Music is a great learning tool. It is an easy way for children to learn and practice English because it feels natural to them. We hear music everywhere: in the car, on TV, when we go out... Parents sing to their children and we teach songs in our native language to help them remember things. Music helps us memorise information, so why wouldn't it help us learn a new language?
Most children will be able to sing port of a song even before they start talking properly! Our brains seem to remember langauge easier when the words are used with music.
Different songs can be used to teach your child specific vocabulary. For example:
Numbers
Alphabet
Body parts
Most of this songs have bilingual versions, which means you can sing them in Spanish too and, this way, it will be easier for the kid to understand the meaning of the song when they hear it in a different language.
Songs help kids to learn words that rhyme which will be useful later when they try to learn how to read. Using movementes helps them understand better the songs and, what's more, children don't even realize they are learning! It is an almost natural thing to incorporate the lyrics into their vocabulary.
The best learning happens when we have fun. So it’s really important to choose music that children enjoy. The best songs for learning English are:
- not too long (1–3 verses)
- not too fast (easy to sing along)
- in everyday English (not too many new or difficult words)
- clear (you can easily hear all the words).
