Music and learning

Music may help!

It is with thanks to the author of Deans Stroke Musings, a blog that I read with enthusiasm every morning (or every night if I am up too late), that I am motivated this morning to write on my own blog again after such a long break.

http://oc1dean.blogspot.de/2016/04/music-may-help-babies-learn-better.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed:+DeansStrokeMusings+%28deans%27+stroke+musings%29

I am sure that I am not the only conductor who, on reading this heading ‘Music May Help Babies Learn Better’, will react as I did and say to yourself – ‘I believe knew that already’.

Dean also commented in this posting – ‘And just when is your doctor going to learn that music helps stroke recovery?’

Having read that sentence I immediately knew that I have to refer to this posting on my blog and also try to trace where I have written about learning speech through singing in my own work to put it as a reference here. I have written about my stroke clients singing on several occasions, in speech programmes, at summer fetes and during walking programmes keeping a tempo walking to music or listening to one’s own singing voice.

The report that dean refers to from NBC News can be read here with a video to watch from the Institute of Learning and Brain Sciences, that carried out the study –

http://www.nbcnews.com/health/heart-health/music-may-help-babies-learn-better-study-finds-n562051

Below is a quote from the above report –

"Schools across our nation are decreasing music experiences for our children, saying they are too expensive," she said. "Music experience has the potential to boost broader cognitive skills that enhance children's abilities to detect, expect and react quickly to patterns in the world, which is highly relevant in today's complex world."

I was considering recently the role of music in my own life. I realised that apart from singing in various conductive groups including stroke groupsI hear very little music these days and I had already decided to remedy this before I read today’s posting.

I attend with joy the conductive music group that I organise with a young musician. I learn a tremendous amount while playing rhythms and keeping tempo on a bongo or other instrument. It is becoming easy to lead half the group while singing rounds, but it is still hard work, needing lots of concentration.

I will be on the look-out in the next few weeks for a few concerts to attend during the summer months so I can fill my life with a bit more music. Unfortunately I cannot be in Norwich in June when my sister will be lucky enough to see and hear Rod Stewart! Maybe I will also invest in a small music system for my flat, it is time after living here for several years to listen to my collection of CDs again.

It says in NBC news report quoted in Dean’s posting that music experience in schools is decreasing. I think this is possibly true for many countries in the world so I realise once again how important it is for us all to use any influence we might have to increase the amount of music that is available for the children and adults who we work with. Next year our conductive music group will be incorporated into our city’s evening class programme for people with and without disabilities. We hope to reach a wider clientele.

References

Deans Stroke Musings –

http://oc1dean.blogspot.de/2016/04/music-may-help-babies-learn-better.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed:+DeansStrokeMusings+%28deans%27+stroke+musings%29

My blog –

I found a quite a few when I searched my blog here is a small sample –

http://www.susie-mallett.org/2010/03/we-should-be-singing-at-tops-of-our.html

http://www.susie-mallett.org/2013/02/music-while-you-work.html

http://www.susie-mallett.org/2008/04/begeistert-by-my-work.html

http://www.susie-mallett.org/2012/03/where-have-all-flowers-gone.html