If you repeat a sentence that you hear in a foreign language, or try to read a word that you are unfamiliar with, you will likely not pronounce it correctly. However, if you sing that same phrase or word, your pronunciation will be much better. This is because you are repeating a sound instead of trying to read a word. This is especially useful when learning to read languages like English that are not always spelled as they sound.
Musical lyrics are very beneficial for teaching reading. Not only does it help improve a student's vocabulary, it can help them retain that knowledge by improving concentration and memory. It can also help the student remember grammatical rules and spelling. Students can learn new words by studying the music's lyrics and then learn the meanings of words by understanding the context of the song. This also helps students learn and understand the emotional impact of the written and spoken word.
A student needs to know how to read music in order for this lesson to apply, but it can be very helpful for a second-language student whose first language uses little or no punctuation. Written and sheet music has a unique kind of punctuation to denote the cadence, speed and interval of the notes. Punctuation in written English has the exact same purpose and functions in the exact same way.
Using music when teaching reading has a lot of fringe benefits that are not directly related to the activity of reading itself. The amount of repetition that often comes with learning how to read can be boring and even frustrating for students of any age bracket. Music can improve the morale and sense of community in a classroom. It can also help motivate and cheer up students that might be tired or stressed out.