Teaching with Music

I came across this article online that I thought deserved a blog post.  The article was found on a UK news website called The Independent in the Science section.

According to the article, learning an instrument enhances the brain's sensitivity to all sounds, including speech, say researchers.  Interpreting the nuances of speech are conveyed in the subtle changes in the human voice.  By learning musicality, one can learn to develop skills that help children process speech.

I started researching about learning through music and found a ton of resources that put music at the center of a child's education.  The Learning Through Music Consultant Group in Minnesota believes that music broadens and deepens understanding of literacy, numeracy, and higher order thinking skill.

Suzanne L Burton, PhD from the University of Delaware wrote an article on building learning centers that are music based.  She says, "A music-based learning center may be created to strengthen and build connections with content areas such as dramatic play, art, science, social studies, and language arts as well as encouraging musical expression and experimentation".  In her article, she outlines how to build music-based learning centers, complete with an outline that goes through goals, activities, and materials you can use in the centers.

The Autism Research Institute has an article on their website that says music can help children succeed in the areas that autism impairs---communication and interaction.

According to musictherapy.org, Music Therapy is the clinical and evidence-based use of music interventions to accomplish individualized goals within a therapeutic relationship by a credentialed professional.

For children on the autistic spectrum, music gives them a chance to focus.  Oftentimes, a child with autism is overstimulated by sound in the environment that they are unable to focus on what is being said so they become distracted.  Music has a way of holding a child's focus, keeping them from getting distracted.

Songsforteaching.com is a website that lists songs in many different categories to help children learn.  They have a section of songs specific to teaching goals that many autistic children share.

A great article on music therapy, it's benefits and how it applies to children on the autistic spectrum is found here: http://autism.lovetoknow.com/Music_Therapy_for_Autism