Can listening to music or playing an instrument actually make you learn better? Research answers that question.
Music and Learning
Baby Einstein is very popular now among young parents wanting their children to develop to their full potential. Brain Gym exercises have been attributed to students focusing better and improved test scores. Is there a relationship between physical activity, music and the brain?
Santa Clara Elementary
A school in Florida thinks music is a great benefit in education. Because of a grant from the South Florida Children's Foundation, the school is putting violins in the hands of 3rd graders through the Violins Against Violence Program. While violins are not unique to school programs, Santa Clara is different than most schools with a strings program. This elementary school has almost 97% of students on free and reduced lunches. The parents in this school would not be able to buy instruments for their children.
Santa Clara is one of 60 schools in Miami-Dade that is offering free lessons in string instruments. Robert T. Davis, the district's music education supervisor, says, "Numerous studies have shown that children who play instruments do better on standardized tests. Exposure to music also helps with
- reading,
- encourages socialization and
- improves a student's focus and commitment."
[Tania deLuzuriaga, Miami Herald, miamiherald.com, May 31, 2007]
Research
Recent research done with 1st and 2nd graders at Pawtucket, RI public elementary shows that the arts do increase academic performance.
The study included 96 first grade students participating in a music and visual art program emphasizing sequential skill development integrating these skills into the standard curriculum. One group received the standard curriculum, and the other group received the integrated program.
7 months later, all students were given a standardized test. The students that were in the integrated program were initially behind in reading and had average scores in math. After 7 months, the integrated group of students had caught up in reading and had pulled ahead in math.
In 2nd grade, the same students continued in the experiment. By the end of 2nd grade, Again, the students in the integrated arts program were ahead of the control group in math and reading.
Theory
Martin Gardiner, research director at The Music School, theorizes that "learning arts skills forces mental 'stretching' useful to other areas of learning: the maths learning advantage could, for example, reflect the development of mental skills such as ordering, and other elements of thinking on which mathematical learning at this age also depends." [The National Association for Music Education, menc.org, May 23, 1996 issue of Nature]
For more information, contact The Music School, Inc., PO Box 603038, Providence, RI 02906.
Related articles: Right Brain Characteristics, Famous Right Brains
Read previous articles on Educational Issues.
Copyright article 2007 Barbara Pytel. All Rights Reserved.
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