Why music education is so important for young minds
Tuesday, February 19, 2019
Victor Hugo once said that music expresses “that which cannot be said and on which it is impossible to be silent”, while Plato said that it “gives a soul to the universe, wings to the mind, flight to the imagination and life to everything”. Some of life’s best and worst moments are encapsulated in particular pieces of music, subjective to the listener. Indeed it is so profound that research suggests listening to and experiencing music stimulates the fetus' brain and assists with the growth of brain structures. New studies even suggest that babies remember music they listened to in the womb for up to four months after being born.
At Mighty Oaks, our teachers have undertaken a year-long programme in Orff musical training. Carl Orff, the German composer, created Orff Schulwerk, a developmental approach used in music education which combines music, movement, drama, and speech into lessons that are similar to child's world of play. It was conceived during the 1920s and 1930s while he served as music director of the Günther-Schule; a school of music, dance, and gymnastics that Orff co-founded in Munich. His ideas were based on his belief in the importance of rhythm and movement. Orff shared these ideas in a book titled Orff-Schulwerk, which was later revised and then adapted into English as Music for Children.
The Orff Approach is a child-centered way of learning music, treating music as a basic system like language and believes that just as every child can learn language without formal instruction so can every child learn music through a gentle and friendly approach. It is often called "Elemental Music making" because the materials needed to teach students are "basic, natural, and close to a child’s world of thought and fantasy".
What are the benefits of an Orff musical education? Though there are many approaches in music education, the Orff Approach has many significant benefits that have proven to be effective for all different types of children. Overall, the Orff Approach works because it can be used for children of all ages, including babies and gives them the tools to comprehend music from a young age. These skills can continue to be used as the child grows. It’s creative and fun, and its child-centred approach makes a positive learning environment promoting exploration.
It has been found that this approach to music education increases the ability for self-expression, self-efficacy, language and social skills. It also is an effective intervention and has positive effects in a therapeutic environment for individuals with varying disorders. Additionally, children become confident and motivated through the Orff Approach, which has a ripple effect on all other areas of development, including language and communication, motor development, hand-eye coordination, socialisation and group dynamics, etc.
In order for the Orff Approach to effectively work teachers must create an atmosphere that is similar to a child’s world of play. This allows participating children to feel comfortable learning a new and often abstract musical skill, greater exploration of a musical instrument or musical skill, and keeps a student from feeling evaluated or judged by his or her peers and teachers. A child participating in an Orff classroom does not feel the pressure of performing that is often in tandem with music because every student in an Orff classroom is treated as an equal, even when performing a solo. A key characteristic of this approach is that lessons are presented with an element of play, which helps the children learn at their own level of understanding.
Just as children learn to hear and speak a language before reading and writing it, we can assume the same of music. The Orff Approach gives children the opportunity to interact with and make music in multiple forms before formally learning to read and write it. Orff uses songs, poems, rhymes, dances, and games as a form of education. Instead of learning through rote memorization, Orff teaches musical skills through participating in music making.
Using the Orff Approach, students learn about rhythm, melody, harmony, texture, form and other elements of music. Students learn these concepts by speaking, chanting, singing, dancing, movement, acting and playing instruments. These learned concepts become springboards for further creative pursuits such as improvisation or composing their own music. Music becomes a sensory experience where children utilize improvisation to foster creativity. Orff proves that everyone can make music!
Playgroups are a popular way of socialising your little one as a first introduction to school. Read our article written by Hong Kong Playgroup Specialist who put together "a short guide to etiquette to help you navigate your new playgroup! "
References :
Young-Bae, Yun, and Kim Ji-Eun. “The Effects Of The Orff Approach On Self-Expression, Self-Efficacy, And Social Skills Of Children In Low-Income Families In South Korea.” Child Welfare 92.4 (2013): 123-158 36p. CINAHL Plus with Full Text. Web. 8 Jan. 2016.
