¡Better with música! Music for second-language learning

¡Better with música! Music for second-language learning

Music is universally accepted as being one of the most complete and far-reaching methodological resources presently available. This achievement is not accidental since, undoubtedly, any intentional contact with music usually results in an assortment of pleasant sensations and enjoyable experiences regardless of the objective pursued with its use. This is the reason why music is generally associated with a sense of delight and gratification.

It has been observed that the simple act of listening to music causes a boost in children’s brain function. Such increase in cerebral activity is often visible to the naked eye with the appearance of goosebumps, changes in the breathing rhythm, or alterations of the heartbeat, while old and forgotten memories, triggered by a simple tune, come back to life.

When this first contact with music is not limited to just a passive listening, but it is made part of a significantly more complete musical activity alongside other compatible tasks, further and more complex aspects of mental activity are triggered. Children will display  a considerable increase in their ability to concentrate, in the development of their memory, sensitivity, and structuring of information, as well as experiencing greater stimulation in body expression and in reading, speaking and writing skills.

Research on music and bilingualism suggests that, in the early stages of life, music is more accessible to children than speech. When we add to this piece of evidence the scientific knowledge that music  produces in our brain alterations directly related to language learning,  it makes perfect sense to employ music as a resource for the acquisition of any type of skill, with a particular eye to the acquisition of a second language. This is exactly what BRAVO’s methodology is based on: BRAVO develops songs that arouse the child’s interest, making language learning through music not only highly effective but also entertaining and emotional.

With our music videos, which are the main resource of BRAVO’s project, our children learn Spanish as a second language by playing, singing, and actively participating in the construction of their own knowledge. 

Our “learning situations”, which are accompanied by dynamic resources that make of the integration of the foreign language an easier and more playful experience, are conceived to adjust to the children’s age and academic requirements and are developed around themes linked to the real-life interests of our students and included in the Spanish as a Foreign Language (ELE) curriculum, as well as being adapted to meet the specific language learning needs of children of Spanish-speaking parents residing in countries where Spanish is not an official language.

Music is always congenial, whether we are alone or with other people, but if what we want is to stimulate the learning capacities of a child,… better do it with ritmo!

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BRAVO is an innovative methodology aimed at teaching & learning Spanish through music, which offers specialised resources and scenarios, both for classroom-teaching and for family/home learning. Through songs, videos, and other teaching activities and resources, children learn Spanish at their own pace and in an original and entertaining manner.

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