Zuleyma DeLaRosa
Music in the classroom
Children enjoy making and listening to music, and music experiences support learning in
numerous areas. The article by Jinyoung Kim and Helen Robinson provides insight into how
music supports children’s language learning, reasoning skills, and academic performances. In the
area of language learning, children who receive music instruction showed significantly greater
gains in oral language and reading scores. In the area of reasoning skills, music enhances
children spatial temporal reason skills, known as skills that are crucial for learning math and
science. Thirdly, it has been study that children who have received formal music lessons, as a
result have a positive long lasting correlation with IQ and academic ability (Kim & Robinson
2010) .
The strength of Jinyoung and Helen’s argument go along with teachers who are not
musically inclined or who have limited knowledge. This article suggest four steps for effective
implementing the National Standards for Music Education in the early childhood curriculum.
The four steps for effective implementation for music in a teachers curriculum are: read the
music standards, learn the music terminology related to the standards, implement the music
standards, and check the music standards (Kim & Robinson 2010) .
As an educator we know from the expressions on our student’s faces that music benefits
go far beyond what can be measured. Music is something students enjoy and as a result of this
enjoyment students can build their confidence through the participation in music. Some
characteristics Jennifer Prescott advocates for music being integrated in the classroom is, music
brings out the best in students, in which educators can take advantage on their natural curiosity
and allowing it to display in a different stimulating environment. Furthermore, there are students
who have given up on school or has never found their strength academically. Nevertheless,
music is sometimes the motivation needed for those students to show up to school every day. It
is important to know and acknowledge that everyone has a gift to explore and develop.
Therefore, not integrating music into classrooms or taking it away will result in a disservice
(Prescott, 2005).
Music and Math
Teachers are being encouraged to engage in interdisciplinary instruction. Although many
teachers are comfortable using children’s literature as the foundation for interdisciplinary units,
teachers hardly think of integrating math and music in a lesson (Johnson & Edelson, 2003).
Music energetically involves students in learning and helps develop important academic skills.
By using music to improve children’s enjoyment and understanding of mathematics concepts and
skills, teachers can help children advance access to mathematics through new intelligence. In the
article, Integrating Music and Mathematics in the Elementary Classroom the author expresses,
music improves spatial- temporal reasoning skills, which are essential for learning concepts in
relative reasoning and geometry. Although many teachers may not feel comfortable including
music into their lesson plan, it is important to know integrating music and math does not require
musical training or expensive equipment for your classroom. The author communicates that
teachers just need a few materials for the integration of music in math such as, rhythm
instruments, which students can make these instruments themselves, some chart or poster paper,
and a CD player. Through the article the author provides the reader and teachers a few activity
examples teachers can use in their academic year. The activities the author mentions throughout
his article is targeted by grade levels starting from Pre-K to grade 6. An activity the author talks
about that demonstrates the relationship between math and music is titled “Learning Fractions by
Creating Musical Arrangements ( Johnson & Edelson, 2003)” targeted for grades 4 to 6. The
author expresses musical notations and rhythms offer other ways to explore the fractional parts
that can make a whole. To give the reader a better background knowledge on the correspondence
of music notes and beats, the author says music often has four beats to a measure, with each
quarter note getting one beat. This four beat measure represents the unit or whole that can form
out of many fractional parts. It is important to communicate to students the rule of whole notes
and the amount of beats that corresponds, hence students will have a better understanding and
will be able to make a connection to math. For instance the author explains, one whole note gets
four beats, the half note gets two beats, the quarter note get one beat, and the eighth note gets
one-half beat. You may ask, how is this related to math? The way math is in involved in this set
of notes and beats is by asking students to study all the ways they can make one whole measure
using quarter notes, half notes, and eight notes ( Johnson & Edelson, 2003).
Music and ELA
The tools for Music and ELA can be categorized through three central themes: First,
music and written text both consist of formal written representation which must be read from left
to right. In both cases things are written and there is a specific sound to it. Studies have shown
that practicing how to read music notes initiates the reading of linguistics notes an easier task.
Second theme is, skills in reading entails an understanding to phonological differences. Whereas,
for skills in music listening involves an understanding to tonal difference. Last theme spoken in
this article is, when students learn the lyrics of songs they may participate in reading written text.
The lyrics of songs are often repetitive and predictable. Being that lyrics of songs are known to
be repetitive and predictable there is a high possibility that the experience in this type of reading
may help students better their reading skills (Butzlaf, 2010).
Ron Butzlaff found evidence that there is a strong and consistent relationship between the
study of music and performances on standardized reading and verbal testing. However, the
author challenges specific findings. One dispute the author talks about in the article is, it is
possible that students who are already strong in reading choose to study music. Another debate
the author brings to light is, it is possible that students who are interested in music are also
interested in reading because they come from families which value both music and reading. A
different argument is, it is possible that a causal relationship exist, such that either music
instruction transfer to reading achievement or the reverse (Butzlaff, 2000).
In Gretchen and Jill’s article, Integrating Music and Mathematics in the Elementary
Classroom, the author’s knowledge expands further than just involving music with math, but
also speaks about the integration of music within ELA in this article. Within this article the
author provides different activities based on grade level that are helpful for students who are
learning how to read and write. One activity the author discusses is called, “Sorting and
classifying rhythm instruments (Johnson & Edelson, 2003)” focusing on grades Kg.- 2nd grade.
