Songs and Singing in Foreign Language Learning
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Songs and Singing in Foreign Language Learning Karen M. Ludke A thesis submitted in fulfilment of requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy The University of Edinburgh 2010 Declaration I hereby declare that this thesis, submitted in candidature for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy at the University of Edinburgh, and the research contained herein is of my own composition, except where explicitly stated in the text, and was not previously submitted for the award of any other degree or professional qualification at this or any other university. Karen M. Ludke, 16 July 2010 i Abstract Educators have claimed that listening to music in a second or foreign language (L2) can provide fun and motivating educational material and that singing can enhance the L2 learning process by improving listening and speaking skills, pronunciation, intonation, and vocabulary. Experiments have shown that under certain conditions, a sung presentation of linguistic material can facilitate verbal learning in the native language. To date, however, there is very little research evidence that singing can increase L2 skills. This thesis begins to methodically evaluate whether listening to songs and singing in a new language can facilitate L2 learning, compared to practising L2 material through more traditional, speech-based instructional methods. The research studies also explore the extent to which individual differences (IDs) between learners may mediate any observed benefits of using songs in L2 instruction. The first two studies examine under controlled experimental conditions whether singing can support adults’ beginning-level modern language learning compared to speech over a short time period. Results indicate that when no significant group differences exist for the ID measures, an instructional method that incorporates L2 singing can facilitate short-term learning and memory. Results also showed that IDs between learners, in particular previous language learning experience, musical abilities, mood, and motivation, can mediate the benefits of L2 learning through a singing method. The third study describes a four-week, classroom-based arts intervention exploring the effects of incorporating songs and dramatic dialogues into the L2 curriculum, both in terms of learning outcomes and the adolescents’ opinions. In addition to increases in French skills, many children reported that the dramatic and musical activities had increased their confidence to speak in French. There was also an overall preference for listening to songs and more children reported that the songs repeated in their heads after class. The thesis concludes by discussing practical implications for L2 instruction and proposes a framework to guide future research exploring how and why singing can support modern foreign language learning. ii Acknowledgments I would like to thank my doctoral supervisors, Dr. Katie Overy and Professor Fernanda Ferreira, whose insights, encouragement, and support were invaluable. Their extensive knowledge of experimental psychology, the neuroscience of music, and psycholinguistics were a perfect combination for helping me to successfully navigate this complex research project. I would like to warmly thank Dr. Krisztina Nagy, Zsuzsanna Kontra, and Lucinda Smallman for their time and help creating the stimuli for the two Hungarian language studies. Thank you to Florence Bonacina, Damien Guillaud, and Kevin Hay for their help recording the French dramatic dialogue. A big thank you to Mary Dugan, Rachel Roberts, and especially to Sylvie Berthelot and the S1 and S2 French pupils at St. Thomas of Aquin’s High School in Edinburgh. Thank you to Dr. Lara Crossland for helping me locate the school through the Researchers in Residence programme. Thanks also to Justin Takichi Vitello, Suzy Moat, Madeleine Campbell, Ana Oliveira and her parents, Raquel Bennett and her brother and nephews Stanlley, Davi and Philippe, and Professor Peter Dayan for providing helpful resources for this project. I wish to thank all of the teachers who have shared their practical ideas and resources for teaching modern languages through songs, especially Johanna van Gendt, Lisa R. Ludke, Sylvie Berthelot, Adelheid Kramer, and from the University of Edinburgh, Gareth Roberts, Cyprian Laskowski, Dorothea Gschwandtner, Derek Murphy, Florence Bonacina, Francesca Filiaci, Mara Mari Kirkwood, Ana Oliveira, Shelly Coyne, Mark Hamilton, June Chan, Janet de Vigne, JC Ng Shi Ing, Jillian A.E. Mathews, Hyejin Shin, Li-han Huang, and Liu Yi. Thank you to Bethan Owen and to Dr. Brona´ Murphy for their help in advertising the knowledge exchange workshop for modern foreign language teachers and Masters degree students in Edinburgh. I would