The effect of the incorporation of music learning into the second language classroom on the mutual reinforcement of music and language

The purpose of the study was to investigate whether the incorporation of a music program in the second-language classroom, with methodology based on similarities that exist between the structures of music and language, reinforced both the learning of music and the learning of a second language.Fifty-three subjects from two Grade 2 French immersion classes from one elementary school of the Moncton, New Brunswick, Canada, area were chosen to represent the control (n = 26) and experimental (n = 27) groups of this study. Eight weekly units of five 15-minute music lessons totally incorporated to the French second-language class were planned and taught by the experimental group's regular classroom teacher. The general objective of the devised program was to help children gain the music concepts of tonal-rhythmic pattern and form that have commonalities with pronunciation, oral grammar, vocabulary and reading comprehension. The control group received the regular oral-visual drill-type French lessons, and the regular 30 minutes a week of music taught by the music specialist. It was hypothesized that the incorporation of a music program into the French immersion classroom would reinforce both music and second-language learning.Criterion referenced tests were devised to measure the dependent variables. All music and French tests were administered as pre- and posttests. Academic achievement was also measured and considered as a variable that may have an effect on language and music achievement.Data were subjected to a series of ANOVA and ANCOVA statistical designs. Results indicated that the experimental group performed significantly better than the control group in all music tests and in the oral grammar and reading comprehension French tests.U of I OnlyETDs are only available to UIUC Users without author permissio