It's an idea worth exploring. After all, many of us learned the alphabet with a song---I remember singing the Alphabet song in both English and Dutch. You might check out the literature review in the following article: Music as Pedagogy

AUTHOR(S)

Jones, Dianne McAdams; Bacon, Marlene; Williams-Schultz, LaShawn Camille

PUB. DATE April 2010

SOURCE International Journal of Interdisciplinary Social Sciences;2010, Vol. 5 Issue 2, p357

SOURCE TYPE  Academic Journal

DOC. TYPE Article

ABSTRACT

Today's students, in general, and nursing students, in particular, are a part of a different learning environment. They live and learn in an environment that uses technology. One piece of technology that is easy to notice on many students is the iPod or some other brand of musical paraphernalia plugged into their ears, Nursing students use technology. The attitudes/perceptions of student nurses who listen to music while studying have been little researched. The Institutional Review Board (IRB) was completed and three college campuses of pre- nursing and first year nursing students in an associate of science degree program were sampled. This study explored the student nurses' attitudes/perceptions of the affects of listening to music while they study. The purpose of the study was to survey student nurses' current listening habits and attitudes regarding music as a possible learning enhancement. The research questions "What is the benefit to recall when the content to be learned is delivered through music?" and "What are student nurses' perceptions of how listening to music assists them in studying?" were explored through a mixed methods study. This mixed methods study included qualitative (5 participants) and quantitative (33 participants). Using a t-test to compare pre and post test data along with NVivo ( a qualitative data analysis program) threads and themes recurred in testimonial from students of the many benefits gained through studying with music. Some of the threads identified were, a) "keeps me focused", b) "it tunes out background noise" and c) "it helps me to remember the content I am studying".

 Dear James !

I think you should consult our dear Miranda Yeoh's fine works, with musical mnemonics.

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/288713688_MUSICAL_MNEMONICS_TO_FACILITATE_THE_LEARNING_OF_DNA_REPLICATION

Article MUSICAL MNEMONICS TO FACILITATE THE LEARNING OF DNA REPLICATION

Thanks dear Maria.  This is the video recording.  Have a look at other mnemonics.  Several mothers on RG have written to thank me for making learning a lot easier for their kids, and recently a German prof taught my songs to his grand child.  He is on RG :)

Research DNA replication (video recording of musical mnemonics)

Thank you!

Good idea

The frequencies associated with chanting and music play an important role in brain wave functioning as these match the brain waves and interact with them resulting in as a constructive or destructive interference 

Hi,

If we speak of  the motivation for learning, the relation between music and other subjects may work also in the other direction. For example, students who have a great motivation to learn mathematics, often have a higher motivation to learn music, too, see the attached article.

Best wishes,

Timo tossavainen

Article Finnish primary and secondary school students' interest in m...

it is a pity that the work of Pierre Schaeffer has no English translation, it makes english readers to reinvent the wheel. May be a good translation of Schaeffer's work can bring some interesting propositions for this theme.