like to warmly thank all of the teachers and teachers in training who participated in the two workshop sessions and made them so interesting and successful. I would like to thank Tom Howey for his superb work, under tight deadlines, creating the beautiful workbook design for the knowledge exchange workshop with modern foreign language teachers. I also wish to thank Kirstin Anderson for her excellent suggestions about the workbook materials. iii I never would have finished this thesis without the immense quantities of love and support I have received from my family and friends, especially from Michael, Lisa, Kurt, Juanita, and Roger Ludke. Thank you, Zack Moir, for being such a great officemate and for always knowing which microphone or equipment I needed, Hannah Cornish for our PhD reality check meetings to keep ourselves on track, Francesca Filiaci and Florence Bonacina for our lunchtime chats, and Gareth Roberts, Hae-Sung Jeon, Suzy Moat, Kirstin Anderson, Theresa Steward, Luis Sanchez, Melissa Avdeef, Mary Fogarty, Pieter Blue, Cyprian Laskowski, Olle Blomberg, Sebastian Andersson, Marian van der Meulen, Pit Peport´ e,´ Andrew Fenton, Nelly Lakestani, Kendra DeBusk, and Ian Smith for helping to keep me sane. A very special thank you is due to Patrick Power for all the years of support in the emotional, logical, and technical domains. Music is a world within itself With a language we all understand With an equal opportunity For all to sing, dance and clap their hands – Stevie Wonder, ‘Sir Duke’ My doctoral research was supported by a College Award from the College of Humanities and Social Sciences at the University of Edinburgh, by funding from the Institute for Music in Human and Social Development (IMHSD) and Music in the School of Arts, Culture and Environment, by the Sir Richard Stapley Educational Trust, and by a Knowledge Transfer grant awarded to Dr. Katie Overy in October 2008 by the University of Edinburgh. iv Contents Declaration..................................i Abstract.................................... ii Acknowledgments............................... iv Contents.................................... ix List of Figures................................. xiii List of Tables................................. xviii 1 Introduction1 2 Music and Foreign Language Learning5 2.1 Connections between music and language...............6 2.2 Learning and long-term memory for music and songs......... 11 2.2.1 Memory............................. 11 2.2.2 Learning, mnemonics, and involuntary mental rehearsal... 13 2.2.3 Psychological research evidence................ 15 2.3 Education research........................... 22 2.3.1 Educational approaches for L2 learning and music...... 22 2.3.2 Educators’ observations of the benefits of music....... 26 2.3.3 Educational studies using music to support language skills.. 29 2.4 Individual differences relevant to L2 learning through songs...... 31 2.4.1 Language learning experience and abilities.......... 32 2.4.2 Musical skills and experience................. 33 2.4.3 Mood.............................. 35 2.4.4 Handedness........................... 36 2.4.5 Gender............................. 36 2.4.6 Age............................... 36 2.4.7 Motivation and attitudes in L2 learning............ 38 2.4.8 Intelligence and IQ....................... 39 2.5 Structure of thesis............................ 41 3 Effects of Singing on Paired-Associate Foreign Language Learning 43 3.1 Introduction............................... 43 3.2 Method................................. 44 3.2.1 Design............................. 44 3.2.2 Pilot studies........................... 47 3.2.3 Participants........................... 48 3.2.4 Stimuli............................. 50 v 3.2.5 Measures............................ 52 3.2.6 Procedure............................ 54 3.2.7 Data analysis.......................... 56 3.3 Results.................................. 58 3.4 Measures of individual differences................... 62 3.4.1 Language learning ability and experience........... 62 3.4.2 Musical ability and experience................. 67 3.4.3 PANAS mood questionnaire.................. 70 3.4.4 Phonological working memory................. 71 3.4.5 Handedness........................... 73 3.4.6 Dyslexia............................ 74 3.4.7 Debriefing questionnaire.................... 75 3.4.8 Age............................... 78 3.4.9 Gender............................. 78 3.5 Influence of individual differences on Hungarian test performance.. 79 3.5.1 MANCOVA controlling for pre-existing ID factors...... 79 3.6 Discussion................................ 84 4 Effects of Active Learning Compared to Passive Learning of Spoken or Sung Paired-Associate Foreign Language Phrases 89 4.1 Introduction............................... 89 4.2 Method................................