Pop music and German as a foreign language Second language acquisition through music

Abstract

In recent years, foreign language teaching has also undergone many changes thanks to the continuing rise of the internet and the media. Language learners have access to more foreign language content in the target language they want to learn and such content may be related to their leisure activities. These activities include reading, watching films, playing video games, using social networking sites or listening to music. The combination of these activities, together with those learned in class, can have a positive impact on foreign language learning process. The aim of the present study is to demonstrate the potential positive role of German pop music in learning German as a foreign language through a German pop music album (Mark Foster’s Tape). The study examines at which language levels the album can be used for learning and teaching German as a foreign language. The linguistic levels of the words in the music tracks on the album and the grammatical phenomena in the lyrics became the primary focus of analysis. Based on the data analysis, it can be concluded that the comprehension of the songs on the album and the development of language skills require knowledge corresponding to foreign language level B1. The songs on the album can also develop additional skills, including vocabulary development and pronunciation.