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Singing increases written fluency
Jenni Alisaari (University of Turku) and Leena Maria Heikkola (Åbo Akademi University)
INTRODUCTION
RESULTS
A number of researchers have reported the benefits of music
Written fluency increased in all the six groups. Written
fluency increased significantly more in the singing groups
than in other groups. Fluency increased the least in the
reciting groups.
and singing, especially for second or foreign language
learning (see for example Coyle & Gómez Garcia, 2014;
Legg, 2009). One of the reasons for this is that music
stimulates memory and thus improves learning (Eerola &
mean 35,54 %
SD 47,47 %
N = 67
Saarikallio, 2010, 265‒266).
Ludke, Ferreira and Overy (2014) examined how singing,
rhythmical speech and speaking normally affected the
learning of a sentence in Hungarian. Their results indicated
that singing is the most efficient method in learning to
memorize a sentence. However, few studies have investigated
the benefits of singing in language classroom (Sposet, 2008).
Within second language acquisition studies, investigating
fluency, as well as accuracy and complexity, is a continuing
concern (see for example Housen, Kuiken & Vedder, 2012).
ANOVA: groups differed statistically significantly from each
other (F2, 63 = 3,472; p = .037).
However, little is known about the effects singing and music
have in written fluency.
OBJECTIVE & HYPOTHESIS
Objective
- To investigate how three different pedagogical methods
affect fluency in written stories by Finnish learners
Hypothesis
- Singing increases written fluency more than other methods
- Reciting the lyrics rhythmically increases written fluency
more than listening to songs
Post Hoc comparisons between groups (Tukey HSD):
- Singing and reciting groups differed significantly (p = .038;
Bonferroni corrected).
- Singing and listening groups did not differ significantly
(p = .213; Bonferroni corrected).
- Listening and reciting groups did not differ significantly
(p = 1.0; Bonferroni corrected).
Looking at effect sizes of comparisons between singing and
listening groups (d =.51), and listening and reciting groups (d
= .22), the difference could have been significant with a
bigger sample.
References
METHOD
Participants: 67 learners of Finnish language from two
beginners’ courses; students on the courses were further
divided into three groups, all together six groups, by a level
test.
Data collection: Pre-test and post-test: written stories based
on comic strips.
Data analysis:
- Fluency: word rates in pre- and post-test written stories.
- Qualitative and quantitative methods (ANCOVA,
independent t-tests).
Coyle, Y. & Gómez Gracia, R. 2014. Using songs to enhance L2 vocabulary
acquisition in preschool children. Teaching English to Young Learners 68 (3),
276–285.
Eerola, T. & Saarikallio, S. 2010. Musiikki ja tunteet. In J. Louhi-vuori & S.
Saarikallio (eds.), Musiikkipsykologia. Jyväskylä: Atena.
Legg, R. 2009. Using music to accelerate language learning: an experimental
study. Research in Education 82, 1–12.
Ludke, Karen M., Ferreira, Fernanda & Overy, Katie 2014. Singing can
facilitate foreign language learning. Memory and Cognition 42, 41–52
Sposet, B. A. 2008. The role of music in second language acquisition: A
bibliographical review of seventy years of research, 1937–2007. Lewiston:
Edwin Meller Press.
Housen, A. & Kuiken, F. 2009. Complexity, Accuracy, and Fluency in Second
Language Acquisition. Applied Linguistics 30 (4), 461–473.
Acknowledgements
Maria Dunaeva, participants and the staff of the courses
Eero Laakkonen, Marja Vauras, Elina Kouki, Kirsti Siitonen
The pedagogical methods used in the study:
1) singing, 2) listening to songs and 3) reciting song lyrics.
Jenni Alisaari jenali@utu.fi
Leena Maria Heikkola lheikkol@abo.fi