Early music education in Europe has its roots in the renowned methods of Dalcroze’s rhythm teaching and Orff’s integrated arts teaching. Over time, these approaches have evolved into what is now known as rhythm music teaching, which encompasses elements such as rhythm, language, movement, dance, and ensemble playing. The focus is on the holistic development of children rather than merely acquiring individual skills. By the 1980s, Orff’s teaching methods had even given rise to the field of music therapy.
In 1993, Ms. Rosche, a cellist who graduated from the Juilliard School and later earned a Ph.D. in psychology from Columbia University, conducted a series of tests in kindergartens. She compared two groups of children: those who participated in music training and those who did not. Using psychological tests to measure spatial reasoning abilities, the experimental group scored 46 percentage points higher in spatial intelligence than the control group.
In 2004, the German publisher Gustav Bosse released a book co-authored by Dr. Renate Klöppel and Professor Sabine Vliex from the Trossingen University of Music. Titled Helping Children with Behavioral Disorders Through Rhythm Music Teaching: Recognize, Understand, and Treat Correctly, the book uses case studies to illustrate various behaviors of children with disorders, such as timidity, insecurity, violent behavior, attention deficits, and hyperactivity. It analyzes the causes of these behaviors and explains how rhythm music teaching can help address them in practice.
Using music education to develop children’s intelligence and help them overcome behavioral issues caused by genetics, organ diseases, or early adverse life experiences has become a shared research topic among music education experts, psychologists, and neuroscientists in advanced countries.
Music education is crucial for babies. Musical activities can enhance their memory, imagination, and creativity and improve their auditory discrimination and sensitivity. However, most parents need help with providing music education for their babies.
At this point, parents should seek authoritative parent-child educational materials and engage in listening, learning, and observing. They should avoid imposing music techniques on their babies, as this can easily lead to a dislike of music. After all, a baby’s healthy growth is significantly influenced by the parents’ attitude. Therefore, parents should adopt the most suitable approach to music education for their babies.
Music can address children’s shortcomings
In our experience, when parents maintain a correct and calm attitude, children’s progress is rapid, and some even undergo complete transformations. For example, when Xiaolin started music training at the age of five, his mother informed us after just two or three lessons that he had autism. He was not very social, spoke little, cried quickly, and had poor coordination. However, Xiaolin had a solid grasp of music theory and sang well.
Over time, Xiaolin showed significant improvement. He stopped crying, his inexplicable anxiety and fear gradually diminished, and he became more cheerful. He could even collaborate with peers in musical performances and physical activities. Whenever Xiaolin experienced setbacks or fluctuations, the teacher asked his mother for more detailed care and assistance. Xiaolin is now learning to play wind instruments and is in third grade, showing little difference from other children.
Xiaoxin is the apple of her family’s eye, but she is timid, often responding with “I don’t know” to avoid responsibility or harm. Such children struggle to communicate and interact with others, making it difficult for teachers to assess their learning progress, a sign of behavioral disorders. However, after four years of music training, Xiaoxin has made great strides. She can confidently perform the flute on stage, and her peers love collaborating with her on creative projects and games. Everyone says she has changed significantly.
Anan was born with hydrocephalus and exhibited some eccentric behaviors, speaking little. His attentive father enrolled him in various training programs, including music and sports. With the combined efforts of teachers and parents, Anan now plays the piano beautifully and performs in plays with great skill.
Music education plays a significant role in children’s intellectual development and healthy personality growth. As parents, focusing solely on how well a child learns a particular instrument is unnecessary. Learning in a collective artistic environment can make children happier, more cheerful, and willing to communicate with others, leading to normal behavior. This is the most significant benefit. With this solid foundation, learning instruments will also progress rapidly.
Music can enhance children’s social skills
Psychologists have found through extensive research that good interpersonal relationships are crucial for a happy life. Numerous studies have shown that individuals who live in positive interpersonal environments develop healthier personalities. Therefore, we believe children’s social skills are more important than academic performance and should not be cultivated only when they reach college. Good interpersonal relationships are also vital for adults, so improving social skills has garnered increasing attention.
Enhancing social skills involves developing the ability to analyze social situations, understand others’ psychological states, and use artistic means, especially musical activities, to promote social interaction.
As early as 1973, research by Farrell at the University of Freiburg in Switzerland found that teaching music could enhance students’ social skills and academic abilities. In 1994, American researcher Edgerton conducted an interesting study. He integrated music into social games for children aged 6-9, those with developmental delays (including autism), and those developing typically. He found that music significantly improved both groups’ understanding and participation in social games. He also noted that children with developmental delays experienced reduced anxiety levels when facing stress.
Research also found that when background music was used with children, they exhibited more peer interaction behaviors. The study concluded that social interaction is the best way to cultivate social skills, and the more people isolate themselves, the more they fear interacting with others.
One primary function of musical activities is to evoke emotions. Dr. Goleman, the proponent of “emotional intelligence,” demonstrated that the emotional system controls much of life’s effectiveness and satisfaction. These positive feelings can reduce social anxiety. So, if time and conditions permit, listening to music and playing instruments can help establish a connection with the world.
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