Neurological Effects of Prenatal and Infant Stimulation and a Comparison of Suzuki and Kindermusik Early Childhood Music Programs
Year: 2012
Type: dissertation
Abstract: At five months gestational age, fetuses' hearing systems are formed and they can \nhear outside sounds in the womb (Barnett 1998 pg. 42). Speech patterns and familiar \nvoices can be recognized within the womb (Ludington-Hoe, 1985, pg. 28). After birth, \nthe brain goes through rapid changes as neural pathways are wired (Saladin 2007). \nKindermusik and Suzuki Early Childhood Education assert that early childhood music \nclasses aid in brain development and acquisition of music skills. Until fairly recently, \nrationale behind prenatal and baby music classes came primarily from anecdotal evidence \nregarding the baby’s responses to music and movement. Teachers and parents reported \nthat babies would smile and kick their legs in delight during baby music classes. \nIn addition to classroom anecdotal evidence, Dr. Suzuki’s story of Hiromi is often \ncited in defense of early music stimulation. In Dr. Suzuki’s book, Nurtured By Love, \n(1983) Dr. Suzuki describes Hiromi, a five-month-old girl who had heard her older \nbrother practice Vivaldi’s Violin Concerto in A minor, RV 356, Opus 3, No. 6 every day. \nDuring a master class, Dr. Suzuki played a Bach minuet and watched Hiromi’s \nexpression. Her eyes lit up upon hearing the music and the sound of the violin. When he \nbegan to play Vivaldi Concerto in A Minor, she turned to her mom with a big smile, \nwaving her arms and kicking her feet as if to say, “I know that music!” Years later at a \nlarge concert 150 kids performed the concerto, but Dr. Suzuki noticed one girl in \nparticular; she was playing with perfect posture and swaying back and forth to the \nmelody. Dr. Suzuki learned that this was the same Hiromi he had met when she was five \nmonths old; she had grown and developed fine ability on the violin. Although this is a \ngreat story, it does not offer any empirical evidence proving that Hiromi's early \nexperiences influenced her musical abilities. \nMany early childhood music programs report that music stimulation can increase \nbrain development, although empirical evidence was rarely cited. The Suzuki Early \nChildhood Education website, www.suzukiece.com, states, “Early childhood experiences \nlay the foundation for all later learning and determine whether or not children succeed in \nschool and later life”. The Kindermusik website, www.kindermusik.com, reports that, \n“music helps children learn” and offers a page of current research from psychologists, \nincluding Don Campbell, author of The Mozart Effect (1997). Campbell reports, “The \nmore music children are exposed to before they enter school, the more deeply this stage \nof neural coding will assist them throughout their lives”. Educators must insist that there \nis substantial research to back up such statements. \nEarly research into brain development and music showed an increase in spatial-temporal \nreasoning (the ability to transform and manipulate mental images without a \nphysical model) in preschoolers after receiving weekly piano lessons for nine months \n(Rauscher, Shaw, Levine, Write, Dennis, Newcomb 1997). Other areas of brain \ndevelopment were not affected. The interpretation of this research lead to exaggerated \nclaims regarding brain development by both media and educators. \nOver the past few years much attention has been given to the educational \npossibilities during the first years of life. Scientists have made great discoveries and \npsychologists have formed new theories regarding learning and brain development during \nthe prenatal and zero to three ages. Teachers, parents, and administrators are rethinking \npolicies and teaching practices in response to the discoveries. Scientists’ understanding \nof brain development and function is still very limited and in its early stages. The \ninformation known about the brain is very complex, and it is often presented to the public \nin a very simplified manner. Consequently, teachers, administrators, and education \npolicy makers often have a very rudimentary level of understanding regarding the limited \namount of research, and to develop practices, policies, and promises resulting from an \nover-simplified understanding can be inaccurate and possibly detrimental to children. \nThe purpose of this research is to explore music and the effect of early stimulation \non brain development from a scientific point of view. This research will examine how \nprenatal and early childhood stimulation influences learning and development. \nPhilosophies, curriculum, and program goals of Suzuki Early Childhood Education \n(ECE) and Kindermusik are compared and critiqued to investigate whether one program \nhas an advantage over the other. Kindermusik was chosen for comparison because it is \nthe largest music education program for young children in the world. Suzuki ECE is \nsmaller but specific to the Suzuki community. Teachers and parents will have a greater \nunderstanding of how the brain functions and responds to early experience. In addition, \nperhaps this research will inspire more music programs to incorporate baby and toddler \nclasses into their curriculum.
Author: Carolyn L. Rundell
Language: English
Subfield: Cognitive Neuroscience
Field: Neuroscience
Domain: Life Sciences
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W3160893809