By Lisa Rowell, on February 16th, 2012
An edited excerpt from The Impact of Music on Mathematics Achievement
 - The Impact of Music on Mathematics Development
Numbers, patterns, proportions, and ratios are just some of the concepts that are mastered by both mathematicians and musicians. Great thinkers from ancient times to the present have seen and used these conceptual links. For example, Pythagoras, the Greek mathematician, used math to make sense of musical concepts as he developed his ideas on music theory. Boethius, the Middle Age music expert, articulated some of his musical ideas using math concepts. And who hasn’t heard about Einstein’s great love of music, which he said was extraordinarily helpful to him in his work? In speaking about his renowned theory of relativity, Einstein said: “It occurred to me by intuition, and music was the driving force behind that intuition. My discovery was the result of musical perception.”
Thankfully, one does not have to be a genius of these proportions to benefit from music-math connections. In fact, the most beneficial time to make these links could be during early childhood. Certain brain development research shows that the early years are a prime time to make strong connections along the associated neural pathways, with music exposure as a perfect entryway (Flohr et al, 1996; Halfon, 2001; Leng et al, 1990; Leng & Shaw, 1991; Pantev et al, 1998; Peretz & Morais, 1993; Strickland, 2002).
Here’s how it works. As you listen to music or make music, certain neurons in the cortex of your brain start firing. The pathways created are the same pathways that are used when you complete complex spatial reasoning tasks. The more of these pathways that are forged and the more they are in use, the stronger the connections become. Strong connections lead to easier access, which translates into better skills.
Although listening to music does give the neural network a workout, the gains in spatial reasoning skills have been shown to be very short-term—15 minutes or less. This “Mozart effect lasts longer when you engage in making music, however. Studies are showing that the attendant spatial reasoning gains can extend over months or even years (Rauscher et al, 1997; Gardiner, 2000; Hetland, 2000b). Studies focused on music for young children are also suggesting that math gains increase according to the number of years that students engage in active music learning (Gardiner, 2000), with some indication that the younger children are when they begin music instruction, the greater the gains will be.
For more information about how ABC Music & Me uses music to teach young children early math skills along with language and literacy, email us at info@abcmusicandme.com
By Lisa Rowell, on February 15th, 2012
Do you remember the book, All I Really Need to Know I Learned in Kindergarten? On the first page, Robert Fulghum wrote, “The Kindergarten Credo is not kid stuff. It is not simple. It is elemental.” The 65-year-old goes on to write how the basic skills he learned in Kindergarten hold up equally well under the complexities of adulthood.
Recently, research led by Dr. Linda Pagani at the University of Montreal, supports the notion that the skills learned in Kindergarten such as sharing, working independently or in a group, and turn taking, will later translate into the adult workplace.
Pagani worked with elementary school teachers who observed and measured the attention skills of more than 1,000 Kindergarteners who were considered at-risk. Observing those same children through sixth grade, teachers rated their self-control, self-confidence, how well they worked in a group and independently, as well as their ability to follow directions and rules.
The results showed three groups of children: those with high, medium, and low classroom engagement. The research team found that boys, aggressive children, and children with lower cognitive skills in Kindergarten were much more likely to belong to the low trajectory.
“For children, the classroom is the workplace, and this is why productive, task-oriented behavior in that context later translates to the labor market,” Pagani said in a press release. “Children who are more likely to work autonomously and harmoniously with fellow classmates, with good self-control and confidence, and who follow directions and rules are more likely to continue such productive behaviors into the adult workplace. In child psychology, we call this the developmental evolution of work-oriented skills, from childhood to adulthood.”
The full journal article can be found in the Journal of Abnormal Psychology.
At ABC Music & Me, we look forward to the next research phase where Pagani and the team investigate how the classroom environment impacts children’s attention spans.
Research in Action: ABC Music & Me
In ABC Music & Me, we use music and movement to teach young children language and literacy as well as important school-readiness skills, such as listening skills and self-regulation. In fact, music has proven results in helping children build listening skills and develop self-control. For information about using ABC Music & Me in your classroom, school, or district, email us at info@abcmusicandme.com.
