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and Health
Music education in childhood is becoming increasingly important for the future growth and health of children. Through musical and musical-related activities, children develop the capacity for problem-solving and communication, as well as gain knowledge of composers and music history. Additionally, the four most significant ways music influences young learners, including language development and increased exposure to other cultures, focus and concentration, emotional expressivity, and improved memory development, must also be addressed.
Language Development and Exposer to Other Cultures
When children are introduced to music and musical activities, they experience either a foreign language or multi-language instruction. In the case of foreign language instruction, children are exposed to new sounds and vocabulary and begin to learn the basics of language and pronunciation. Multilingual instruction introduces various cultural influences and expressions to the music, often providing up to eight or more languages in one setting. This exposure can help bridge the gap between cultures, as well as open up a world of understanding that wouldn’t otherwise be accessible to children who live in one cultural setting.
Focused Attention and Concentration
The repetition of music and rhythm can help children focus and pay attention for greater lengths of time. Studies have also shown that the “structure and organization” of music helps children maintain the focus and control necessary for more complex tasks. Furthermore, music education provides children with the opportunity to discuss, analyze, and consider their work, thereby extending the length of sustained concentration.
Emotional Expressiveness
Music not only helps children express themselves in physical, verbal, and visual forms, but also helps them explore their emotional range and capacity. Through music, children can explore joy, sadness, and anxiety, as well as other emotions in both intense and gentle forms. Music also encourages children to dream and imagine, because they can create new stories and pictures with their minds while playing instruments.
Improved Memory Development
With the right instruction, music education can help children improve their recall and visual-spatial reasoning abilities. Additionally, the social engagement part of learning music, such as playing in an orchestra, increases memory recall and organization skills.
In conclusion, music education during childhood has an astonishing number of benefits, from learning languages to improving focus, emotional expressiveness and memory functioning. Improving access to music will improve the development and overall health of our children.