Sponsored by Yew Chung International School of Shanghai: http://www.ycis-sh.com/ Highlights the power of incorporating music into the education of young children toward improving knowledge, creativity, social skills, and other areas of life.

1. HOW MUSIC BENEFITS INDIVIDUAL
DEVELOPMENT IN CHILDREN

2. The Magic of Music
Why is
music
magical?
• Builds rhythm
• Increases self-esteem and
confidence
• Increases physical capabilities
• Enhances communication and
respect
• Accelerates learning
capabilities
Don’t believe us? Read on to find out morePlaying the violin is Sarah Quan,
a YCIS Beijing graduate

3. Babies and Classical Music
• Many studies have been done with babies and classical music, and while the
infamous Mozart Effect has not been validated, it’s still important to include
classical music in a baby’s life. Why?
Babies learn through
experiencing their
environment
They easily recognise
when sounds within
their environment
change
Creating musical
associations in their
environment increases
their interactions in the
environment
Classical music has a
complex musical
structure, with patterns
and rhythms that
babies enjoy
By listening to music,
babies can build tonal
understanding to better
express themselves

4. Better Communication and Social Skills
Brigham Young University conducted a study that
showed that one of the first things babies
understand communicatively is emotion; so for
them, learning melody is learning emotional
messages.
"Baby Crying On White Background" by Phaitoon
Nine months into the study, babies were able to categorise
songs as happy or sad the same way that preschoolers and
adults do. Additionally they were able to project their own
happy or sad emotions accurately to others.
"Baby Showing Its Teeth Under Yellow Towel" by photostock

5. Young Children and Musical Education
Developed areas Influences
Social
Intelligence
Physical
Instrument
Vocal
Relationships
Grades
Involvement
Musical training
• Young children have been found to benefit the most from musical education, as it helps to
promote better nerve connectivity in various areas of the brain.
• Various studies have been done on musical training (instrumental or vocal) and how it
develops different areas of the brain.
• These studies found that
children between the ages of
0-8 mainly obtained:
• Better learning
capabilities
• Increased motor skills
• Improved creativity

6. Better Learning Capabilities
Determination
Languages
NumeracySkills
According to
the DANA
Foundation,
strong and
significant
improvements
occurred in the
numeracy
skills of those
who took
musical
training as
young children.
As music is
technically a type
of language, it has
been found that
children who learn
music when they
are young are also
able to learn
different
languages more
efficiently and
effectively.
Through
musical study,
students learn
the value of
sustained
effort to
achieve
excellence and
the concrete
rewards of
hard work.

7. Increased Motor Skills
These portions
of the brain are
also the ones
that help people
plan and carry
out movements.
The corpus
callosum is the
portion of the
brain that
connects the left
and right sides.
According to the
Journal of
Neuroscience,
musicians who
began training early
in life had greater
amounts of white
matter in their
corpus callosum.

8. Improved Creativity
Music
Improves
Creativity
Learning music
requires focused
attention and
abstract thinking
Improves the
ability to solve
problems by
imagining
various solutions
Encourages the
rejection of
outdated rules
and assumptions
The arts is a
subject where
there is no “one”
right answer
MusicBackgroundDesign"byFeelart

9. YCIS – Building A Young Orchestra of Promise
The YCIS Violin Programme is a unique
YCIS feature that is mandatory for Years
1-3 and encourages children to learn a
string instrument that requires attention
and developed cognitive skills. Other
instruments are included as the students
age.
Vocal music is also included in the YCIS
musical curriculum wherein students are
taught the three fundamental areas of
music: listening, composing and
performing. Various concerts are
performed by students throughout the
year, including primary students.

10. Teenagers and Musical Expression
• As children continue to age, music can either become a valued hobby or an
invested aspect of life. The good news is that music continues to help develop
important brain functions and positively affects those going through the difficult
transition phase of being a teenager.
Anxious
Self-Conscious
Stressed
Confused
Teenagers
Typically Feel:
Alleviates stress
Allows for self-
expression
Encourages
confidence
Builds teamwork
Adding Music:
Self-management
Confidence
Involvement
Communication
Drive
This Improves:

11. Relieves Stress
Music has the same
concepts that apply to
meditation and some
stress management
workshops:
• Creating a calming sensation
• Focusing on how music
makes you feel
According to the Robert
Vergin, getting in tune
with the alpha waves of
a song puts the two
hemispheres of the
brain into sync:
• Calming nerves
• Bringing a sense of clarity
• Bringing balance
Some believe the right
tempo and type of
music can also heal
actual ailments, from
depression to multiple
sclerosis.

12. Improved Self PerceptionExpression
• Music is a creative experience
which involves expression of
feelings. Children often do not
have the words to express
themselves and need positive
ways to release their emotions.
Music acts as a channel for self-
expression for children that need
it.
Self-Esteem
• Self-esteem is a by-product of
self-expression. Teenagers view
this self-expression as a
personal triumph, which
promotes self confidence and
personal recognition.

13. YCIS – Building Young Adults with Music
As students grow at YCIS they continue to
take music until Year 10, when it becomes
optional. Students are encouraged to take
extra-curricular music to further their
development. Many students also choose this
extra option because of the joy that music
brings them.
By incorporating music into the overall
curriculum of YCIS, students see the
previously mentioned benefits throughout the
most important years of their life. This helps
to build them into adults that are more
developed socially, physically and
intellectually.