Effects of music on five year-olds' learning of novel nonwords

This study examined whether children acquire lexical representations sooner if nonwords were presented through song, rather than a spoken condition. Many speech-language pathologists use songs in therapy to enhance language learning, citing developmental, neurological, and motivational theories. However, limited empirical data exist to support its use. This single-subject study was designed to determine if musical intonation enhanced learning of novel nonword names, when rate, rhythm, and stress were controlled across musical and spoken conditions. Eight novel nonword “names” were assigned to cartoon characters and presented to each child, four through a spoken condition and four through song. Each child then participated in assessments of comprehension and production of the nonwords. Data was analyzed within child, to determine which presentation mode resulted in earlier learning of the novel nonword names, and across children to analyze replication of results. Results of this study have important implications for future research and clinical practice.