Recent studies prove that music education is an effective way to increase the way children perform in overall academics. Jenny Yoon makes it clear in her dissertation to Biola University, that the effects of music education are only positive. Many studies show the connection of music education to academics, test scores, and grades. Research has shown great benefits between music and standardized tests. A study was taken with 5,000 children that took the Comprehensive Test of Basic Skills (CTBS). One fourth of the students were taking part in some kind of music class. In the end, the one fourth of
Sanchez 2 the enrolled students scored higher overall on the test than the other students. The study also showed that if they continue with music education, they would achieve higher than other students. Furthermore, those students enrolled in music classes "score fifty-one points higher on the verbal section of the SAT and thirty-nine points higher on the mathematics section." (Yoon 9) A current experiment conducted by Eugenia Costa-Giomi (spring '99) showed incredible results with children and the effect piano lessons had on this group. The test made it
Cited: Costa-Giomi, Eugenia. "The Effects of Three Years of Piano Instruction on Children 's Cognitive Development." Journal of Music Education 47 (1999) : 198-212 Music Education for Young Children: Media and Research Center. May 2001 http://www.music4kidsonline.com "Rauscher 's research points to link between Intelligence and Music." Music making and the Brain. July. 1998. AMC. 23 Mar. 2001. http://www.amc-music.com/brain/rauscher.html Suzuki, Peter. "Children at Risk." Grammy Magazine Aug. 1991: 1-3. Wilson, Frank R. ed. Music and Child Development: the biology of music making. St. Louis: MMR Music, 1990. Yoon, Jenny Nam. " Music in the classroom: It 's Influence on Children 's Brain Development, Academic Performance, and Practical life skills." Diss. Biola University, 2000.