"Using Music as a Tool of Learning" by Joseph C

Like many, since when I was young I’ve developed a love for music, I would sing
and dance to it, for it brings to me joy and happiness. And for years I was the only person in the
family who knew how to play the piano, so I would always be the one responsible for
entertaining my family, but I absolutely loved it. One day I realised that my grandmother, who
was unable to read Chinese at the time, was singing to the song I was playing, I was amazed
because she had a really difficult life when she was young so she never had the privilege to go to
school and learn Chinese, but she was always determined to teach herself how to read that she
would spend hours and hours glued to a book trying to remember a couple of new words.
However, music allowed her to remember words much faster and easier. So in order to
help her to learn how to read, I would practice her favorite songs for hours each day just so she
could sing along with it at her own pace while learning Chinese at the same time. And even
though it was difficult at first to balance school and music, I was determined that I would make
my grandmother’s dream come true.

Now after 10 plus years, my grandmother is now able to read and even write Chinese,
and though she still struggle with the more difficult words, she is able to accomplish daily tasks
that involves reading and/or writing with a breeze. Through this experience, I love music even
more and I’ve developed a passion for it not only to entertain people but to also help others. To
me, music is no longer simply just a form of entertainment, but a new undiscovered tool for
learning. 謝謝奶奶