By Lisa Rowell, on February 14th, 2012
An early childhood education library may include books by Dr. Seuss, Mo Willems, Jan Brett, H.A. Rey, Alyssa Satin Capucilli, Karma Wilson, and even a few from ABC Music & Me! While a teacher’s list of beloved books can vary from classroom to classroom, some titles become instant classics for all. We think the 2012 Caldecott Medal winner is one such book.
A Ball for Daisy written and illustrated by Chris Raschka uses illustrations to show a dog’s love for his ball.
 2012 Caldecott Medal winner Through his expressive illustrations, Raschka examines the joy a favorite toy can bring and the sadness that can ensue when something precious is lost forever.
Books without words, such as A Ball for Daisy, offer children and teachers the opportunity to use their own words to describe what they see happening as the story unfolds. Wordless books can lead to using more complex language in the telling of the story and discussions about what is happening. These types of interactions have been shown to predict later school success in preschoolers. Plus, Daisy’s range of emotions provides young children the chance to use their own words to describe Daisy’s feelings. This can increase vocabulary acquisition, which new research indicates can lead to greater self-control.
As an early language and literacy program, ABC Music & Me includes a story time with each lesson. Every month we introduce a new theme-based story for the teacher that is also included in the Student Kits to be used at home. While A Ball for Daisy is not part of our program, we think children and teachers will enjoy reading it together, especially when ABC Music & Me themes include learning about feelings and animals.
For more information about using ABC Music & Me in your school, email us at info@abcmusicandme.com.
By Lisa Rowell, on February 10th, 2012
How much does family involvement matter? According to research by the Harvard Family Research Project, “Schools would have to spend $1,000 more per pupil to reap the same gains in student achievement that an involved parent brings.”
Research conducted in 2011 showed that elementary students demonstrated an equivalent of four to five months improvement in reading and math after their parents participated in academic enrichment activities for an average of less than 12 weeks.
As any teacher or school administrator can tell you, successfully involving parents means more than giving them a list of needed classroom items at the beginning of the school year. (Although, of course, boxes of Kleenex, crayons, and Clorox wipes are always appreciated!) Including parents as educational partners, takes planning, effective communication, and time to build meaningful relationships. In some cases, translations are needed to reach a growing multicultural and multi-language population in schools.
At ABC Music & Me, we provide the materials teachers need to actively engage parents in their child’s learning. Each child who participates in our literacy and language curriculum receives a monthly Student Kit—including a Family Magazine with a story and age-appropriate literacy activities. The magazine is available in English and Spanish. Plus, because we know that music can be an effective medium to bridge the gap between the classroom and the home environment, families also receive the music from class so the learning continues well after the final school bell has rung for the day.
For more information about how ABC Music & Me can help your school engage parents in the learning, email us at info@abcmusicandme.com
By Lisa Rowell, on February 9th, 2012
As early childhood educators, we understand the value of what we do. We see it when a student lights up in class after correctly identifying all of the letters of the alphabet (upper AND lower case) or when over the course of the year, children learn how to patiently wait their turn (on most days!). However, when a child leaves your classroom, you rarely follow her to see where that early foundation you helped create may take her. Thankfully, researchers are now doing just that.
In 2011, the latest findings of the Chicago Longitudinal Study showed that the positive effects of high-quality early education last well into adulthood. Now, a new longitudinal research study published in the journal Development Psychology provides another example of how early childhood education can forever change a child’s future.
The study provides new data from the Abecedarian Project, which is led by the FPG Child Development Institute at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. In the 1970s, child development researchers working on Abecedarian Project selected four groups of children born between 1972 and 1977. All children were from low-income families and were randomly assigned to either the control group or the early educational intervention group. Children assigned to the latter received full-time educational intervention in a childcare setting from infancy through age 5.
Now, the children are in their early thirties and the latest findings show that the positive gains experienced as children last well into adulthood.
Highlights of the new findings include:
- Participants were 4 times more likely to have earned a college degree than the control group.
- 23 percent of participants graduated from a four-year college or university compared to only 6 percent of the control group.
- 75 percent had worked full-time for at least 16 of the previous 24 months, compared to 53 percent of the control group.
