Persuasive Speech
“Music in the Classroom”
Introduction
I. Attention catcher: Music in a child’s life is as simple as tapping two rhythm sticks
together. According to Winslow, Dallin, Wiest, and Archambo-West, authors of the
book Music Skills for Classroom Teachers, every man is a musician. Every man can
beat the drums, ring the bells, blow the flutes, and sing. Music belongs to everyone.
II. Listener relevance: As parents and potential parents we need to be concerned about
having music education in classrooms. According to the book, Music Skills for
Classroom Teachers, previously cited, more than a century and a half ago Lowell Mason,
a musician and teacher, believed that every child had a right to study music during school
hours
III.
Speaker credibility / Thesis: I am concerned not only because I am a parent, but I am also
a future elementary teacher. As a result of the research I’ve done, I realize that music
needs to be a subject taught just like reading, math, science and social Studies.
IV.
Preview: Today we will see how music helps children develop academically, culturally,
and psychologically.
Body
I. First, let’s look at how music helps children develop academically.
a. Subpoint: There are many children who do not have a natural ability when it
comes to learning reading, math, science, or history. But according to the
American Music Conference website, in an article titled “Making music is good
for the brain” found on the Music Education webpage, there is a link between
active music making and brainpower. The webpage suggests that “young kids
who make music show improved spatial-temporal reasoning, which is the
foundation of later success in math and science.”
b. Subpoint: According to Bangerter and Heath, authors of a 2004 article titled “The
Mozart Effect: Tracking the evolution of a scientific legend” found in the British
Journal of Social Psychology, children need to learn and memorize basic
phonetic sounds and math facts. By learning to do these skills through music,
children experience self-assurance, good listening skills, and mental
concentration.
c. Subpoint: According to the research webpage at The National Association for
Music Education website, an elementary school in Providence, RI, participated in
a music program that integrated music with the rest of the curriculum. These
children are reading on their grade level or the next level. Also, the same results
applied for math in mental skills such as ordering and other elements of thinking.
II.
Now that we’ve determined that music helps children develop academically, let’s
examine how it helps culturally.
a. Subpoint: According to The National Association for Music Education website,
previously cited, music is the universal language that establishes a common bond
among all subjects and people.
b. Subpoint: Our country is one nation, under God, with liberty and justice for all.
America is a nation with many different cultures.
c. Subpoint: According to Bangerter and Heath, previously cited, focusing on the
different cultural values allows children to accept and understand other
nationalities. Songs can open doors.
d. Subpoint: According to Leon and Lynn Dallin, co-authors of the book Heritage
Songster, music with words has a story to tell. Music allows children to step into
a whole new world.
III.
Finally, after understanding how music helps children develop academically and
culturally, let’s explore how music helps children develop psychologically.
a. Subpoint: Music has a profound effect on the psychological development of
children, especially the music of Mozart, according to the research webpage
found on the website for the American Music Conference.
b. Subpoint: According to the American Music Conference’s website, previously
cited, the music of Mozart effect and along with children’s music has been
scientifically shown to enhance brain development in young children.
c. Subpoint: According to information on the Mozart Effect found on The
Children’s Group website, music actually alters brain waves allowing the brain to
be more receptive to processing, storage, and retrieval of information.
d. Subpoint: Children who are exposed to music actually have a larger region
connecting the right and left sides of the brain. This increases communication
between the two sides of the brain, according to the previously cited website.
Conclusion
I. Thesis restatement: Today we have examined how music needs to be a subject taught just
like reading, math, science, and social studies or at least integrated with the curriculum.
II. Main point summary: Children need a strong basic foundation to be able to develop
academically, culturally, and psychologically. The most natural way to accomplish a
child’s foundation academically, culturally, and psychologically is through music.
III. Clincher: Bonnie Williamson, author of the book 101 Ways to put Pizazz intoYour
Teaching, said, “Music is like oxygen. Without it, what is life?”