Ever since I had my music class last semester I have been interested in looking into research that supports music therapy in the classroom. Music is a wonderful tool for many reasons in the classroom, it builds on creativity, gets kids moving and is great for classroom management. I have been particularly interested in the effects on music on those students with behavioural issues, can music help them manage themselves?
A study that looked at the effects of providing background music in the classroom on the behaviour and performance of children with emotional and behavioural difficulties revealed positive findings. Hallam & Price (1998) found that there was a significant improvement in behaviour and mathematics performance for all children who were exposed to the background music during their daily activities. The effects of the music were particularly powerful for those students whose problems were related to constant stimulus-seeking and over-activity (Hallman & Price, 1998). The music played in these classrooms was classical music. These finding suggest that the classical music can have a calming effect on children who may have a hard time focusing during work periods in the classroom. This study also revealed improvements in co-operation and reduction in aggression during the lessons (Hallam & Price, 1998).
Music is a wonderful tool to use within the classroom and can be incorporated throughout the day in so many ways! It provides a joyful way of learning new things, an avenue for creativity in song making or dance, a calming atmosphere for students when working, and great fun being involved in action or silly songs. Young students generally love music. It is great that you are looking at different ways to incorporate it into your teaching practice.