For this activity students will be grouped according to their corresponding rhythm instrument
sounds. The three groups students will have to choose from is, hit, shaken, or rubbed. After each
group had made their sound, students will have to describe the sounds and the teacher will then
help students write descriptive words on a chart. Something relate to this activity that can be
implemented for older students for grades 5 and 6 is using a Venn diagrams to illustrate a rhythm
bad. For this activity students will examine and play rhythm instruments. Then, students can
represent them using a Venn diagram. The teacher should ask students to identify the common
set and the three distinct sets of rubbing, shaking, or hitting instruments, then create a selection
of interconnecting sets (Johnson & Edelson, 2003).
An additional activity that teachers can use with their students in any grade level is
called, developing name patterns. For this activity students will take turns beating the number of
syllables in their names with a drum while the others listen carefully. Or teachers can do the
activity creating patterns which is, teacher beat a number of syllables on the drum and tell the
students to raise their hand if they believe the amount of beats that was made on the drum is the
amount of syllables in their name(Johnson & Edelson, 2003)” .
Diversity
Integrating experiences with music in the early childhood classroom supports English
language learners’ literacy development such as, Reading, writing, and learning in ESL. One
important point that the scholars Kelli and Sue makes is, in spite of a teacher’s level of artistic
appreciation and musical teaching, the significance of developing creativity and improving
literacy instruction through music is essential in today’s diverse classrooms (Paquette & Rieg,
2008). In the article, Using Music to Support the Literacy Development of Young English
Language Learners the author communicates, making literature connections with songs is a way
to improve students writing skills. It is recommended that teachers provide writing time for
students to independently respond in their personal journals. Giving many writing opportunities
for ELLs are very important, and the daily inclusion of personal response journals can be very
advantageous to developing writers. Another idea the author mentioned teachers can included
within their classroom is, encouraging students to share songs in their native language.
Supporting students to share songs in their native language is beneficial in establishing a
classroom community. When using songs from some ones native language it is recommended
that those students provide others with prompts such as, pictures, gestures, and posting the lyrics
accompanied by pictures or symbols to convey meaning. They also suggested allowing students
to share songs in their native languages by bringing recordings or singing the songs in class
(Paquette & Rieg, 2008).
ArtExpress: A Curriculum for Young Children with Disabilities is an article that discusses
the benefits of music integration within a special education classroom. The strength of the
scholars arguments go along with the arts across learning domains. Out of all the learning
domains presented in the article, there were two learning domains in correlation with students
with disability and music. One domain spoken in the article was social and emotional. Within the
social and emotional learning domain it stated, “Social and Emotional Expressive arts activities
increase attention spans, social skills, and self-awareness. By painting picture, building a castle,
or singing a favorite song, children realize they are capable of doing things all on their own.
They contribute to their environment (Huntinger, Betz, Bosworth, Potte, and Schneider 1997 ).”
Students who receive special education benefit from the integration of music in the curriculum.
When music is integrated into students with disabilities classroom there is a higher chance that
students attention span increases, social skills rises, and self-awareness enhances. Another
learning domain mentioned in the article was motor. Motor activities help children become
aware of their bodies and how they can move. With the influence of music students will be able
to correlate their body movements with the music. Motor skills help children explore, learn, and
create expression. The article expresses children’s need to have choices in music. One way we
can provide children choices is by providing a place in the classroom with a CD or tape player
and a wide selection of music. Headphone can be given to students as we
When working with a diverse classroom as an educator we must plan, select, and
implement activities in the curriculum that can be used differently by different children,
depending on specific needs. Music and movement are important aspect of daily life. Children
hear music everywhere they turn. Music is on television, in the grocery store, and on the car
radio. It should be in the classroom as well. When children hear music in their environment they
become more familiar with music. They then begin to feel more comfortable expressing
themselves through movement. The author suggest that educators use music and movement as
topics of communication, provide opportunities for feedback from children on the types of music
they enjoy, and provide a wide variety of music ranging from classical to lullabies to children's
to contemporary (Huntinger, Betz, Bosworth, Potte, and Schneider 1997 ).
References
Paquette, K. R., & Rieg, S. A. (2008). Using Music to Support the Literacy Development of
Young English Language Learners. Early Childhood Education Journal, 36(3), 227-232.
Kim, J., & Robinson, H. M. (2010). Four Steps for Becoming Familiar with Early Music
Standards. Young Children, 65(2), 42-47.
Prescott, J. O. (2005). Music in the Classroom: A User's Guide for Every
Teacher. Instructor, 114(5), 29-30,.
Butzlaff, R. (2000). Can Music Be Used To Teach Reading?. Journal Of Aesthetic
Education, 34(3-4), 167-78.
Johnson, G. L., & Edelson, R. J. (2003). Integrating Music and Mathematics in the Elementary
Classroom. Teaching Children Mathematics, 9(8), 474-79.
Hutinger, P. L., Betz, A., Bosworth, J., Potter, J., Schneider, C., & Western Illinois Univ., M.
(1997). ArtExpress: A Curriculum for Young Children with Disabilities.