Music and child development

Transcription

1 Music and child development Turning their ears on...keeping their ears open - research from Youth Music (March 2006) An inspiring story: Child development pioneer - Colwyn Trevarthen (June 2005) Shout it out! - Let babies make noise (Nursery World, June 2005) Does classical music make babies smarter? (BBC News Magazine, May 2005) Using rhymes to promote early language (Nursery World, May 2004) Using singing and rhythmic movement in everyday activities (Nursery World, September 2003) An inspiring story: Child development pioneer - Colwyn Trevarthen Colwyn Trevarthen is Professor (Emeritus) of Child Psychology and Psychobiology in the Department of Psychology at the University of Edinburgh, where he has taught since His professional generosity, enthusiasm and scholarship have been recognised internationally. In Bosnia Herzegovina, Trevarthen collaborated in founding a centre for music therapy. His findings are widely quoted around the world. For the past 30 years, Professor Trevarthen's research with infants and toddlers has focused on communication. He studied the rhythms and expressions of children's play and fantasy, and how musical games, songs, stories and acts of discourse with real or imaginary companions support the development of skills during infancy and the pre-school years. As a consequence, he became interested in the interpersonal foundations of language and meaning, and on developmental problems such as autism that affect communication and thinking. With musician and acoustic expert Stephen Malloch, and others, he developed a theory of 'communicative musicality'. Professor Trevarthen insists that observation is the main key to our understanding and, through this type of research technique, he has gathered information about infants' expressive skills and the adoption of nonverbal therapies, especially music therapy. Building on work concerning parent-baby interactions and 'motherese' (the sing-song speech pattern used by mothers) and analysing adults' speech to young children, he has revealed similar rhythms and tone in teachers' expression, which he calls 'teacherese'. He has demonstrated its importance

2 to 'collaborative learning' and to children's confidence in expressing their understanding. (By Professor Tricia David, Nursery World, 16 June 05) Shout it out! - Let babies make noise We all know that babies and toddlers make a lot of noise. They may cry and scream to draw attention to themselves, and they also gurgle, babble and laugh and give us a great deal of pleasure when they try to imitate the words and language we use. They also enjoy banging objects together and throwing toys around as they play. Many early years practitioners try to discourage young children from being noisy. However, this may limit their curiosity and inhibit their learning. Knowledge of the Birth To Three Matters framework will help practitioners encourage babies and toddlers to develop positive attitudes and skills through investigating the nature of materials and testing the power of their own voices. To become competent learners, children should be exploring the environment and be supported sensitively by adults to name objects and materials. They also need to be able to make connections, by understanding the sequence of events that their actions have caused. To develop self-assurance and confidence, children need to engage in creative experiences that challenge them to make choices and use imaginative skills. Practitioners can help children learn to listen for the sounds that different materials make and present them with music and musical instruments that stimulate physical movement. A happy baby is a busy baby. Finding enjoyment in making noise is one of the most exciting early experiences that babies and toddlers have. And one of the most important aspects of this enjoyment comes from sharing the excitement with other children and adults. Bells and chimes In the first few months, babies show interest in all sorts of noises. However, their hearing is geared in particular to listen for more high-frequency sounds, such as the modulated and high-pitched voice of their mothers' speech. To stimulate their experience of similarly high-pitched noises, make available bells and wind chimes. Attach small bells to a mobile to encourage babies to stretch, reach and hit with their hands or feet. They will begin to learn that they are responsible for making the bells ring. Hang wind chimes from a low tree branch so that they can watch them knock and tinkle as they lie in a cot or on a blanket on the grass below. Attach bells to your ankle or wrist so that babies can hear you approaching. They will learn to listen out for you as you move around the room and greet you with pleasure as you reach them. Give babies toys and rattles that have bells inside or attached to them.