- Participants delayed parenthood by almost two years compared to the control group.
By Lisa Rowell, on February 9th, 2012
Child development researchers at Michigan State University recently examined the academic and social development of 3- and 4-year-olds after the children attended one or two years of preschool. Under the leadership of Lori Skibbe, PhD, the team specifically measured self-regulation, literacy, and language development.
As published in the Early Childhood Research Quarterly, the results suggest that the average preschool experiences are associated with gains in some school readiness skills. Literacy skills taught in preschool, such as learning the alphabet and understanding how letters go together to form words, are cumulative as children completing their second year of preschool had higher scores than those only completing their first year, although they were the same age. Gains in self-regulation were associated with age rather than attending school. In this study, the researchers did not find that vocabulary growth was associated with time spent in preschool.
“In terms of kindergarten preparation, I believe preschool does a very good job in certain areas in promoting children’s skill sets,” said Skibbe, in a press release. “But it might do a better job if there was also explicit attention directed at building children’s self-regulation and vocabulary skills.”
The researchers suggest that curricula which combines self-regulation, early literacy, and language instruction may be a promising holistic approach to early childhood education, especially if children are given access to the curricula over multiple years.
Research in Action: ABC Music & Me
At ABC Music & Me, we already do just as the researchers suggest. Our early language and literacy curriculum uses songs, stories, and focused listening activities to engage students of every learning style and across multiple learning domains. Plus, our programs are proven to increase self-regulation.
We offer three different levels that can be used separately or together for cumulative results from year to year:
- Wiggle & Grow develops young children’s language skills.
- Laugh & Learn advances early literacy and expression.
- Move & Groove takes vocabulary and phonemic awareness to the next step.
For more information about ABC Music & Me or to schedule a free demonstration class, email us at info@abcmusicandme.com.
By Lisa Rowell, on February 2nd, 2012
According to a study published in the Early Childhood Research Quarterly journal, three little words may help young children increase their self-control abilities. Those three little words aren’t what you think. Encouraging children to “use your words” builds their vocabulary, which helps children to regulate emotions and behavior. Researchers discovered that vocabulary development proved to be even more important in helping boys increase their self-control abilities.
Claire Vallotton, PhD, and Catherine Ayoub, PhD, followed children participating in the National Early Head Start Research and Evaluation study from the time they were 1 year old up to 3 years old. They discovered that boys with a strong vocabulary showed a dramatic increase in their ability to self-regulate as compared to boys with vocabularies not as strong.
Research in Action: ABC Music & Me
ABC Music & Me supports the development of key school-readiness skills, such as listening, self-control, and turn-taking. Our weekly lessons also significantly boost language and literacy skills, including vocabulary development. Picture vocabulary cards support unit-by-unit vocabulary, comprehension, memory, and pre-literacy skills. We give teachers the tools they need to increase a child’s vocabulary knowledge and then actively begin “using their words” in the class.
For more information about using ABC Music & Me in your school, email us at info@abcmusicandme.com
By Lisa Rowell, on February 1st, 2012
As any PreK or elementary school teacher can tell you, the classroom is full of distractions for young children. From the blocks in the corner to the child sitting within arm’s reach or even the sounds of another class on the playground, children can easily find something else to focus on other than the lesson. Inhibitory control helps children pay attention despite those distractions, not to mention think before they act and behave appropriately.
Researchers at Pennsylvania State University determined that self-regulation abilities may be more important than intelligence for early academic success, specifically emerging math and literacy in Kindergarten. As published in the March/April 2007 Child Development journal, the research team led by Clancy Blair, PhD, examined the role of self-regulation in emerging academic ability in 141 children between the ages of 3 and 5 who attended Head Start. They discovered inhibitory control in particular was predictive of all academic abilities, especially emerging math, over and above intelligence.
“By the time children start school, they are expected to be able to sufficiently regulate attention, impulsivity, and emotion so as to communicate effectively and to jointly engage in learning experiences with teachers and classmates,” explained Clancy Blair in a press release. “For some children, however, particularly children from low-income homes or facing adversity, self-regulation abilities may be slow in developing, leading to problems in the transition to school and increased risk for early school failure.”
