The Effects of Music on Word Recall and Language Usage

Abstract

The present study explored the effects of music on word recall and language usage. Given the mnemonic effects of music, the study intends to contribute to the understanding of music being a powerful tool for L2 learning. Twenty Korean adults participated and listened to lyrics both sung and spoken. The experiment included recall and retell of the two different song lyrics. The results demonstrated superior recall as well as retell of the sung form of text, indicating that music holds a pedagogical value in L2 learning. Further, qualitative data revealed that music tends to evoke emotion that makes the meaning of text salient, thereby enhancing memory and comprehension. Thus, the introduction of songs in the classroom may aid in the retention of texts and stimulate language acquisition.