MUSIC AND LEARNING

SARAH G. QUIAMBAO

Most people enjoy music whether singing, playing musical instruments or just merely listening to it. The taste in music might be different for each person but the same enjoyment with music is the same. But aside from the enjoyment that we get from music, there are many other benefits that music education can provide.

Music provides relief and peace, and makes people mentally and spiritually healthy. And a healthy mind and spirit leads to better learning. A student who is relaxed and with a sound mind will be comfortable inside the class therefore can much better comprehend with what the teacher teaches inside the cl assr oom .

According to research, music facilitates language learning. For children, music enhances their hearing abilities therefore it helps them in decoding words and sounds. Furthermore, recent researches found out that musical training develops the left side of the brain where language processing occurs.

In a study done by Christopher Johnson in 2007, students in elementary schools that were greatly exposed to music education scored much higher than those of schools were music education is not greatly implemented. Johnson further stated that music supports academic performance and quality music programs are related to higher test scores. Music can help lead students to a successful life ahead of them.

More studies have shown that the more a child is exposed to music and learns about it, the better they can perform in school. It provides them with a relaxed mind which in return is more capable of adapting new learnings imparted on them.

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The author is Teacher II at Tinajero High School-Annex