Correlation Between Musical Aptitude and Learning Foreign Languages: an Epidemiological Study in Secondary School Italian Students

Overview

Journal Acta Otorhinolaryngol Ital

Specialty Otorhinolaryngology

Date 2018 May 15

PMID 29756615

Citations 2

Authors

P M Picciotti

F Bussu

L Calo

R Gallus

E Scarano

G DI Cintio

F Cassara

L DAlatri

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

The aim of this study was to assess if a correlation exists between language learning skills and musical aptitude through the analysis of scholarly outcomes concerning the study of foreign languages and music. We enrolled 502 students from a secondary Italian school (10-14 years old), attending both traditional courses (2 hours/week of music classes scheduled) and special courses (six hours). For statistical analysis, we considered grades in English, French and Music. Our results showed a significant correlation between grades in the two foreign languages and in music, both in the traditional courses and in special courses, and better results in French than for special courses. These results are discussed and interpreted through the literature about neuroanatomical and physiological mechanisms of foreign language learning and music perception.

Citing Articles

Short- and long-term neuroplasticity interact during the perceptual learning of concurrent speech.

MacLean J, Stirn J, Sisson A, Bidelman G Cereb Cortex. 2024; 34(2.

PMID: 38212291 PMC: 10839853. DOI: 10.1093/cercor/bhad543.

The Musical Abilities, Pleiotropy, Language, and Environment (MAPLE) Framework for Understanding Musicality-Language Links Across the Lifespan.

Nayak S, Coleman P, Ladanyi E, Nitin R, Gustavson D, Fisher S Neurobiol Lang (Camb). 2023; 3(4):615-664.

PMID: 36742012 PMC: 9893227. DOI: 10.1162/nol_a_00079.

References

Huss M, Verney J, Fosker T, Mead N, Goswami U . Music, rhythm, rise time perception and developmental dyslexia: perception of musical meter predicts reading and phonology. Cortex. 2010; 47(6):674-89. DOI: 10.1016/j.cortex.2010.07.010. View

Goswami U, Wang H, Cruz A, Fosker T, Mead N, Huss M . Language-universal sensory deficits in developmental dyslexia: English, Spanish, and Chinese. J Cogn Neurosci. 2010; 23(2):325-37. DOI: 10.1162/jocn.2010.21453. View

Milovanov R, Tervaniemi M, Takio F, Hamalainen H . Modification of dichotic listening (DL) performance by musico-linguistic abilities and age. Brain Res. 2007; 1156:168-73. DOI: 10.1016/j.brainres.2007.04.048. View

Milovanov R, Huotilainen M, Valimaki V, Esquef P, Tervaniemi M . Musical aptitude and second language pronunciation skills in school-aged children: neural and behavioral evidence. Brain Res. 2008; 1194:81-9. DOI: 10.1016/j.brainres.2007.11.042. View

Milovanov R, Tervaniemi M . The Interplay between Musical and Linguistic Aptitudes: A Review. Front Psychol. 2011; 2:321. PMC: 3221315. DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2011.00321. View

Hutka S, Bidelman G, Moreno S . Pitch expertise is not created equal: Cross-domain effects of musicianship and tone language experience on neural and behavioural discrimination of speech and music. Neuropsychologia. 2015; 71:52-63. DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropsychologia.2015.03.019. View

Mari G, Scorpecci A, Reali L, DAlatri L . Music identification skills of children with specific language impairment. Int J Lang Commun Disord. 2015; 51(2):203-11. DOI: 10.1111/1460-6984.12200. View

Ferrari M, Palladino P . Foreign language learning difficulties in Italian children: are they associated with other learning difficulties?. J Learn Disabil. 2007; 40(3):256-69. DOI: 10.1177/00222194070400030601. View

Marques C, Moreno S, Castro S, Besson M . Musicians detect pitch violation in a foreign language better than nonmusicians: behavioral and electrophysiological evidence. J Cogn Neurosci. 2007; 19(9):1453-63. DOI: 10.1162/jocn.2007.19.9.1453. View

10.

Besson M, Schon D, Moreno S, Santos A, Magne C . Influence of musical expertise and musical training on pitch processing in music and language. Restor Neurol Neurosci. 2007; 25(3-4):399-410. View

11.

Thompson W, Schellenberg E, Husain G . Decoding speech prosody: do music lessons help?. Emotion. 2004; 4(1):46-64. DOI: 10.1037/1528-3542.4.1.46. View

12.

Moreno S, Lee Y, Janus M, Bialystok E . Short-term second language and music training induces lasting functional brain changes in early childhood. Child Dev. 2014; 86(2):394-406. PMC: 4376572. DOI: 10.1111/cdev.12297. View

13.

Moreno S, Marques C, Santos A, Santos M, Castro S, Besson M . Musical training influences linguistic abilities in 8-year-old children: more evidence for brain plasticity. Cereb Cortex. 2008; 19(3):712-23. DOI: 10.1093/cercor/bhn120. View

14.

Christiner M, Reiterer S . Song and speech: examining the link between singing talent and speech imitation ability. Front Psychol. 2013; 4:874. PMC: 3837232. DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2013.00874. View

15.

Dankovicova J, House J, Crooks A, Jones K . The relationship between musical skills, music training, and intonation analysis skills. Lang Speech. 2007; 50(Pt 2):177-225. DOI: 10.1177/00238309070500020201. View

16.

Johnson J, Graziano A . Some early cases of aphasia and the capacity to sing. Prog Brain Res. 2015; 216:73-89. DOI: 10.1016/bs.pbr.2014.11.004. View

17.

Ludke K, Ferreira F, Overy K . Singing can facilitate foreign language learning. Mem Cognit. 2013; 42(1):41-52. DOI: 10.3758/s13421-013-0342-5. View

18.

Cogo-Moreira H, Andriolo R, Yazigi L, Ploubidis G, Brandao de Avila C, Mari J . Music education for improving reading skills in children and adolescents with dyslexia. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2012; (8):CD009133. PMC: 11801330. DOI: 10.1002/14651858.CD009133.pub2. View

19.

Schon D, Magne C, Besson M . The music of speech: music training facilitates pitch processing in both music and language. Psychophysiology. 2004; 41(3):341-9. DOI: 10.1111/1469-8986.00172.x. View