Today I’m starting an experiment.  I’m attempting to learn some basic French through listening to musical earworms.  Earworms are a new technique designed to help one recall basic words and phrases.  As I listen, they are supposed to burn the language into my longer-term memory.  An impressive goal.

I play a CD containing specially composed melodies with rhythmic repetitions. The instructions say, “You don’t have to concentrate too hard, in fact you shouldn’t try to actively concentrate, just sit back, relax and listen and let your brain do the learning.”

A booklet of the 200 essential words and phrases is included, which I’m told to review.  Links to a website (http://www.earwormslearning.com/) provide me with memory hooks.  These are word associations that assist in memorization and understanding.

I’m giving Volume 1 a try and will report back on my progress.  So far the music sounds like the elevator type, but I have already mastered asking for a cup of coffee and a bottle of wine.  Heck-that may be all I need for my trip to France in June.