Music and movement
Encyclopedia
The term Music and movement often especially denotes the use of rhythmic song and dance in education, thought of as beneficial for childhood development. Research has shown that even infants can appreciate music and dance
, illustrating a connection between body movement, rhythm
and awareness
.
The BBC
ran a Schools Music Department from the 1940s to the 1970s and broadcast the radio programme Music and Movement twice weekly: it was much used in the British primary education system. It was for a long time introduced by Ann Driver, consisted of various descriptive and dramatic exercises to music, and is remembered by pupils of the era with sentiments ranging from affection to horror.
, mathematical achievement, reading ability, intelligence ratings, grades and test scores.
A number of researchers have suggested a link between music and the ability to understand inter-relationships. Musical activity such as playing an instrument
requires the same neural firing patterns needed in other forms of reasoning. These firing patterns can be enhanced through repeated use so music can be used to strengthen connections in the brain, particularly in young children. Researchers have also found that listening to words as they are sung improves ability to distinguish linguistic patterns, suggesting that music can facilitate language learning and encourage the development of auditory discrimination. Similar areas of the brain are activated when listening to or playing music and speaking or processing language
. Additionally, music training can help individuals perceive emotions in speech which may increase their ability to interpret human behavior.
, coordination, self-esteem
and body awareness. Movement associated with drama
leads to improvements in adaptive social behavior, body movement and gestures help children absorb ideas better and can act as memory aids. both in learning and recalling one's personal past.
and the Kindermusik
programme were designed to encourage children to explore the world creatively through music and movement.
Dance
Dance is an art form that generally refers to movement of the body, usually rhythmic and to music, used as a form of expression, social interaction or presented in a spiritual or performance setting....
, illustrating a connection between body movement, rhythm
Rhythm
Rhythm may be generally defined as a "movement marked by the regulated succession of strong and weak elements, or of opposite or different conditions." This general meaning of regular recurrence or pattern in time may be applied to a wide variety of cyclical natural phenomena having a periodicity or...
and awareness
Awareness
Awareness is the state or ability to perceive, to feel, or to be conscious of events, objects or sensory patterns. In this level of consciousness, sense data can be confirmed by an observer without necessarily implying understanding. More broadly, it is the state or quality of being aware of...
.
The BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
ran a Schools Music Department from the 1940s to the 1970s and broadcast the radio programme Music and Movement twice weekly: it was much used in the British primary education system. It was for a long time introduced by Ann Driver, consisted of various descriptive and dramatic exercises to music, and is remembered by pupils of the era with sentiments ranging from affection to horror.
Music
Studies indicate a positive correlation between music lessons/participation and memoryMemory
In psychology, memory is an organism's ability to store, retain, and recall information and experiences. Traditional studies of memory began in the fields of philosophy, including techniques of artificially enhancing memory....
, mathematical achievement, reading ability, intelligence ratings, grades and test scores.
A number of researchers have suggested a link between music and the ability to understand inter-relationships. Musical activity such as playing an instrument
Musical instrument
A musical instrument is a device created or adapted for the purpose of making musical sounds. In principle, any object that produces sound can serve as a musical instrument—it is through purpose that the object becomes a musical instrument. The history of musical instruments dates back to the...
requires the same neural firing patterns needed in other forms of reasoning. These firing patterns can be enhanced through repeated use so music can be used to strengthen connections in the brain, particularly in young children. Researchers have also found that listening to words as they are sung improves ability to distinguish linguistic patterns, suggesting that music can facilitate language learning and encourage the development of auditory discrimination. Similar areas of the brain are activated when listening to or playing music and speaking or processing language
Language
Language may refer either to the specifically human capacity for acquiring and using complex systems of communication, or to a specific instance of such a system of complex communication...
. Additionally, music training can help individuals perceive emotions in speech which may increase their ability to interpret human behavior.
Movement
Physical movement helps balanceBalance (ability)
In biomechanics, balance is an ability to maintain the center of gravity of a body within the base of support with minimal postural sway. When exercising the ability to balance, one is said to be balancing....
, coordination, self-esteem
Self-esteem
Self-esteem is a term in psychology to reflect a person's overall evaluation or appraisal of his or her own worth. Self-esteem encompasses beliefs and emotions such as triumph, despair, pride and shame: some would distinguish how 'the self-concept is what we think about the self; self-esteem, the...
and body awareness. Movement associated with drama
Drama
Drama is the specific mode of fiction represented in performance. The term comes from a Greek word meaning "action" , which is derived from "to do","to act" . The enactment of drama in theatre, performed by actors on a stage before an audience, presupposes collaborative modes of production and a...
leads to improvements in adaptive social behavior, body movement and gestures help children absorb ideas better and can act as memory aids. both in learning and recalling one's personal past.
In combination
Teachers often implement music and creative movement to help young children count, remember the alphabet, days of the week etc. The Kodály MethodKodály Method
The Kodály Method, also referred to as the Kodály Concept, is an approach to music education developed in Hungary during the mid-twentieth century by Zoltán Kodály...
and the Kindermusik
Kindermusik
Founded in the United States in 1978, Kindermusik is an early childhood education music and movement program for children from infants to 7 years of age . It is based on a Kindergarten music and movement program developed by educational experts in Germany in the 1960’s...
programme were designed to encourage children to explore the world creatively through music and movement.