3 Sign and clap Children learn about language and communication long before they begin to speak, so it is essential that practitioners provide an environment that is rich in language and sound. Signing and clapping, methods of communication that all babies and toddlers instinctively enjoy, are two ways of supporting early language development. Clapping is an excellent physical activity for babies and one that is always accompanied by big smiles of contentment and excitement. Adults, too, feel an immediate sense of achievement when babies respond with enthusiasm and close attention. Sing a welcome to babies and toddlers when they arrive and leave the nursery. Sing along to daily routines such as setting the table or walking to the park. Make up songs introducing characters and names that babies and toddlers recognise and which are likely to make them giggle. Sing traditional nursery rhymes that support the acquisition of a rich vocabulary. Encourage young children to clap along to songs, copying you so that they learn to clap to the beat of the rhythm. Clap to praise children's achievements and encourage them to clap each other's success. Try clapping with different parts of your body, such as clapping your feet together, clapping hands on your head, your forearms, your legs, your cheeks and your bottom. These physical movements will enchant children as well as challenge them to stretch and balance. Clap on other surfaces such as the floor and objects around you. Rattle and bang Once babies can sit without support, they will enjoy examining objects and learning what they can do with them. Older babies and toddlers also love investigating objects and playing with them. Treasure baskets are excellent vehicles to extend knowledge of objects. You can stock treasure baskets with contents to suit the developing needs and interests of these children. Use baskets in particular to encourage them to pick up objects, rattle and bang them together and listen to the sounds they can make. A basketful of household equipment such as pans, lids, mixing bowls and wooden spoons make excellent play tools to explore making noise. Let children bang lids together like cymbals and tap with the spoons on the sides of the pans. Use recycled plastic drink bottles to create rattles and shakers. Fill them with beads, gravel, rice, dry pulses or pasta. Make a collection of objects that ring and jangle, such as anklet bells, cowbells, tambourines, and balls with bells inside. Hang low washing lines outdoors between or against fences so that children can explore making noise in the open air. Attach pan lids, triangles, tambourines or coconut shells to the line, and give children drum beaters and wooden spoons with which to create their own effects.

4 Listen and dance Babies and toddlers gain knowledge of all sorts of music if it is offered to them regularly, and practitioners should ensure that the variety of music reflects the diversity of cultures in our society. Play games that encourage toddlers to dance, such as musical statues, musical bumps and musical chairs. Never mind if they ignore the rules of the game - two-year-old children just love to take part. Listen to peaceful classical music when you want to create a relaxed atmosphere, and to vibrant classical music to encourage children to march around the room or garden. Ask members of staff or parents who play instruments to perform for the children. Listening to live music will have a real impact on concentration and behaviour, and children will be entranced by the experience. Use contemporary mood music to inspire dancing and encourage children to move rhythmically while waving chiffon scarves in each hand. Play lively music to inspire action and commitment at tidy-up time. Play follow-my-leader games in which children each carry a musical instrument and parade around the nursery and garden. Give children musical instruments to play accompaniments to nursery rhymes and songs. Make collections of natural objects that can be used as musical instruments, such as large African seed-pods, coconut shells and gourds filled with dried seeds. Adults can help children learn that music is not just background entertainment. Music should be appreciated for the mood it creates and the experiences, feelings and sensations that it promotes. Early efforts to make noise will create the idea that children are budding musicians and that it is good for them to practise new skills of listening to and playing instruments. (Written by Lena Engel for Nursery World, 2 June 2005) Does classical music make babies smarter? As well as classical CDs and DVDs for very young children, this week sees the launch of a programme of concerts for babies - including those in-utero. Does playing classical music to babies make a difference? Opinion is divided; but many experts think that it may stimulate the brain in a way that helps educational and emotional development. It's known as the Mozart Effect, a theory which is credited with boosting IQ, improving health, strengthening family ties and even producing the occasional child prodigy. Numerous studies conclude that playing music to babies in the womb and in the early years helps build the neural bridges along which thoughts and information travel. And research suggests it can stimulate the brain's alpha

5 waves, creating a feeling of calm; a recent study of premature infants found that they were soothed by the music. In Florida, all state-funded pre-schools are required to play classical music by law, and many US hospitals give classical CDs to new mums. In the UK, many parents have also embraced the theory, with Classic FM's Music for Babies CD enjoying several weeks at the top of the classical charts earlier this year. Baby proms And this week Sound Beginnings, a series of concerts aimed at the very young, begins in Hampshire. It's the brainchild of Peter and Juliet Kindersley, who founded the Dorling Kindersley publishing empire. Both are strong believers in the power of classical music. "Just as it's vitally important to eat good-quality food right from the start, so we are deeply affected by the music we hear from a very early age, even in the womb," Peter Kindersley says. Sound Beginnings - and a planned 'baby prom' next year - came about as babies and toddlers are rarely welcome in concert halls. Professor Paul Robertson, a leading expert in the field, says it's important the best music is made available to babies at the earliest possible stage of their growth. There is compelling scientific evidence that the music we hear at the earliest ages significantly affects the way neurological pathways are laid down during development." Chill out Beanbags will be provided to make the setting more relaxed and the pieces - including compositions by Mozart, Schumann and Ravel - have been selected to benefit the wellbeing of babies, toddlers and parents. It has also been geared towards pregnant women, as a foetus responds to sound from about 24 weeks and learns familiar noises it will recognise after birth, such as music its parents have listened to repeatedly. Violinist Paul Robertson, the presenter of Channel 4's Music and the Mind, and the acclaimed Russian concert pianist Mikhail Kazakevich will present the concerts, the first of which will be held at the Newbury Spring Festival in Hampshire on Thursday. Sound Beginnings will then travel to the London Symphony Orchestra's St Luke's venue next month and tour the country later in the year. A symposia, bringing together the latest scientific research into the effects of music on development and wellbeing, is also planned for June. (Denise Winterman, BBC News Magazine, 19 May 2005) Using singing and rhythmic movement in everyday activities Babies are very, and innately, musical. Research has found that they are highly perceptive listeners and quickly absorb an understanding of how music from their culture sounds. And research has shown that babies absorb music even before they are born.

