A new study shows special music classes can help prepare children for school.
Associate Professor Kate Williams from Queensland University of Technology designed a preschool program with the aim of boosting the ability of children to self-regulate, that is, to control their emotions, thoughts, and behaviours. Self-regulation is a key indicator of school readiness and a strong predictor of academic performance.
With music education proving such a powerful boost to educational outcomes, the QUT study implemented the program with 113 children from lower socioeconomic communities. “The children who have music lessons from a young age are often from families who can afford them,” Williams said. “The problem is that the children who most need the musician advantage miss out because it isn’t affordable for all families to access highly quality music programs."
Loading...The RAMSR (Rhythm and Movement for Self-Regulation) program can be run by any early childhood teacher, not just music teachers.
“The aim is for regular sessions to be introduced into daily activities of young children to help support their attentional and emotional regulation skills, inhibition and working memory. We want all early childhood teachers to feel confident to run these fun and important activities.”
Williams hopes that the program will help give disadvantaged children the "musician advantage" of neural plasticity and executive functioning needed for success at school.