Music & Learning
Music Education encompasses more than singing or playing an instrument; it enhances cognitive abilities, social skills, motor skills, and many more qualities necessary to learn efficiently. Countless studies and statistics are available validating claims that students who participate in Music and Art Education tend to be highly successful students and people. For further reading, please visit the National Association for Music Education's (NafME) website.
Music & Literacy
Many studies have been surfacing that support music as an important tool for learning how to read and advance as a reader. In 2012, the New London Orchestra performed a study with students ages 6 - 7 aimed at enhancing reading skills by placing them in a special music program. The program was twenty weeks long and encompassed literacy exercises, including reading stories and poetry, amongst musical activities. Students were tested before the program began and after the program's duration. The study found that the music program increased the students' reading age by an average of 8.4 months and as many as 13.2 months. Students in the group who were involved in the traditional literacy program only saw an average increase of 1.2 months in reading age.
It is important to see music as a code or language rather than just a subject. It is a sophisticated system that requires the student to learn a code, then learn how to decode it and ultimately learn how to efficiently encode it. We see this as musicians learn to sing or play. First, they learn what music is, then they learn how to examine music so they can play it and finally, they learn how to write music themselves. It is no wonder music can be a great tool for literacy; literacy follows a similar plan. Ultimately we are doing these same processes by learning to read.
Music can be used in literacy plans in many ways. First of all, it is commonly understood that the human brain is separated into two hemispheres; the right hemisphere is responsible for artistic functions and the left for mathematical and analytical thinking. By creating a lesson plan that combines the functions of both hemispheres, teachers can help solidify information in the students brain. For example, putting vowel sounds to music can help students memorize the specific sounds by repeating the song aloud or in their head. The student quickly memorizes the vocal inflection and melody of a song which helps increase the ability to memorize the sounds or words that correspond with the music.
In a society where education is vastly adjudicated by test scores, music may play an important part in helping students meet educational goals. Studies are emerging that show students who participate in music, whether it be instrumental or vocal, score higher than their counterparts who do not participate in musical activities. For example, a 2006 report showed that students who participated in music scored 57 points higher on the verbal section of the SAT than those who were not musicians; similar results occurred in the other portions of the exam.
It is important to see music as a code or language rather than just a subject. It is a sophisticated system that requires the student to learn a code, then learn how to decode it and ultimately learn how to efficiently encode it. We see this as musicians learn to sing or play. First, they learn what music is, then they learn how to examine music so they can play it and finally, they learn how to write music themselves. It is no wonder music can be a great tool for literacy; literacy follows a similar plan. Ultimately we are doing these same processes by learning to read.
Music can be used in literacy plans in many ways. First of all, it is commonly understood that the human brain is separated into two hemispheres; the right hemisphere is responsible for artistic functions and the left for mathematical and analytical thinking. By creating a lesson plan that combines the functions of both hemispheres, teachers can help solidify information in the students brain. For example, putting vowel sounds to music can help students memorize the specific sounds by repeating the song aloud or in their head. The student quickly memorizes the vocal inflection and melody of a song which helps increase the ability to memorize the sounds or words that correspond with the music.
In a society where education is vastly adjudicated by test scores, music may play an important part in helping students meet educational goals. Studies are emerging that show students who participate in music, whether it be instrumental or vocal, score higher than their counterparts who do not participate in musical activities. For example, a 2006 report showed that students who participated in music scored 57 points higher on the verbal section of the SAT than those who were not musicians; similar results occurred in the other portions of the exam.
Musical Activities to Improve Literacy
There are many ways to incorporate literacy skills into the music classroom. Here are a few examples:
- Reading and writing critiques of musicals, orchestral performances and recitals can increase literacy by urging students to write opinion pieces in a professional manner.
- Constructive read-alouds about Music History, Music Theory and Music Appreciation that engage the student and encourage higher order thinking.
- Assigning students journals in which they can write their thoughts and feelings about the music they are performing.
- Asking students to examine the text of various pieces and writing a summary identifying the meaning of the piece.
Reading Strategies & Music Education
Reading strategies should be used in all classrooms, whether they are music classrooms or English classrooms because of the recent implementation of the Common Core Standards. Teaches are now held accountable for content literacy and are required to implement activities that allow students to grow within their content.
For detailed information about reading strategies, please see the link below.
For detailed information about reading strategies, please see the link below.