Music is all around us and is part of every culture. It is an integral part of our lives from celebrations to movies to religious ceremonies and many more. So why should education be deprived of music?
Most people deem it as a frill or something that is done only in playschools. But music provides tons of opportunities for young children.
It supports their :
Phonological awareness(hearing sounds in spoken words)
Vocabulary
Listening skills
Narrative and expressive language skills
Articulation of muscles in the mouth
Rhythm and
Social and Emotional development
Even mathematical learning gets enhanced when children learn a musical instrument.
Aren't those a lot of skills?
Yes they are! According to Harvard psychologist Howard Gardner (1983), music intelligence is equal in importance to logical - mathematical intelligence, linguistic intelligence, spatial intelligence, bodily - kinesthetic intelligence, interpersonal intelligence, and intrapersonal intelligence.
Yet, in most schools music is considered as an extra curricular activity. Even though it should be an integral part of the curriculum done every single day.
It is very much possible to use music as a form of learning and only needs a little planning but lots of support from administrators.
So while you go around enlightening your colleagues and heads of departments about the significance of music and gather that permission and support from school authorities, you can start right away with 5 simple ways given below to integrate music into your classroom.
1) Start your day with circle time. Sing songs to welcome children and wish them good morning. Sing songs to learn names, songs to learn the calendar, songs to revise alphabet and numbers... the list is endless.
2) Take Brain breaks and use music to rejuvenate your students. Is your class
restless/tired/cranky/not paying attention ? Then musical brain breaks is the solution. Allow children to simply dance and move to upbeat music. You will get their attention back in minutes and will have a class full of happy children. Upbeat music, including songs with positive lyrics, increases energy levels and gets the brain ready for learning. One of my preferred song video to use as a brain break is the chicken dance.
3) Use a chant or sing a short song to get children's attention during transition time. When children finish an activity and you need to gather them on the carpet or if they simply need to move on to another activity or when its clean up time, music makes everything easier and fun.
4) Use music during concept time when you are teaching letters, numbers or a theme. There is nothing better to start a lesson with a song. Its enjoyable and entertaining and if you throw in some visuals/song books, its even more engaging. My favourite book to teach the alphabet is Chicka Chicka Boom Boom.
My cute little munchkins singing a song to learn CVC words.
5) Afternoon group meeting is also a fantastic time to use songs and bring closure to the day. Letting children know how much fun you had with them and how much they are loved can all be expressed with a simple song.
Songs enrich language as they are filled with alliteration (the repetition of usually initial consonant sounds in two or more neighboring words or syllables like She sells sea shells on the sea shore), various sound patterns and rhymes. Singing songs over and over again helps children become aware of sounds, helps them to learn the meaning of words, all of which which eventually helps them with reading.
Music is joyful and makes everyone happy. Singing traditional nursery rhymes, or creating your own new songs will help children to develop a love of language and music as well.
So don't wait and start singing to reap the benefits!
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