Music Builds Smarter Kids
from the Elementary Classroom Teacher Resource Index

Researchers have found that young children who take music lessons show different brain development and improved memory over the course of a year compared to children who do not receive musical training. Dr Laurel Trainor, Professor of Psychology, Neuroscience and Behavior at McMaster University said, "Children studying music for a year improved in musical listening skills more than children not studying music is perhaps not very surprising. On the other hand, it is very interesting that the children taking music lessons improved more over the year on general memory skills that are correlated with non-musical abilities such as literacy, verbal memory, visiospatial processing, mathematics and IQ than did the children not taking lessons. It suggests that musical training is having an effect on how the brain gets wired for general cognitive functioning related to memory and attention."

Dr Laurel Trainor, Professor of Psychology, Neuroscience and Behavior at McMaster University

In a similar study published in Newsweek magazine, research indicated that during the early developmental years, children's brain neurons are being "wired". This provides a window of opportunity which must not be missed if children are to achieve their full potential. "Circuits in different regions of the brain mature at different times. As a result, different circuits are most sensitive to life's experiences at different ages. Give your children the experiences they need when they need it and anything's possible. Stumble and all bets are off."

Newsweek Magazine

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