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The following article is taken
from the BBC website.
Music makes you clever
A 10-year study says
music and drama raise academic performance
Learning a musical
instrument or taking part in a school play can improve
children's academic results, claims research published by the
United States' education department.
The 10-year study, which tracked the progress of 25,000 young
people, has found that participation in the arts is linked to
increased performance in maths, literacy, history and geography.
There was also evidence that involvement in music and drama
made pupils less likely to be racist, with the research
suggesting that pupils who were not involved in the arts were
more likely to tolerate racist remarks and attitudes.
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Richard Riley says the arts encourage "imaginative"
thinking |
The study, carried out by James S Catterall, a professor at the
University of California, Los Angeles, showed that the link
between the arts and improved ability was consistent regardless
of parental income or other external factors.
The research, published recently, showed that while more
children from wealthier backgrounds take part in the arts, the
greatest impact in terms of improving academic performance
appeared among children from lower income families.
Among the low-income students only 15.5% performed at a high
level for maths - a figure that doubled among low-income
students who were involved in learning music.
"It's not a matter of economic advantage. It's a matter of
something happening with the arts for the kids," said Professor
Catterall.
However the research noted that despite the benefits of
taking part in school bands, plays and shows, the rate of
participation reduced as pupils reached the older age groups.
The Education Secretary, Richard Riley, said the research
demonstrated how "the arts powerfully nurture the ability to
think" and that they would encourage "imaginative, flexible and
tough-minded thinking". |
