Dyslexia and Music

Abstract

The underlying causes of the language and literacy difficulties experienced by dyslexic children are not yet fully understood, but current theories suggest that timing deficits may be a key factor. Dyslexic children have been found to exhibit timing difficulties in the domains of language, music, perception and cognition, as well as motor control. The author has previously suggested that group music lessons, based on singing and rhythm games, might provide a valuable multisensory support tool for dyslexic children by encouraging the development of important auditory and motor timing skills and subsequently language skills. In order to examine this hypothesis, a research program was designed that involved the development of group music lessons and musical tests for dyslexic children in addition to three experimental studies. It was found that classroom music lessons had a positive effect on both phonologic and spelling skills, but not reading skills. Results also indicated that dyslexic children showed difficulties with musical timing skills while showing no difficulties with pitch skills. These apparent disassociations between spelling and reading ability and musical timing and pitch ability are discussed. The results of the research program are placed in the context of a more general model of the potential relationship between musical training and improved language and literacy skills.

From temporal processing to developmental language disorders: mind the gap

“…In sum, rise time discrimination (or 'beat perception' as it is often termed) has been demonstrated to be associated with phonological awareness and reading skills, much like rapid temporal processing was two decades ago. Proposals for interventions have also appeared, suggesting general musical [35,36] or specifically rhythmic [37] training.…”

Singing in the key of life: A study on effects of musical ear training after cochlear implantation.

“…This implies that enhanced discrimination of rhythm, as a result of training, may assist CI users, in general, when listening to music. Moreover, poor perception of rhythm has been associated with poor perception of syllable stress and dyslexia (Huss, Verney, Fosker, Mead, & Goswami, 2011;Overy, 2003;Overy, Nicolson, Fawcett, & Clarke, 2003), and it is possible that training of rhythm, in the long term, could form a beneficial part in auditory-oral therapy, directed not only at adult but also pediatric CI users.…”

Associations Between Length of Music Training and Reading Skills in Children

“…More recently, Goswami and colleagues have shown that dyslexics perform more poorly than normal-achieving readers on tasks involving musical metrical structure (Huss et al, 2011). Similarly, Overy found that dyslexic children and those at high risk for developing dyslexia have impaired rhythmic processing skillsespecially for rhythm production-but normal pitch processing skills (Overy, 2000(Overy, , 2003Overy et al, 2003).…”

“…In contrast, reading comprehension requires basic word decoding skills as well as higher-level cognitive processes such as memory and attention (e.g., Cain, Oakhill, & Bryant, 2004;Sesma, Mahone, Levine, Eason, & Cutting, 2009). The question of whether music and reading are related has typically been asked in one of two ways: 1) at a local level, by determining whether very specific musical skills, such as pitch or rhythm discrimination, are related to reading performance, both in normal-achieving and dyslexic readers (Anvari, Trainor, Woodside, & Levy, 2002;Atterbury, 1985;Barwick, Valentine, West, & Wilding, 1989;Douglas & Willatts, 1994;Forgeard, Schlaug, Norton, Rosam, & Iyengar, 2008;Huss, Verney, Fosker, Mead, & Goswami, 2011;Lamb & Gregory, 1993;Overy, 2000Overy, , 2003Overy, Nicolson, Fawcett, & Clarke, 2003); and 2) at a global level, by assessing whether different music training programs improve reading skills or are associated with higher reading skills, typically in dyslexic readers but sometimes in normal-achieving readers as well (Butzlaff, 2000;Douglas & Willatts, 1994;Forgeard et al, 2008;Gromko, 2005;Moreno et al, 2009;Overy, 2003;Schellenberg, 2006;Standley, 2008).…”