Research in Action: ABC Music & Me
Research shows that music can help develop self-control in young children. With more than 30 years of experience in early childhood education, ABC Music & Me continues to lead the way in creating curriculum with proven methods for preparing a child for early (and continuing!) academic success. Try these self-regulation activities in your class, today. Then schedule a free demonstration to discover how ABC Music & Me can help your students develop self-regulation, transitioning, listening, and language skills.
By Lisa Rowell, on January 31st, 2012
While a child’s ability to make friends may not show up on standardized tests, educators understand the importance of strong social and emotional skills in the classroom. Children who know how to wait patiently for their turn, share with others, and speak kindly to fellow classmates are in a better position to actively participate in the classroom lessons. Recent research even ties quality friendships in Kindergarten (or lack of) to behavior problems in third grade.
Social and emotional skills are learned behaviors. Recently, researchers at Loyola University Chicago and the University of Illinois at Chicago analyzed 200 school-based social and emotional learning programs to determine their effectiveness. They learned that the programs did improve students’ attitudes and behaviors and even boosted academic performance in some cases.
The researchers reviewed 213 school-based, social and emotional learning programs involving more than 270,000 K-12 students in urban, suburban, and rural schools. These programs were offered to all students in the participating classes or schools. The programs focused on one or more social and emotional area, such as recognizing and managing emotions, establishing and maintaining positive relationships, and handling interpersonal situations.
As published in the January/February 2011 Child Development journal, researchers found that participating students significantly improved social and emotional skills, caring attitudes, and positive social behaviors. Also, students’ disruptive behavior and emotional distress declined. Students in programs that included improved academics as a goal performed 11 percent better on achievement tests than students who did not participate in the program. The programs with the most overall success included training teachers on how to best promote social and emotional skills among children.
Research in Action: ABC Music & Me
In ABC Music & Me, we use music to foster social and emotional growth in young child. In fact, young children who participate in music programs show gains in social and emotional skills. Our easy-to-use lesson plans provide children many opportunities to practice turn taking, speaking quietly when instructed, sharing, and other social and emotional skills. Plus, we provide teachers with the training needed to continue to support those skills throughout the day.
For more information about ABC Music & Me, email us at info@abcmusicandme.com.
By Lisa Rowell, on January 26th, 2012
An edited excerpt from The Impact of Music on Language and Literacy
 - The Impact of Music on Language and Literacy
Decades of research have demonstrated the impact that parent and family involvement can have on improved student outcomes related to learning and school success. Involvement from parents and family members in early childhood programs has been proven to help children succeed in their transition to Kindergarten and elementary school (Kreider, 2002; Marcon, 1999) including for children from inner cities (Miedel and Reynolds, 1999). Promising outcomes have been demonstrated in literacy when children’s parents and families are involved in the educational process (Faires et al, 2000; Hara & Burke, 1998). The positive impact of parent/family involvement has also been documented in the area of music (Zdzinski, 1996).
Parental involvement does have a positive impact on literacy acquisition, according to a meta-analysis of 14 high-quality experimental studies by Senechal (2006). A separate meta-analysis (Bus et al, 1995) showed that there was a statistically significant link between parent-child book reading at home and reading acquisition for young children ages 3–8. Yet a third meta-analysis (Scarborough et al, 1994) showed correlations between parent-preschooler reading and reading achievement in grade school.
Researchers recommend music as an effective means of engaging families in important home learning to build early literacy and language development (Harvard Family Research Project, 2007; Rathbun & Hausken, 2001; Stone, 1999). Music is cited as particularly effective for engaging families of English language learners (NY State Education Department, 1998) and to enhance children’s multicultural development (Swick et al, 1995).
Research Into Practice: ABC Music & Me
ABC Music & Me gives families compelling tools to engage parents and caregivers in building children’s early language and literacy as recommended by researchers. Resources for each child include a monthly magazine with fun and literacy-based activities and a story for reading aloud at home, multicultural songs and listening activities and the story recorded in English, and every other month, an instrument for playing music. In addition to English materials, home resources are available in Spanish to engage families who speak Spanish as a home language.
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