Gold, C., Voracek, M. and Wigram, T. (2004), Effects of music therapy for children and adolescents with psychopathology: a meta-analysis. Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, 45: 1054–1063.
================================
➡【Join our Mighty Oaks family! / 奧恩正在招生。】
➡【Acorn Trial Class/試堂優惠】
At Mighty Oaks, our teachers have undertaken a year-long programme in Orff musical training. Carl Orff, the German composer, created Orff Schulwerk, a developmental approach used in music education which combines music, movement, drama, and speech into lessons that are similar to child's world of play. It was conceived during the 1920s and 1930s while he served as music director of the Günther-Schule; a school of music, dance, and gymnastics that Orff co-founded in Munich. His ideas were based on his belief in the importance of rhythm and movement. Orff shared these ideas in a book titled Orff-Schulwerk, which was later revised and then adapted into English as Music for Children.
The Orff Approach is a child-centered way of learning music, treating music as a basic system like language and believes that just as every child can learn language without formal instruction so can every child learn music through a gentle and friendly approach. It is often called "Elemental Music making" because the materials needed to teach students are "basic, natural, and close to a child’s world of thought and fantasy".
What are the benefits of an Orff musical education? Though there are many approaches in music education, the Orff Approach has many significant benefits that have proven to be effective for all different types of children. Overall, the Orff Approach works because it can be used for children of all ages, including babies and gives them the tools to comprehend music from a young age. These skills can continue to be used as the child grows. It’s creative and fun, and its child-centred approach makes a positive learning environment promoting exploration.
It has been found that this approach to music education increases the ability for self-expression, self-efficacy, language and social skills. It also is an effective intervention and has positive effects in a therapeutic environment for individuals with varying disorders. Additionally, children become confident and motivated through the Orff Approach, which has a ripple effect on all other areas of development, including language and communication, motor development, hand-eye coordination, socialisation and group dynamics, etc.
In order for the Orff Approach to effectively work teachers must create an atmosphere that is similar to a child’s world of play. This allows participating children to feel comfortable learning a new and often abstract musical skill, greater exploration of a musical instrument or musical skill, and keeps a student from feeling evaluated or judged by his or her peers and teachers. A child participating in an Orff classroom does not feel the pressure of performing that is often in tandem with music because every student in an Orff classroom is treated as an equal, even when performing a solo. A key characteristic of this approach is that lessons are presented with an element of play, which helps the children learn at their own level of understanding.
Just as children learn to hear and speak a language before reading and writing it, we can assume the same of music. The Orff Approach gives children the opportunity to interact with and make music in multiple forms before formally learning to read and write it. Orff uses songs, poems, rhymes, dances, and games as a form of education. Instead of learning through rote memorization, Orff teaches musical skills through participating in music making.
Using the Orff Approach, students learn about rhythm, melody, harmony, texture, form and other elements of music. Students learn these concepts by speaking, chanting, singing, dancing, movement, acting and playing instruments. These learned concepts become springboards for further creative pursuits such as improvisation or composing their own music. Music becomes a sensory experience where children utilize improvisation to foster creativity. Orff proves that everyone can make music!
Playgroups are a popular way of socialising your little one as a first introduction to school. Read our article written by Hong Kong Playgroup Specialist who put together "a short guide to etiquette to help you navigate your new playgroup! "
References :
Young-Bae, Yun, and Kim Ji-Eun. “The Effects Of The Orff Approach On Self-Expression, Self-Efficacy, And Social Skills Of Children In Low-Income Families In South Korea.” Child Welfare 92.4 (2013): 123-158 36p. CINAHL Plus with Full Text. Web. 8 Jan. 2016.
Gold, C., Voracek, M. and Wigram, T. (2004), Effects of music therapy for children and adolescents with psychopathology: a meta-analysis. Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, 45: 1054–1063.
================================
➡【Join our Mighty Oaks family! / 奧恩正在招生。】
➡【Acorn Trial Class/試堂優惠】
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