Playing Instruments Improves Children's Learning Ability

Learning how to play musical instruments can aid in the word learning process in children. According to the San Francisco Gate, researchers at Stanford University in the United States have for the first time discovered a positive relationship between learning music and the process of speaking. These researchers hope that this new discovery can help children who suffer from learning difficulties. The results of this research indicate that the experience of playing music can enhance the brain's ability to differentiate between sounds that change rapidly during speech. The researchers hope to soon explain why playing music has cognitive benefits. Dr. John Gabrieli, a former psychology professor at Stanford University, states, 'What this research shows and what makes it novel is that it indicates there is a specific aspect of language that changes in the brains and minds of those who play music.' Gabrieli emphasizes that especially in children whose auditory processing is not strong and who may struggle to become good readers quickly, learning music can be a significant help. Previous research has shown that playing music enhances individuals' auditory capabilities and their auditory memory, but until now, scientists had no explanation for these changes in the brains of musicians. Many children who cannot read as quickly as their peers have rapid auditory processing issues. According to Dr. Gabrieli, this auditory problem becomes a reading issue because, for example, when a teacher explains the difference between 'b' and 'p', a child with hearing difficulties does not perceive the phonetic difference. This research indicates that the human brain is always changing and that its capabilities can be altered with practice. Although this research has been conducted on adults, the researchers hope to repeat it with children next summer. However, some child education officials believe that these researchers should be patient in encouraging parents and should conduct sufficient tests before presenting music learning as a magical tool for solving children's learning problems to parents and schools. They argue that no test has yet proven the actual impact of playing musical instruments on children's learning processes.