Music, singing voice and language learning: a literature review and some suggestions of use in the teaching of phonetics.

International audienceThe close functional (Patel, 2003; Peretz et coll., 2011), structural Arleo, 2006; Szendy, The close functional (Patel, 2003; Peretz et coll., 2011), structural Arleo, 2006; Szendy, 2009), phylogenic (Brown, 2000; Mithen, 2005) and ontogenic Brandt et coll., 2012; Cross, 2013) links between music and language have been studied by many disciplines. Some researches have shown the effects of music and singing on language acquisition, notably for phonetic integration (Schön et coll., 2008; Cornaz, 2014). Music may reinforce speech signal processing through a probable improved sensing of acoustic cues. Also, in spite of a number differences, so much is shared indeed between singing singing-voice and speech, for instance in speech acoustics and voice-production physiology (Henrich, 2011) that the relevance of a sung approach is accounted for. Using music and singing in the teaching of native and foreign languages has proved a considerable asset, explaining the increasing attention borne native and foreign languages has proved a considerable asset, explaining the increasing attention borne to singing in class (Peretz & Kolinsky, 2009). In the case of second language L2) French, course book authors tend to include that approach more frequently enhance grammar, civilisation, lexicon... (for exemple: J’apprends le français en chantant, Deblende & Heuze, 1992 ; Fluo, Meyer-Dieux et coll., 2003 ; Chante et découvre le français, Vorger coll., 2009). Nevertheless, having recourse to singing as a phonetic enhancer remains exceptional in foreign language courses. As progressively demonstrated in field experiments and reported in the scientific literature, singing could be most useful field experiments and reported in the scientific literature, singing could be most useful field experiments and reported in the remediation of proprioceptive, auditory and articulatory difficulties of the learners, as well as provide beneficial effects on memory, motivation and class atmosphere. Further examples of approaches on improving the phonetic competence from books on singing and on speech therapy are reviewed. A set of useful singing-voice exercises from diverse disciplines, focusing on segmental integration, such as the visual rendering of voice mechanisms, the vocalization of sounds, the perception and proprioception of phoneme accuracy and the exemple of a dedicated 'nursery rhyme' as teaching material is included