Music is a great activity for students and adults to enjoy. But, does it actually help brains work better?
Harvard Study
While a most recent Harvard-based study released October 29th supports other research findings about the effect of music on students, it also disagrees with some past research.
Students, ages eight- to eleven-year-olds who studied strings or piano for at least three years were compared to students who had no training on instruments. All students participated in general music classes for 30-40 minutes per week. Students that had musical instrument lessons spent an additional 45 minutes per week with a teacher and an more time at home for practicing.
Students in the piano and strings group scored higher in auditory discrimination and finger dexterity. But they also scored higher in verbal ability and visual pattern completion.
- Verbal ability is measured by a vocabulary IQ test.
- Visual patterns are measured by the Raven’s Progressive Matrices.
Of course, the more a student was motivated and the more he practiced, the more the gap widened between the musical student and the control group.
What The Study Doesn’t Find
There seem to be many sources of research that show music to be the end all to learning problems. This study found that music assists some areas of education but the evidence is not conclusive on others.
The SAT boasts that scores rise incrementally each year students participate in music instruction. That may have been true in one study, but the claims seem to be conflicting with other studies.
- Music and Verbal Skills: There is a significant association between music training and reading skills.
- Music and Spacial Skills: The results are mixed. Music could help in come cases but not in enough cases to be significant.
- Music and Mathematical Skills: Results are mixed. There is little evidence that musical training in itself improves math skills. Some studies say yes and others are in conflict.
- Music and General IQ: There was a study that showed that students increased IQ with musical training but it was vocal music and not instrumental music.
Not a Magic Pill
Musical instruction on an instrument seems to help children in school but not in all areas. It does seem to be a positive factor in
- Auditory discrimination
- Finger dexterity
- Verbal ability
- Visual patterns
The Harvard-based study concludes that more research should be done on determining the effect of music on the human brain. While music has a positive effect, just how much still remains a mystery.
Other Factors
Education has many other issues than music affecting learning. Recess is being reduced in schools to allow more time for reading and math for No Child Left Behind leaving many active children with no outlet for their high energy levels. Boys are allowed less movement than in the past. And, fewer vocational classes may discourage more students from staying in school. Music is merely one small aspect of education.
 |
