Musical Development and Learning Characteristics of Students

Abstract

Development involves progressive changes in knowledge and abilities that occur across the life span. Current research on musical abilities suggests that the development of skills necessary for musicality begins in utero and continues through adulthood. Many of these skills, such as the ability to carry a tune, move in time to music, and respond emotionally to music, progress as part of normal cognitive maturation and development. Others, such as explicit musical knowledge and musical performance, require in-depth learning and practice for future musical development to occur. This article provides a compilation of key musical developmental milestones and learning characteristics from prebirth through adolescence gathered from the research literature. A brief summary of relevant information is provided, as well as charts outlining specific points from the literature.

1. Musical Abilities Very Early in Life

“…This hereditary component creates the premises of a good interaction with other people and helps them acquire the spoken native language. Here are some auditory behaviors that are specific to musical acquisitions that develop naturally during the first year of life:  newborns turn their head towards the sound source immediately after birth, but their attentions span is approximatively 8-11 seconds (Stanley, 2003);  after 4 months they can accurately locate the sound source that is in front of them or behind them, and at 7 months of age they can accurately locate sound sources from up or down (Gooding & Stanley, 2011);  girls are more sensitive than boys to auditory stimuli (Cassidy & Ditty, 2001);  newborns have a higher capacity to hear low frequencies (lower than 1000 Hz); these kind of sounds reflect the area of human spoken voice and newborns' sensitivity to them constitutes the bases for language development; the efficiency in the perception of higher frequencies grows significantly at the end of the first year of life (Hepper & Shahidullah, 1994);…”

What Makes Babies Musical? Conceptions of Musicality in Infants and Toddlers

“…Music is a cultural universal (Merriam, 1964;Blacking, 1995) and all humans are assumed to possess a potential for musical competence (Trehub et al, 2015a). Current research suggests that the development of musicality begins in the womb and continues into adulthood (Gooding and Standley, 2011) through processes of enculturation and musical training (Hannon and Trainor, 2007).…”

A therapeutic arts-based program for youth

“…All forms of artistic expression including visual art, drama, dance, and music have been shown to be useful in enhancing students' thinking, literacy skills (reading, writing and oral communication) , and overall cognitive development, while music has been exclusively linked with the spatial I temporal reasoning critical to the development of mathematical skills (Deasy, 2002). Motor skills and language development in children can be increased by involvement in musical activities, while selective and directed listening increases on-task behavior and listening duration (Gooding & Standley, 2011;Legg, 2001) .…”

“…Gooding and Standley (2011) conducted three separate studies in school, residential, and after-school care settings, to test the effectiveness of a music therapy-based, social skills intervention program, on improving social competence in children and adolescents. A total of 45 children (n = 12; n = 13; n = 20), aged 6-1 7 years, with social skills deficits participated in a group-based, five session intervention program.…”