Creative Kids
Wherever we turn in our lives, we can guarantee that we will stumble over some form of music, whether it's helping to build up tension or emotion in our favourite film, as pure entertainment, enjoyment and relaxation, or even as a way of encouraging us to spend our money in a particular way through an advertising campaign.
Music is everywhere. We all remember singing in our primary schools, Christmas productions and the like but why is music so important to the development of our children? Why are schools promoting the teaching of music when the government are telling us that it is the numeracy and literacy that need to be our focus?
Much research has taken place on the impact of music on the developing child.
Ask any music teacher and they will tell you that music is a great way to encourage self- expression and self confidence in a child. However, participating in music has many more benefits than first meets the eye.
Evidence suggests that music from an early age has a very positive impact on speech development. The repetition in songs and chants helps break down the structure of spoken language and build vocabulary. "Putting words into music breaks them down into syllables, emphasises key consonants and slows down the sounds of speech", says Sally Goddard Blythe, Director of the Institute of Neuro-Physiological Psychology, Chester.
It is widely accepted that music can enhance the learning of numeracy. Most music is based on mathematical structures and patterns. Believe it or not when they are learning rhythms, they are learning ratios, fractions and proportions too.Social skills, promotion of social cohesion, understanding of both themselves and others are also areas where music is an important tool.
When children participate in group music we see them work together, encouraging and empathising, learning
to listen and respond appropriately to those around them. Dr. Frances Rauscher, from the University of Wisconsin, says that, "Music helps improve children's ability to reason abstractly, by strengthening neural firing patterns of the brain that are relevant to both musical and special cognition." In other words there are clear links between music and intellectual development. It won't necessarily make our children highly intelligent but it will certainly help.
Finally, and probably most importantly, participating in music is fun and surely that is a sound enough reason to encourage our young people to get involved.
Mark Wilkes
Deputy Head, Highfields
Primary School.