6 Adults instinctively 'converse' with babies using a kind of baby 'dialect', a singsong style known as 'parentese' with short, repetitive phrases and long pauses for the baby to respond. And the baby responds with eye contact, movements and facial expressions. To describe this 'dialect' as musical is a good way to explain its characteristics of rhythm, timing and rising and falling pitch. Indeed, if you strip music down to bare basics, these are its main elements. That the qualities for relating well to babies and toddlers should also be the basis of music surely makes sense - fundamentally music is a means for bringing people together. Relating well to babies by interacting in well-tuned and well-timed ways is important to their all-round development and well-being. We know, for example, that mothers who are depressed or having difficulty relating to their babies can be helped if encouraged to sing and play musical games with their children. The singing somehow provides a framework to support how they interact with their baby. Starting points See and value what parents and carers are already doing musically with their babies and move on from there. Take the example of Jo, a key-worker who takes eight-month-old Sam from his mother and holds him on her hip while his mother gets ready to leave. Sam stiffens and fusses a little and so Jo rocks gently side to side and quietly hums a phrase over and over to him. Sam calms, looks up at her face and Jo talks reassuringly to him. Such a little incident is over in a moment, yet here is singing and movement to calm, reassure and distract woven into the ordinary, everyday fabric of looking after babies sensitively. Most carers do these small things intuitively. Developing music with babies and toddlers isn't about providing elaborate equipment, or leading singing circle times in complex ways or bringing in outside musicians to give special sessions, but about developing and building on these small-scale, ordinary moments. So what might everyday music look like? Everyday music The following singing and rhythmic movements are the easiest and most appropriate musical activities to develop with babies who are up to 18 months old. Lullabies - lulling a baby to sleep or soothing a fretful toddler with singing is an age-old part of childcare in all cultures. What song is sung matters less than how it is sung - gently, slowly, quietly, often with a line or two repeated over and over and with rocking or stroking movements. Carers have told us that they feel the singing is good for them too - looking after babies is demanding, and a relaxing 'time-out' to sit quietly and sing can have benefits for both carer and baby. One-to-one songs - in contrast to lullabies, playsongs entertain and delight and are more appropriate for older babies and toddlers. They are sung and played on laps - and often include actions such as tweaking, tickling, knee-joggling and surprise dips and spills. They are rich mini-dramas, full of excitement, anticipation,

7 language, drama and rhythmic movement. And they require no equipment except an adult who is ready to play and a firm knee. Songs for outdoor play - songs go well with outdoor play - either made-up songs or songs for circle-games and more active movement games. Songs as part of care routines - songs can usefully support regular task and routines - such as washing hands, changing clothes and mealtime routines. Perhaps in a setting, Maureen knows that 14-month-old Ben finds it stressful having his nappy changed - and that he likes football - so she sings a football song she knows he enjoys to entertain and relax him. Songs to have fun, create pleasure and closeness - singing to create a relaxed atmosphere, a strong sense of the group and to bring everyone together is usually an important reason for including singing in circle times, but this can spill over into everyday activity. As an example, it is free-play time. Sophie enjoys a song about going out to play which Maureen often sings to her - and she likes to sit and bounce on a soft cushion as Maureen sings for her. Today Maureen links in Sophie's name, her own and Sophie's family members into the song words. Song-rich environment Most of us pick up songs to use from one another, or incorporate pop songs or old childhood songs we remember. But if your song collection is getting a bit tired or is limited, refresh it, perhaps by: collecting a repertoire of songs from staff members inviting parents to contribute songs researching and collecting songs from the local community making up new songs from things the children say or sing - or converting known songs into versions for this setting inviting someone with expertise to suggest and teach some new songs learning new children's songs from commercial CDs (Taken from "Hit the right note" by Dr Susan Young, Nursery World, ) Turning their ears on, keeping their ears open Exploring the impact of musical activities on the development of preschool age children. Research project commissioned by Youth Music. Summary [.] Youth Music wants every child to begin a life-long musical journey from the earliest possible moment. The first fruits of this journey will be a positive impact upon learning and development by the time they reach primary school. To this end, Youth Music wants to ensure that every child under five years of age has access to music-making opportunities.

