Article in Music to teach reading

Did you know that when you are involved in music, more parts of your brain are being activated than
with almost anything else?

There is so much research out now describing the many ways music can help children learn! Studies
have shown that using music to teach content can actually increase test scores. Learning to read is
enhanced through music because music is motivating and engaging.

Below is a brief description of how songs can help within the five areas of reading instruction:
phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension:

Phonemic Awareness: Many songs are packed with alliteration and rhyme. As children listen to these
songs they recognize individual sounds within a word and notice the same sounds in different words.

Phonics: After children have become familiar with a song, put the lyrics in front of them. As they
recognize the first letter in key words, they start to "crack the code" of reading!

Fluency: Repetition is key to fluency, and music makes repeated practice enjoyable! Children are
able to experiment with grammatical rules and rhyming through song. Songs also discourage speed
reading.

Vocabulary/Comprehension: Many songs provide lively oral language experience. Children

repeatedly hear higher-level vocabulary laced within simple melodies. Many of the same reading
strategies can be practiced with songs such as re-telling, visualizing, and questioning.

For example, take a look at my lyrics for Bumpbibble Bump. As you can see, this song builds
phonological awareness of the /b/ sound, and its association with the letter "B." Children love to use
hand motions with songs, further increasing their interest, involvement and comprehension.
Article in Music for special education

Music, as in the case of every individual, is an essential element which makes life liven up and
raises its quality for the individuals with special needs as well. Music, besides being
entertaining, provides educators and/or therapists with a lot of opportunities for using it with the
purpose of education and therapy on various aspects. Many researches related to these
functions of music show that using music in the educational programmes of the individuals with
special needs yields effective and useful results just like in the case of normally developing
individuals.

Music can be used in different ways with individuals with disabilities. Both in “music education”
in which the musical knowledge and skills are in the centre and the development of these skills
through voice and instrument training is the aim and in “education through music” where the
music is used as embedded teaching to support the other developments of kids (like cognitive,
sensual, psycho- motor), the existence of music in the education programmes of the individuals
with special needs increases the effectiveness and permanence of the education and facilitates
conducting more enjoyable and highly motivating activities.

“Music therapy”, which indicates the use of music for therapeutic purpose is also important as a
complementary element in training activities. Whether with the aim of education or therapy, the
use of music both in the individual and group education creates an important, inclusive,
integrative and stabilizing atmosphere. Conducting music activities using multi-sensational
music education approaches which offer opportunities for creativity and improvisation is a factor
that improves efficiency. In this study, by mentioning various uses of music in the field of special
education, some examples of application in the field of special education in Turkey are cited.