Stories of music and language learning: the effects behind the joy of listening to music in english language. A qualitative study

Abstract

“This thesis reports on qualitative narrative inquiry based study which aimed to understand the relationship between music and second language learning. The study was carried out to identify motivations behind language learning associated with music. The overall goal was to elicit language learning and music stories from the participants and to use those to better understand the theoretical connections between music and language and music and language learning. The research data were collected via two different instruments. Written accounts were requested from language teachers, non-teachers and second language learners who actively described their own experiences regarding their contact with foreign music and second language acquisition from an early age. Likewise, the study reported the responses obtained through a questionnaire sent to Mexican and international music fan clubs via social networks on internet. The study results supported the actual association between music and language learning and demonstrated that participants who had previous contact with English through exposure to music/songs in English, most at a very early age, provided positive and intense emotional experiences which triggered their motivation to learn the language”