The dependence of academic performance on emotional perception among children receiving additional music education

Abstract

The subject of this research is the examination of age-specific changes with regards to correlations between academic performance and perception of emotional tone of speech among schoolchildren who receive or do not receive additional music education. The research involved 94 public school students in St. Petersburg aged 7-17 years, divided into three groups: 7-10, 11-13, and 14-17 years old. The hypothesis was advanced on the more pronounced correlation between the characteristics of emotional tone of speech and academic performance among children who receive additional music education; the degree of such correlation depends on the age of children. It is underlined that music lessons have significant impact upon emotional perception and successful learning and it is age-specific. The correlation analysis indicated that the greater ability to perceive emotional component of speech among children receiving additional music education corresponds with better learning outcomes compared to the reference group. It was determined that in the course of age development changes (decreases) the superiority of correlation between academic performance indicators and emotional perception among  schoolchildren receiving additional music education relative to such correlation among schoolchildren who do receive additional music education: it is most evident in the age group 7-10 years and lesser evident in the age group 11-13 years. By the age of 14-17 years, the impact of emotional perception upon academic performance decreases.

A Study on Strategies for Improving the Effectiveness of Teaching and Learning in Chinese Rural Music Education from the Perspective of Multiculturalism

“…By studying different music cultures, students can better understand the diversity of human society and history, and understand the origin and development background of music. This interdisciplinary music education method can cultivate students' cross-cultural communication ability and make them better integrate into the diversified society [8] .…”