harmony among learners. In a classroom, children often sing together to celebrate birthday, to play games together, to appreciate the feeling of togetherness.
- Motivation force: Music is used to soothe the mind, to relax the mind and body. Music enables learners to be free from pressure and stress.
- Tool for learning: Music is deliberately used to teach language, society and culture. Songs encode cultural meanings, inspiration, and worldviews. In other words, songs tell thousands of human stories.
3. A VIETNAM-BASED STUDY
3.1 Aim and objectives
A study was qualitatively conducted in Vietnam to investigate the views of English-as-a- Foreign-Language (EFL) students and teachers about the role of music in teaching and learning a second language, with a focus on English as a foreign language. The following research questions were raised in the study:
- a. What are the views held by Vietnamese VFL university students about the significance of music in education?
- b. What are their views about the significance of music in an EFL curriculum?
- c. What are their views about the significance of music in extra-curriculum activities?
- d. What are their views about the negative aspect of the use of Western music in education?
3. 2. Background and Rationale
Learning English has mushroomed in Vietnam since 1986 when the Vietnamese government started to implement the policy of Doi Moi (new change) which promoted interaction with the outside world, particularly with the West, after many years of isolation due to the effect of war. English has become one of the most popular subjects in secondary education. Private English classes have provided eager learners with an alternative place for learning English apart from traditional public schools. The great demand of English in Vietnam has created a huge shortage of EFL teachers. In response to the Vietnamese government's requests, English-speaking countries such as Australia, New Zealand, Great Britain, USA, Canada, and Singapore have provided scholarships and training courses for current and prospective Vietnamese teachers of English. However, the interest in English has brought along great interest in Western cultures, particularly music. English music has become very popular. Except in some traditional musical performance, most of musical shows include many English songs. Universities and colleges are often the place where English songs are performed. They promote an educational discourse in which English language teaching and English music play an important part.
Vietnamese students are well known as music lovers. Virtually, all their social activities, formally and informally, include singing and playing guitars. Some students sing English songs perfectly as if they were native speakers of English. This evidence supports the view that some students learn English with the help of music. The case of an American singer who could sing Vietnamese songs flawlessly without knowing a Vietnamese word is well known among Vietnamese EFL students. In order to pursue this view further, a study was conducted in Vietnam to examine the relationship between music and EFL.
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