Early Music and Lifelong Effects

ASHLEY STARKSTON Questions:

MUED 380, FALL 2017 What is early music education? What are
the benefits? What pedagogical practices
support lifelong music learning in early
childhood? What additional considerations
need to be addressed?

Why does it matter?

Early education is an important time in a childs cognitive development and a common belief is that music can have a profound effect on that.
However, most theories about this are simply ideas with minimal evidence. One of the most transferable cognitive abilities that is greatly affected by
music education and has been proved is spatial-temporal reasoning (Bilhartz, Bruhn, Olson, 1999). Through my research, I attempt to discover more
about what may be the impacts of music education at an early age on childrens cognitive abilities and other developmental areas as well as their
further engagement with music and the arts. In order to do this, I will look into what early music education is and what is should be in order to create
these lasting effects. Future participation in music is supported largely in early childhood education (Pitts, 2016) and so therefore it is important that
educators understand the effects of their practice on childrens futures both musically and cognitively. Lifelong music engagement and cognitive
abilities are deeply connected with each other. It has been found that cognitive advancements due to music are only found when engagement
surpasses early education (Costa-Giomi, 2014), so it is important that early music educators keep a lifelong learning goal in mind.

Literature Studied: Implications for

Bilhartz, Bruhn, & Olson (1999)
This was a study 71 4- and 5-year old students from various ethnic and economic backgrounds. Participants were Practice:
administered pre and post-tests that tested vocabulary, memory for sentences, bead memory, pattern analysis,
quantitative, and copying skills. In between tests, the control had no extra musical instruction, but the experimental Emphasis on learner-centered
group was given instruction through Kindermusik. Significant differences in the control and experimental group were
not found in all of the test results, but they were found in the bead memory test. This leads to strong implications that
education
music learning has a large effect on cognitive ability because the spatial-temporal reasoning involved in the bead Inclusion of musical play and
memory test develops transferable kinesthetic, aural, and visualization skills. encouragement of creativity
Student autonomy and inclusion
Costa-Giomi (2014)
This literature review found that In order for music engagement to have significant effects on general intelligence, Meaningful, learning-centered
involvement with music must continue on. After education and engagement has ceased, there is no evidence that musical engagement
advantages in intelligence still exist. Less emphasis on
Eerola & Eerola (2013)
grade/performance oriented
This article deals with the benefits of music from a social perspective and overall school life satisfaction. The article experiences
studied two groups of students, one with extra musical classes (EM) and one with normal music class only (N). The Promotion of musical
results found that the pupils in the EM classes had more positive responses to classroom environment, school life, engagement outside of the
achievement and opportunity.
classroom
Green & Hale (2011)
The research presented here focuses on ways in which teachers can encourage musical engagement beyond the
classroom by encouraging students to focus on a learning orientation rather than a grade or performance Outstanding
orientation. The authors argue that this type of engagement with music will create pathways for lifelong
engagement with music. Questions for Future
Hallam (2010)
This paper reviews research using the most advanced technologies to study the brain, as well as quantitative and
Research:
qualitative psychological and educational studies to see what impacts music engagement has on the intellectual, What constitutes quality
social and personal development of children. It also looks into the transferable aspects of music learning. education?
Hildebrandt (1998) How can we make lifelong
In this article, Hildebrandt suggest ways in which educators should allow their students to be creative and have meaningful impacts?
some autonomy in their musical experiences in order to foster their innate musical abilities without stifling their If cognitive advantages cease
creativity. This article contains many implications for pedagogical practice in early music education.
when music instruction is no longer
Ilari (2016) being given, how can we make
This article discusses implications of music education at an early age on childrens social development. It discusses sure that children continue with
three building blocks of social cognition: social referencing, joint attention and joint action in relation to to early musical experiences?
childhood music teaching and learning. This article also discusses learning about others and culture through music
and the importance of musical play in a childs development. Where is line drawn between using
music to cause outside benefits
Niland (2009) only instead of also valuing it as its
This article examines the importance of musical play in early childhood music education. Through personal
experience and literature review, Niland argues that students will be more involved and more successful if they are
own subject?
allowed to be playful and creative in the music learning process and that this play encourages lifelong
engagement with music.

Hargreaves, Marshall, & North (2003)

This article focuses on the psychological and developmental effects of music education. It addresses precious
beliefs about the relationship between music learning and developmental psychology and then delves into more
recent advances in the relationship. This has implications for music teacher practices and the developmental
outcomes that they can help create through music education.

Pitts (2016)
Through doing 3 different case studies, Pitts found that future music participation is encouraged at a young age
and by providing students with the tools to succeed in numerous different ways in music (rather than one
instrumental or vocal track). This should be the goal of general music in early childhood. If the teacher offers not
only skills, but also encouragement and opportunities of different types, lifelong music is more likely.