4 Essential

Reasons to
Incorporate Music

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To Alter moods

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To enhance
MUSIC: classroom
cohesiveness and
SUPER-FOOD FOR THE classroom

BRAIN management

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Why Music?
Accelerated learning takes place in the presence of music. In addition, To promote
music has a natural way of bringing people together. Music works
personal
because of the brain! Studies have shown the chemicals released during
movement and fun activities, such as dopamine have been linked to expression and
enhancing long-term memory. positivity

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Benefits of Music in the classroom:

 Music based activities can increase engagement, help with

For curriculum
memory/recall, and enhance phonemic awareness during literacy learning
instruction (2017).
 Music as a right brain process can help facilitate language- which
is a left-brain process to aid in speech/language disabilities
(2000).
 Music can assist with relaxation and/or motivation to aid those
students with ADHD and Emotional Disabilities (2000).
 Music can support students with cognitive development
challenges as it aids in problem solving. Songs can facilitate
learning through remembering sequences and/or categorical
structures as well as connecting sounds (2000).
 Music can also support students through multimodal stimulation
such as clapping hands, constrasting loud and soft sounds and
vocalizing lyrics (2000).
 MUSIC:
A UNIVERSAL LANGUAGE FOR ALL
STUDENTS!
How to Incorporate Music in your classroom

 Teachers will need to provide explicit instruction when choosing to use music in the classroom with
students.
1. Decide on when you would like to play music in the classroom (i.e.- during transitions in/out of
the classroom; during stations/centers; at the beginning/end of day).
2. What will the students be allowed to do during the music?
 Will they be allowed to dance, sing along, or talk during this time?
3. What will students be expected to do once the music ends?
 Teachers must model expectations with students when playing music to ensure a safe and fun learning
experience for the entire class.

To alter moods:

 Choose relaxing or calming music such as Baroque or Classical music playing as students enter the
classroom. This can help to promote positive feelings about school and learning. (i.e.- Mozart, Bach
and Handel)
 Choose piano/spa or meditation music when coming in from P.E. or recess to create a soothing
environment where students can relax heart rate and get prepared to move to the next task.

To promote class cohesiveness and classroom management:

 Create class playlists to play for smooth transitions during stations/centers; cleanup/dismissal, and
when going to lunch and/or special areas.
o Great song ideas could include: Walking on Sunshine, Happy, Can’t Stop the Feeling

To enhance creativity and personal expression:

 Use songwriting concepts for students to work together to come up with a class song to a popular tune
and sing daily in class.
 Take a student’s favorite song and use it to illustrate a book cover that represents themselves’ or their
families.

To enhance curriculum learning:

 Adapt core subjects and it’s content to popular children’s songs which can aid in teaching different skills
such as math/science concepts, ELA strategies, and can be effective for comprehension (2017).
References:

Campabello, N., De Carlo, M. J., O'Neil, J., & Vacek, M. J. (2002, May 1). Music Enhances
Learning
DiDomenico, J.N. (2017). Effective Integration of Music in the Elementary School Classroom.
I.E.: Inquiry In Education, 9(2), 1-17
Foran, L. M. (2009). Listening to Music: Helping Children Regulate Their Emotions and
Improve Learning in the Classroom. Educational Horizons, 88(1), 51-58
Paquette, K. R., & Rieg, S. A. (2008). Using Music to Support the Literacy Development of
Young English Language Learners. Early Childhood Education Journal, 36(3), 227-232
doi:10.1007/s10643-008-0277-9
Pellitteri, J. (2000). THE CONSULTANT'S CORNER: "Music Therapy in the Special Education
Setting”. Journal Of Educational & Psychological Consultation, 11(3/4), 379-391