The effect of a music intervention on the temporal organisation of reading skills

• Main Author: Long, Marion
• Published: University College London (University of London) 2007
• Subjects: 370.154
• Online Access: http://ethos.bl.uk/OrderDetails.do?uin=uk.bl.ethos.444191

This study investigated the reading behaviour of school children following participation in a rhythm-based music intervention. The investigation was inspired by pupils' progress in music lessons after using the rhythm-based music intervention. Little empirical work has been done on metre and learning. This project has focused upon 'temporal regulation' and 'temporal integration' as a possible learning pathway linking the music intervention, as an entrainment activity to reading behaviour. The theoretical framework draws upon multi-disciplinary areas of literature to converge on metre as an organisational feature common to music and language. The methodology of this small scale research project involved three stages. First, three empirical explorations of the music intervention used a mixed experimental design. The randomly selected participants were school children, 8-10 years of age. Secondly, a small, randomly selected sample of school children with below average capability in reading comprehension or reading fluency, took part in a two-treatment experimental design comparing the music intervention and a phonics intervention. The third stage, a trial in two schools, investigated whether the effects of the rhythm-based music intervention were sustained when the music intervention was directed by school staff. Although only small samples were involved, a consistent effect was found in gains in reading comprehension for below average capability readers, following participation in the music intervention. In the two-treatment design, positive effects were found for rate of reading, reading comprehension and phonological discrimination but not for reading accuracy. In the trial in two schools, effects were found for reading comprehension, reading accuracy in both schools and rate of reading in one school suggesting that the music intervention may be suitable for use as part of the music or the literacy programme in schools. Overall the data suggested that the rhythm-based music intervention had a positive effect on children's reading behaviour.