Dyslexia in the Music Classroom: A Review of Literature

2019 ◽  
Vol 38 (1) ◽  
pp. 9-17
Author(s):  
James L. Reifinger

Developmental dyslexia, or specific reading disorder, is a reading impairment characterized by persistent difficulty in word recognition, decoding, and spelling skills in children despite having average or above academic performance in other areas. To increase an understanding of the nature of dyslexia and its relationship to music, this article first discusses the process of typical reading development and how researchers believe this process is impaired for individuals with dyslexia. Dyslexia identification and interventions are then explained. Next, research that shows how music skills may differ for students with dyslexia is presented. Experimental studies have shown that music training has been an effective way to improve reading skills in children with dyslexia. To understand why music training might improve reading ability, the precise auditory timing hypothesis proposed by Tierney and Kraus is discussed, along with implications for music education.

2011 ◽  
Vol 29 (2) ◽  
pp. 157-163 ◽  
Author(s):  
Christine D. Tsang ◽  
Nicole J. Conrad

several reports have noted significant associations among phonological awareness, early reading skills, and music perception skills in young children. We examined whether music processing skills differentially predicted reading performance in a broad age range of 69 children with and without formal music training. Pitch perception was correlated with phonological awareness, a finding consistent with the hypothesis that basic auditory processing skills underlie the association between music and reading abilities. Nevertheless, the correlation between music skills and reading skills was affected by the presence of formal music training: pitch discrimination predicted reading ability only in children without formal music training. Studies examining the association between music perception and reading (and perhaps other cognitive domains as well) should not ignore the factor of music training.


2020 ◽  
Vol 5 (5) ◽  
pp. 1212-1220
Author(s):  
Krystal L. Werfel ◽  
Laura Peek ◽  
Gabriella Reynolds ◽  
Sydney Bassard

Background The purpose of this preliminary study was to explore one potential underlying factor that may contribute to poor reading outcomes: minimal hearing loss. Additionally, we compared decoding and comprehension deficits in students who passed or failed the hearing screening. Method Forty-three school-age students completed a hearing screening and a literacy assessment. Results Fifty-four percent of children with reading impairments failed the hearing screening, compared to only 21% of children with typical reading. Additionally, students who failed the hearing screening were more likely to exhibit decoding deficits; comprehension skills between the hearing screening groups did not differ. Conclusions Thus, children with reading impairments are more likely to fail hearing screenings than children with typical reading, and the deficits of those who fail hearing screenings appear to center on decoding rather than comprehension skills. Supplemental Material https://doi.org/10.23641/asha.12818252


Author(s):  
Jillian Hogan ◽  
Ellen Winner

Music making requires many kinds of habits of mind—broad thinking dispositions potentially useful outside of the music room. Teaching for habits of mind is prevalent in both general and other areas of arts education. This chapter reports a preliminary analysis of the habits of mind that were systematically observed and thematically coded in twenty-four rehearsals of six public high school music ensembles: band, choir, and orchestra. Preliminary results reveal evidence of eight habits of mind being taught: engage and persist, evaluate, express, imagine, listen, notice, participate in community, and set goals and be prepared. However, two habits of mind that the researchers expected to find taught were not observed: appreciate ambiguity and use creativity. These two nonobserved habits are ones that arts advocates and theorists assume are central to arts education. The chapter discusses how authentic assessment of habits of mind in the music classroom may require novel methods, including the development of classroom environments that foster additional levels of student agency.


2021 ◽  
pp. 104837132110344
Author(s):  
Jason Fick ◽  
Chris Bulgren

Increased availability of tablets at home and in classrooms provides educators access to a powerful tool for music instruction. Music production lessons on tablets offer alternate approaches to developing music literacies while teaching valuable technology skills. These activities are ideal for general music education because they align with contemporary music practices and are adaptable to a variety of learning environments (in person, remote, and hybrid). This article will present a model for tablet-based music production instruction in the general music classroom that aligns with the National Core Arts Standards and accompanying process components grounded in five essential skills: sequencing, recording, editing, effects processing, and mixing.


2021 ◽  
pp. 025576142199081
Author(s):  
Rhythy Quin

In the West, the music practice of turntablism continues to gain traction and awareness both inside and outside of the music classroom, as DJing becomes more prevalent in mainstream music culture. This qualitative study investigates the extent and type of turntablism pedagogy in China, a country with different cultural and political values where traditional Chinese music remains the centre of Chinese music education. Twelve DJs from cities across China took part in a series of in-depth interviews. They were asked to recall their experiences learning how to DJ in China, as well as their opinions of turntablism’s inclusion in music education. Findings showed that participants preferred independent learning methods. In particular, participants significantly depended on Chinese social media applications to learn about turntablism and develop a national DJing culture. An absence of turntablism and popular music pedagogy in Chinese music education was the main reason for participants’ self-discovery and learning of turntablism. Findings also revealed a cultural disconnect between the younger generation engrossed in DJing versus the older generation’s fixation on traditional Chinese music to uphold nationalism and patriotism in society. This study examines an ongoing struggle regarding the extent to which popular music performance practices can be accommodated to work with the political aims of Chinese music education.


2017 ◽  
Vol 60 (9) ◽  
pp. 2680-2686 ◽  
Author(s):  
Krystal L. Werfel ◽  
Hannah Krimm

Purpose The purpose of this preliminary study was to (a) compare the pattern of reading subtypes among a clinical sample of children with specific language impairment (SLI) and children with typical language and (b) evaluate phonological and nonphonological language deficits within each reading impairment subtype. Method Participants were 32 children with SLI and 39 children with typical language in Grades 2 through 4. Each child was classified as demonstrating 1 of 4 reading subtypes on the basis of word-level and text-level skills: typical reading, dyslexia, specific reading comprehension impairment, or garden variety reading impairment. In addition, phonological and nonphonological language skills were evaluated. Results Children with SLI were more likely to exhibit reading impairments than children with typical language. Children with SLI were more likely to exhibit text-level deficits than children with typical language. Phonological language deficits were observed in children with word-level deficits, and nonphonological language deficits were observed in children with text-level deficits. Conclusions The results indicate that the patterns of reading subtypes differ among children with SLI and children with typical language. The findings highlight the importance of simultaneously but separately considering word-level and text-level skills in studies of reading impairment.


2018 ◽  
Vol 66 (1) ◽  
pp. 71-91 ◽  
Author(s):  
James L. Reifinger

This study investigated correlates that might explain variance in beginning sight-singing achievement, including tonal discrimination, reading fluency, reading comprehension, and academic ability. Both curriculum-based and standardized tests were used, including the Intermediate Measures of Music Audiation, Otis-Lennon School Ability Test, and Dynamic Indicators of Basic Early Literacy Skills. Sight-singing ability of second-grade students ( N = 170) was individually assessed for pitch accuracy only using four-note tonal patterns following a 16-week instructional period and again 8 weeks later following a period of no practice. A factor analysis explained 62% of the variance across 13 variables, revealing correlated factors of Music Ability, Reading Ability, and Academic Ability. Regression analyses with individual variables as predictors indicated that significant variance in sight-singing achievement beyond that explained by pitch matching ability could be explained by reading comprehension ability. Similar results were found with both sight-singing tests. Findings are discussed in relation to Patel’s shared syntactic integration resource hypothesis and the need to advocate for music education programs.


Author(s):  
Hugo Cogo-Moreira ◽  
Régis B Andriolo ◽  
Latife Yazigi ◽  
George B Ploubidis ◽  
Clara Regina Brandão de Ávila ◽  
...  

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