In September, I had the fortune to travel to Canada and visit McMaster University where some fascinating research is occurring at the McMaster Institute of Music and the Mind. Dr. Laurel Trainor, a well respected researcher and David Gerry, also a researcher (and a fellow Suzuki colleague) invited me to see the pilot trials for their latest study. They were testing 6 month old babies for joint attention. They were testing to see how they baby responded to the researcher with looking and gestures. They are in the process of testing 60 babies! Half of these children will attend several months of a Suzuki Early Childhood Classes, with the control group having an unstructured gathering time. Then the babies will be tested again to see how participation in a music class affects joint attention.
At the institute, in their auditory lab, they study the perception of sound in infants, children and adults. They also study music and language acquisition and how music training affects brain development. They also do research to answer such questions as: Do babies recognize songs? If so, what do they perceive: structure, pitch, patterns? In some of their studies, the babies wear a cap with sensors (looks like a cap of marshmallows!) to assess stimulation of the brain.
Another study tested 7 month old babies to see if they could distinguish between music that had duple meter (feels like a march) or triple meter (feels like a waltz). The babies were bounced to music of certain meter. They then listened to selections played from speakers. One speaker would play the familiar meter then the other speaker would play music with the unfamiliar meter. Their length of time looking at a certain speaker playing the music showed their preference. The conclusion of the study showed that babies with music class experience could tell the difference between the meters. Some of the other studies include results from researching Suzuki instrumental students compared to children with no music instruction and the difference in brain development and response..
On the link below, you can read the paragraph summary of several of their studies. The pictures are fun to see too! Enjoy!
Research proves what we teachers believe: music grows beautiful minds and people!
www.psychology.mcmaster.ca/ljt/research.htm
Sunday, October 26, 2008
Friday, October 17, 2008
Get The Most out of Music Class--some tips!
You are your child’s most important teacher. Give yourself permission to be a musical role model by participating fully in class— enjoy singing with gusto, moving freely and listening attentively. You will convey to your child that music is a valuable activity, not to mention fun!
Do not worry about the quality of your singing voice. Instilling a joy for making music is far more important than “getting the notes right.” Language can sometimes get in the way of tonal development so feel free to be playful with sounds like “bah”, “bum” and “dah”. You may find that your child will join in song with you more easily.
Repetition is vital to your child’s learning process. You will surely become tired of listening to your child’s CD, but it is through repetition that the music gets inside your child and greater learning (nuance) takes place.
Keep chatting with friends in class to a minimum. Your focus and attention will rub off on your child and will signal to him/her that what you are doing in class is important and special.
Observe and enjoy quiet time in class and in the music (e.g. listening time, rocking, story-telling, some imaginative play). Quiet times encourage the child to practice self-control, serve as calming moments for the class, and allow for (musical) processing i.e. audiation.
Have fun with vocal exploration—sirens, wind, train whistles, animal sounds are all ideal ways for children to begin to master the high and low ranges of their voices which will improve their ability to match pitch as they develop.
Learning styles are different and that’s okay. Your child may exhibit one or more of the following learning traits. The visual learner likes to observe in class and then try it out at home. This child appreciates lots of good modeling in class. The auditory learner enjoys aural learning experiences and often matches pitch well. This child likes to sing parts of songs or engage in sound play. The kinesthetic learner prefers to learn by doing and enjoys dancing, creative movement and playing instruments.
ENJOY! Music is a gift that lasts a lifetime. By week 5 or 6, you and your child will begin to form a music class “community” that we hope will strengthen and last for years to come.
Do not worry about the quality of your singing voice. Instilling a joy for making music is far more important than “getting the notes right.” Language can sometimes get in the way of tonal development so feel free to be playful with sounds like “bah”, “bum” and “dah”. You may find that your child will join in song with you more easily.
Repetition is vital to your child’s learning process. You will surely become tired of listening to your child’s CD, but it is through repetition that the music gets inside your child and greater learning (nuance) takes place.
Keep chatting with friends in class to a minimum. Your focus and attention will rub off on your child and will signal to him/her that what you are doing in class is important and special.
Observe and enjoy quiet time in class and in the music (e.g. listening time, rocking, story-telling, some imaginative play). Quiet times encourage the child to practice self-control, serve as calming moments for the class, and allow for (musical) processing i.e. audiation.
Have fun with vocal exploration—sirens, wind, train whistles, animal sounds are all ideal ways for children to begin to master the high and low ranges of their voices which will improve their ability to match pitch as they develop.
Learning styles are different and that’s okay. Your child may exhibit one or more of the following learning traits. The visual learner likes to observe in class and then try it out at home. This child appreciates lots of good modeling in class. The auditory learner enjoys aural learning experiences and often matches pitch well. This child likes to sing parts of songs or engage in sound play. The kinesthetic learner prefers to learn by doing and enjoys dancing, creative movement and playing instruments.
ENJOY! Music is a gift that lasts a lifetime. By week 5 or 6, you and your child will begin to form a music class “community” that we hope will strengthen and last for years to come.
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