Learning German better with the help of music
The project "Spring" (speaking and singing), a cooperation between the music department of the University of Regensburg and an elementary school in the Bavarian city, teaches language skills with the help of music.
In a transition class at the Von-der-Tann-Schule in Regensburg, children familiarize themselves with German, a language that is foreign to them, with the help of music. Their natural sense of tone and beat helps them to do this. According to class teacher Eva Nagel, the children understand grammatical structures through singing. There are 19 children from 14 countries in the class. They come from all social classes. Children of foreign professors who work in Regensburg sit alongside refugee children from war zones.
The targeted use of music helps to reduce inhibitions in the use of language and to train linguistic patterns in a relaxed manner, explains music education professor Magnus Gaul. Music in combination with facial expressions and gestures opens up access to a new language. Added to this is the passion shown by children and teachers in the transition classes. According to the German newspaper Neue Musikzeitung, he is so convinced of the cooperation that some of his students will accompany the lessons in the transition class in April.
Magnus Gaul's work focuses on the field of empirical music education research. He is particularly interested in the musical lives and experiences of children and young people, their music-related identity and the integration of all children in general education classes. He also devotes himself to various music education projects involving professional musicians.
