“Well, your right-hand hemisphere is the
creative side, and the left hemisphere is the
logical language side, and they need to be
integrated, and music is one way of making
those connections across.”
From the time they are born, human
beings are predisposed to learn and enjoy
music. Children especially are open to
it, and research increasingly has shown
that exposure to music and especially
participation in making it—by singing and
playing simple percussion instruments—is
invaluable in helping children’s brains
develop the “neural bridges” that
make them stronger. Music and Early
Learning explains why this is so and how
experienced kindergarten and preschool
teachers use music to help children grow
and learn.
Viewers explore:
• How research has shown that all
children have music aptitude, that it’s
highest right after birth, and that it
needs stimulation.
• How there is a “window of opportunity”
between birth and age nine when music
aptitude can be most enhanced.
• How children’s brains are not fully
developed when they’re born and need
to build “neural bridges” to mature.
• How music helps build more of these
“neural bridges,” producing greater
intellectual ability and spatial skills.
• How learning that involves both sides of
the brain will be more effective.
• How an intellectual exercise—say,
learning the alphabet—is easier and
more effective when done to music.
• Why children are not ready for logical
and symbolic learning at an early age
and need to learn in ways that involve
the whole body.
• How children have different ways of
learning, and how most of them learn
primarily through their bodies.
• Why bonding between the teacher and
child is so important, and how music
contributes to the relationship.
• How playing simple instruments (drums,
jingles, rhythm sticks and rattles) allows
children the opportunity to explore the
connection between sounds and their
ability to produce them.
• How music taps into love, kindness
and wonder and thus provides its own
wonderful learning.
Runtime: 26 minutes
Copyright 2007 Magna Systems
Teaching Guide
Adobe Acrobat Version
Microsoft Word Version
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