The TRANSFERABLE BENEFITS of music learning?

Have you even heard the term "Transferable benefits" before? This term stuck out to me during the recent 2 day Bigger Better Brains Educator workshop in Hobart, I because I had never heard musical learning talked about that way. It makes so much sense though, especially when you think about it in terms of pedagogical practices. We know that learning is generally a sequential process -starting with basic skills and ‘building blocks’ and increasing in complexity as we grow and develop more capacity to understand, store information and strengthen the neural networks in the brain.

As we gather more skills and experiences, we also make more meaning and that meaning in turn can then be transferred to different situations. Take basic counting skills for example. It's simplifying the process but for a young child to count they must first be able to have

• the auditory, cognitive and language skills to 

• hear and process other people counting so they can repeat it;

• ability to do 1: 1 counting, as in be able to touch one object at a time AND count it- that requires cognitive capacity, fine motor coordination and verbal language 

These fundamental skills then transfer to tasks such as

• number recognition

• writing numbers

• putting numbers together to make an equation for example

And after that, we have examples of 'real-life' transferrable skills such as

• how to use money 

• how to tell the time

So what has musical learning got to do with this?

Well, there are the obvious musical skills that you gain when you learn a musical instrument (including voice) for example 

• ability to correctly understand, repeat and express musical concepts such as beat rhythm, tone, pitch

• fine and gross motor control and coordination

• breath control

• cognitive capacity to focus on and interpret musical notation

• development of auditory processing network (hearing)

But did you know that research findings from people who are musically trained show there are a number of transferable skills on ALL other areas of learning and development:

• enhanced social skills such as empathy, teamwork, making friends

• enhanced emotional regulation, resilience, inhibitory/impulse control

• greater cognitive flexibility and creativity, memory

• greater phonological awareness and reading readiness, comprehension, writing

We know that the human brain is set up to thrive and create strong neural pathways when the learning environment is fun, engaging and when the bodily systems experience FELT safety. Active musical making is an ideal environment learning!

To quote Australian Dr Kathryn Murray, creator of Brain SET formula "A Calm Brain is a Thinking Brain".  This is such a simple concept, yet it has massive implications on the way we can harness the benefits of musical learning to enhance young children's learning and development. The earlier we engage with our children in active musical making, the more we are setting them up for success in the present AND the future!

I’d love to leave you with just a few of the real-life stories of ‘transferable benefits’ from past music students of mine, and also from families that have participated in the weekly music and movement programs that I have facilitated - whether at our local Birth-5 programs for families with young children or in Long day care services. 

“Kristy’s approach to music is unique in the way she does not only provide a great understanding of music in practice and theory, but also a holistic approach to life skills and coping mechanisms. With an understanding of rhythm and breath, [my daughter]  now utilises these  methods in public speaking as a student leader, where she would previously avoid a simple conversation due to shyness and fear of failure. I cannot speak highly enough of the work and care Kristy takes with each of her students” (from mum of 16 year-old, 4 years musical training)

“Since this music program started, my kids always love to dance and sing at home and my daughter is getting along with the other kids. Moovers n Shakers Music is a big thing to us” (mum of 3 and 5 year old)

“Grade 5 student who had been labelled as ‘the naughty kid who always gets into trouble and doesn't pay attention’.  6 months into his piano lessons (during school) his class teacher and other staff members couldn't believe this was ‘the same kid’ - commenting that he enjoyed schoolwork more, showed more attention in class, and was always in a ‘great mood’ on piano days”