8 There were two major components to the research: 1. Research into the impact of long-term, structured music-making activities on the development of pre-school age children 2. Collection of data to inform a better understanding of issues around training for the musicians and early years workers and the sustainability of the work for early years workers between and after musicians' engagement with the settings. The research was based upon two specially commissioned music projects for young children aged 0 to 5. One based in three early years settings in North Tyneside in the North-East of England and the other in Great Yarmouth in Norfolk centred around six early years settings within the Sure Start Children's Centre and a mother and toddlers group in Great Yarmouth. Youth Music and the Northumbria University team started discussions in October 2002 and the research and music projects were commissioned in January The work between musicians and settings started in April 2003 in North Tyneside and in May 2003 in Great Yarmouth. The music projects ended in Great Yarmouth at the end of March 2005 and in North Tyneside at the end of July In drawing together this research we have reached a number of conclusions about the impact of investing in musicians working within Sure Start and Early Excellences Centres. In particular we have been observing the impact on very young children (0-5) of taking part in regular, structured, active and creative music-making (rather than passive listening/watching), led by an expert musician with skills in working with this age group, over an extended period of time. From the findings we have concluded that regular weekly or bi weekly contact over a two year period between a musician and very young children (0-5) does impact on several areas of these children's development. [.] Key findings: Communication skills and understanding The findings from the analysis of the data relating to development of communication skills and understanding in this study have been broadly categorised into the following seven areas. The questions on the profiling sheets related directly to the areas of speech development, following instructions, increasing vocabulary, rhyming and anticipating words and phrases, engaging in conversations and understanding stories. Increasing amount and quality of vocalisation developed through singing activities Children of this age group seem to find it easier to remember long strings of words, phrases and sentences when they are 'attached' to a tune. They develop the ability to do this through song before they are able to do it in speech. Increased vocabulary Children learn new words through learning the words to songs.

9 They learn action vocabulary through singing songs which have actions. They learn positional vocabulary similarly, e.g. 'over', 'under', etc. They develop descriptive vocabulary to help them to describe the sounds of the instruments and the music. Development of understanding of rhyming through singing Singing rhyming phrases in songs helps the children develop an understanding of words that rhyme. They can then be encouraged to swap rhyming words in familiar songs for fun. The children were being actively encouraged to delight in the rhyming of the words and to anticipate what would come next. They progressed quickly with this particularly when the musicians made this aspect a focus of singing a song. Increased ability to listen and respond to spoken instructions in connection with a musical activity The children quickly got used to the expectations and the need to follow instructions. They realised that they would not be included in a turn with, for example, the instruments or the musical game if they did not follow the instructions. The repetitive structure/format of the music sessions and expectations of the musicians supported this development aspect EYWs expressed surprise at how good the children were in following instructions. Learning how conversation works through 'call and response' activities Listening and responding and taking turns to 'speak' in musical terms (sing, play or clap) their phrase or rhythm, helps to develop an understanding of how conversation works. The turn taking within the music activities encouraged the children to become aware of others' musical responses and to join in musical conversations. EYWs were surprised that the very young children (up to two-years-old) were actually listening to what others were playing or singing and were prepared to wait for their turn or to join in with the others. Development of greater control of their voices through learning to pitch notes - high and low - and pitch match (sing in tune) The exercising of the mouth, tongue, teeth and lips through the breathing, blowing and voice percussion work with the musicians were all activities designed to support the children's control of their voices. These activities were observed to be developing the children's vocal abilities and this was commented upon by parents and EYWs in relation to their speech development. In one setting the musician worked very closely with the speech therapist and produced a CD of songs to support vocal ability and strengthen the children's voices. Increased ability to tell their own stories and engage their imagination through creating their own songs

10 There are many examples of story songs initiated by the children. The musicians picked up on these and developed them. Many children naturally engage in this activity but this can quickly disappear if the activity is not valued. The musicians were able to support the children in this and the children responded by continuing to sing to themselves but also to show these 'story songs'. (Extracted from 'Turning their ears on, keeping their ears open. Exploring the impact of musical activities on the development of pre-school age children', Youth Music research report, 2006)