USING AUTHOR’S SONGS AND MUSIC FOR DEVELOPING LANGUAGE SKILLS IN THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE CLASSROOM

Abstract. The article explores the integration of original songwriting and music composition into English as a Foreign Language (EFL) education. It discusses how creative musical activities enhance vocabulary retention, grammatical accuracy, pronunciation skills, motivation, and cultural competence. The research highlights practical strategies, case study findings from different age groups, and provides pedagogical recommendations for educators seeking to incorporate songwriting as a transformative approach to language teaching.

Keywords: songwriting, language skills, pronunciation, creativity, motivation, English learning.

Music has long been recognized as a powerful educational tool, capable of stimulating memory, creativity, and emotional engagement. In the field of English language teaching, songwriting and musical activities offer a unique opportunity to enhance students’ vocabulary acquisition, grammar usage, pronunciation, and communicative competence. This article explores the pedagogical potential of using author’s songs and music in English language classrooms, analyzing the cognitive, linguistic, and motivational benefits for students of different age groups, and presenting the results of practical implementation based on case studies with fifth and eleventh-grade learners.

The use of music in language education is based on the principle that learning occurs most effectively when multiple sensory channels are engaged. Singing activates both hemispheres of the brain, improves phonological memory, and reduces language learning anxiety [1]. Author’s songs—songs created by teachers or students themselves—serve as a particularly effective medium because they combine creative expression with focused linguistic practice, offering personalized, meaningful learning experiences that traditional methods often lack.

In this research, the focus was placed on developing original English-language songs with fifth and eleventh-grade students. The younger learners composed simple, narrative-driven songs based on thematic vocabulary such as seasons, animals, and friendship. Theoretical Foundations

Numerous studies highlight the benefits of integrating music into the language-learning process. According to [2], music enhances memory retention, supports syntax acquisition, and develops phonological awareness. Through songwriting, students move beyond passive reception to active language production, engaging in vocabulary selection, syntactic construction, and semantic refinement.

Moreover, Krashen’s Affective Filter Hypothesis [3] suggests that reducing anxiety and increasing motivation are essential for effective language acquisition. Author’s songs help lower students’ affective filters by providing a fun, low-pressure environment where mistakes are viewed as natural parts of the creative process.

Songwriting also strengthens the link between emotional content and language form. When students compose lyrics about meaningful topics, they develop deeper connections to the vocabulary and grammatical structures they use, facilitating long-term internalization [4].

Practical Implementation. In the fifth-grade classroom, songwriting activities were introduced gradually:

• Vocabulary brainstorming sessions were conducted to build lexical fields.

• Students were encouraged to use rhyme, simple past tense, and thematic expressions.

• Choral singing and group performances minimized individual anxiety and fostered teamwork. Example (excerpt from student song):

“The sun is shining, the sky is blue,

I run to the garden to see the dew.”

Meanwhile, eleventh-grade students approached songwriting as both an artistic and linguistic challenge:

• They analyzed professional song lyrics for style, structure, and literary techniques.

• They brainstormed abstract themes, created word banks of advanced vocabulary, and experimented with figurative language.

• Their compositions demonstrated complex grammar usage, metaphorical imagery, and emotional depth.

Spheres of Practical Application. The methodology described here can be effectively applied in: general education schools, private language schools, online language courses, teacher training workshops, after-school creative clubs.

Given the growing emphasis on student-centered, project-based learning, songwriting offers an ideal avenue for fostering language proficiency through creative, emotionally engaging, and communicatively meaningful activities.