The Extramusical Effects of Music Lessons on Preschoolers
The extramusical effects of music lessons on preschoolers
The objective of this study was whether preschool can develop extramusical skills through six weeks that the project was due. Preschool teachers do not usually commence a music teaching class due to lack of musical abilities or inadequate equipment to start a music class. Furthermore, most teachers do not have the confidence to interact with children via music. However, this study showed that music is a crucial way to improve and develop a child’s personality and enhance their physical and mental state [ (DeVries, 2002) ]. Dr. Peter DeVries conducted this study in preschool teaching every Thursday and Friday. His ambition of this study was that the outcome would be positive for the young children as he wanted to show that music plays an important role in their way of thinking and acting. Sally, who was the teacher of the children, helped him as much as she could. Although she was unconfident of her musical skills, she interacted with the children and embraced the whole project to help them. After six weeks, the study showed that, the preschoolers, who before they did not came in any contact with music in their classes, showed a distinctive improvement in their behavior and their interaction with other children, as well as, they were more energetic and playful than before, as their physical teacher noticed. Music helped them to unleash the energy that was hiding inside them and made them more comfortable. The basic concept of the study was to introduce the children to music. Specifically, they had the chance to sing along with specific songs, that Dr. DeVries chose, and they interacted physically to some other songs by dancing and acting and as Morin (2000) described as “cooperative music play” as the children interacted with each other based on what they had learned that day, sing a song they learned by themselves or even try to enhance the song with some sort of instruments. This kind of
The objective of this study was whether preschool can develop extramusical skills through six weeks that the project was due. Preschool teachers do not usually commence a music teaching class due to lack of musical abilities or inadequate equipment to start a music class. Furthermore, most teachers do not have the confidence to interact with children via music. However, this study showed that music is a crucial way to improve and develop a child’s personality and enhance their physical and mental state [ (DeVries, 2002) ]. Dr. Peter DeVries conducted this study in preschool teaching every Thursday and Friday. His ambition of this study was that the outcome would be positive for the young children as he wanted to show that music plays an important role in their way of thinking and acting. Sally, who was the teacher of the children, helped him as much as she could. Although she was unconfident of her musical skills, she interacted with the children and embraced the whole project to help them. After six weeks, the study showed that, the preschoolers, who before they did not came in any contact with music in their classes, showed a distinctive improvement in their behavior and their interaction with other children, as well as, they were more energetic and playful than before, as their physical teacher noticed. Music helped them to unleash the energy that was hiding inside them and made them more comfortable. The basic concept of the study was to introduce the children to music. Specifically, they had the chance to sing along with specific songs, that Dr. DeVries chose, and they interacted physically to some other songs by dancing and acting and as Morin (2000) described as “cooperative music play” as the children interacted with each other based on what they had learned that day, sing a song they learned by themselves or even try to enhance the song with some sort of instruments. This kind of
Cited: DeVries, P. (2002). The extramusical effects of music lessons on preschoolers, 29:2, 1- 6.