The influence of musical training on acculturation processes in migrant children

Abstract

Music is a promising candidate for the enhancement of cultural integration through increased group cohesion and social support. This study assessed the impact of a music program on elementary schoolaged migrants' cultural orientation, as measured via the Frankfurt Acculturation Scale for Children . The music program is an extension of schools' regular curriculum and provides students with basic introduction to music and instrument lessons (Years 1 and 2), followed by school-wide music performances within an ensemble (Years 3 and 4). Results showed that music program participants who had performed in musical ensembles showed larger increases in orientation to mainstream culture over a period of 1.5 years than control students who had not received extended music tuition. For younger program participants who had not yet participated in ensemble play, no such differences were found. Results indicate that it was the experience of collaborating and performing within a larger group which led to stronger host culture orientation. Thus, programs providing young migrants with the opportunity to perform music within a larger, culturally heterogeneous group can be viewed as an effective intervention to encourage adaptation to mainstream culture and integration within and beyond the classroom. acculturation, children, cultural integration, Germany, migrants, music tuition, social integration The successful integration of migrants presents one of the biggest challenges for settler societies of our time. Music lends itself as a candidate for the non-linguistic enhancement of cultural integration for various reasons. First of all, music is widespread among all human societies Keywords

Songs of their lives: A narrative study of three older Korean immigrants in Los Angeles

“…In addition, songs that the older immigrants sing and listen to provided extensive information about each individual's personhood-who they are, where they come from, what they feel in specific moments, and what they like and dislike-, which aligns with the notion of songs as a symbol to elaborate a sense of self and to tell the "continuous" stories of who they are (DeNora, 1999). As previous studies indicated that young immigrants often used music from their homeland to maintain a continuity of their previous selves (e.g., Frankenberg et al, 2014;Karlsen, 2012Karlsen, , 2013 and cultivate the collective identity of their larger cultural/ethnic groups in the immigrant societies (e.g., Karlsen & Westerlund, 2010), songs of the older immigrants in this study seemed to significantly contribute to their personal, as well as collective, identity works. However, although young immigrants also used music as a tool to cultivate their "fluid, multilayered self " by relating themselves to the popular music of general youth culture, which is the commonality of interests with their peers of the host society, this did not appear in any cases in the narratives of the elderly interviewees.…”

“…While music is often considered to be a promising medium with which to facilitate the process of immigrants’ acculturation (Frankenberg et al, 2014), music education studies have shown how music, “as an integral part of human experience” (Marsh, 2013, p. 508), specifically plays a role in fostering immigrant children and adolescents’ successful cultural integration into their new environment (e.g., Gilboa, Yehuda, & Amir, 2009; Karlsen & Westerlund, 2010; Marsh, 2013; O’Hagin & Harnish, 2006; Sæther, 2008).…”

“…Particularly in school contexts, musical activities offer secure spaces in which immigrant students can feel socially and psychologically safe and enhance their sense of social inclusion (Frankenberg et al, 2014; Marsh, 2012; Sæther, 2008). Recently arrived immigrant students often experience challenges when engaging in school activities and connecting with peers due to their lack of proficiency in new language.…”

“…A study of refugee and newly arrived immigrant children in Australia (Marsh, 2012(Marsh, , 2013 showed that the nature of school musical activities (e.g., frequent uses of repetitions and familiar tunes, incorporation of multimodal means of expression, and a relaxed atmosphere) helped those with limited language proficiency to actively participate in class with a reduced fear of making mistakes and thus gain a sense of security in the school environment. Also, school musical activities provided a joint enterprise that effectively encouraged young immigrants' adaptation to mainstream culture within and beyond the classroom (Frankenberg et al, 2014). For example, the use of various forms of popular dancing, such as hip-hop and break dancing, enabled young immigrants to easily connect with their peers in a "community of practice" (Wenger, 2000), which often extended beyond the school (Marsh, 2012(Marsh, , 2013.…”

Espacios musicales colectivos durante y después del conflicto armado como lugares de preservación del tejido social

“…En este sentido, se ha comprobado el poder de la música para el desarrollo del bienestar emocional, las habilidades sociales y el sentido de pertenencia (Cabedo-Mas, 2015;Chandal & Levitin, 2013;Frankenberg et al, 2016;Hallam, 2010;Zapata, 2011). Incluso, dice Maclean (2011, p. 11), "cuando los participantes experimentan un sentido de propósito compartido se libera oxitocina, un neuroquímico involucrado en el establecimiento de la confianza".…”