Enacting the fallacious theory of standard-based education reform, the “No Child Left Behind” act has proven severely detrimental to The United States Education System. The staunch ordinance, forcing the state to impose more standardized tests in order to receive necessary federal funding, coerces public school teachers into “teaching to the test,” detracting from quality lesson plans. The very concept of standardized testing subverts the human mind, encouraging the practice of memorizing isolated facts by “…reward[ing] the ability to quickly answer superficial questions that do not require real thought (FairTest.org.),” School Districts of lower economic communities are often forced to make budget cuts to compensate for insufficient funding. Because music and the arts are not government tested, like reading, writing and math, and because the subjects are commonly viewed as superfluous, and even frivolous, they are first to be cut. Art programs have dwindled within middleclass districts as well, as the pressure to improve the scores of standardized tests has prompted some educators to replace electives with additional reading and math classes (Moran, 2004).
[...] Free assistance, for teachers who wish to integrate their lessons, is made readily available by the growing community of teachers, parents, musicians, linguists, doctors, politicians, etc., dedicated to the perpetuation of music education in the face of its deadliest enemy yet, (in the tradition of Orwellian Euphemism:) Child Left Behind.” The vast plethora of resources offering creative and insightful ideas for merging music and literacy lessons can bring music into classrooms of any grade level and assist teachers and students with (or without) any degree of musical training. [...]
[...] One of the most notable effects of music education is the enhancement of language literacy skills (Leopold, 2007). Much like speech, music is perceived and expressed through sound and symbols. Communication through sound (and gesture) is part of human intuition. The inclination to communicate through language also seems congenital, as children in the earliest stages of development begin to mimic the sounds, then words and verbal structures of their parents or guardians. Along with the ability to derive meaning from a range of consistent, coherent sounds, children are also equipped with the ability to perceive pitch. [...]
[...] “Good readers need good rhythm (Marshall, 2007).” Emphasizing the rhythmic qualities of speech, song and movement, music education can help children to become rhythmic readers “Music is one of the best training grounds for learning to recognize the tones that add up to spoken language (Leopold, 2007).” [T]he early development of musical literacy can be a powerful tool in developing language literacy (Eakle, 1997).” Children should be impelled, through engaging materials and techniques, to take initiative in the development of their reading skills. [...]
[...] One of the most popular and successful tools used to incorporate music into ESL classes was created in the early 1960's by Ragtime Jazz Entertainer and ESL teacher, Carolyn Graham. Her series of books and audio recordings, known as Jazz Chants, emphasizes the rhythmic similarities between American English and American Jazz (Tang 2003). rhythmic presentation of the natural language is the key to success for Jazz Chants [SIC] Addressing the innate musical nature of humankind, Jazz Chants, demonstrates the musical qualities of American English, which differs from the musical qualities of the ESL student's native tongue. [...]
[...] The importance of music education must be realized in The United States so that we can begin to fill the gaps in our cultural consciousness and advance toward equal opportunity for social, artistic and intellectual development. Works Cited List Fair Test, A National Center for Fair and Open Testing, http://www.fairtest.org/facts/howharm.htm Edgren, J. G., 1894, Psychological Review, http://books.google.com/books?id=BXoCAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA196&1pg=PA196&dg=musical+ faculty&source=web&ots+XLT27qpWSi&sig=kyS Morton, R. Glenn http://home.entouch.net/dmd/music.html Weinberger, Dr. Norman M., MuSICA http://www.musica.uci.edu/mrn/V1I1594.html Peretz, Isabelle, Nature of Music from a Biological Perspective,” May Cognition, Vol issue 1 Rao, Doreen, “Children's Choirs; A Revolution from Within,” 1993, Music Educator's Journal, Vol No Moran, Chris, Note Sounds for Music Education,” Nov San Diego Union-Tribune, http://www.signonsandiego.com/uniontrib/20041119/news_7m19music.html National Education Association, http://nea.org/esea/index.html Hurley, Ryan, “Cuts in Arts Programs Leave Sour Notes in Schools,” 2004, Wisconsin Education Association Council, http://www.weac.org/ Winston, Rebecca and Chris, “Reasons to Study Music,” 2007, http://www.winstonmusic.net/instructionreasons.htm Leopold, Wendy, “Research Finds Music Training Can ‘Tune' the Auditory System,” Mar Northwestern University News Center, http://www.northwestern.edu/newscenter/stories/2007/03/music0.html Marshall, Cak, “Reading and Writing and (2007), The National Association for Music Education, http://www.menc.org/ Eakle, Kit, “Teaching ‘Whole Music' Literacy,” 1997, Educator's Cyber Playground, http://www.edu-cyberpg.com/Music/Rhythm_and_Literacy.html# Cannon, Andrea, “Prenatal Bonding Lays Foundation for Bonding,” 2007, Expectant Mother's Guide, http://www.expectantmothersguide.com/library/houston/bonding.htm Vaneechoutte, Mario, and Skoyles, John R., Memetic Origin of Language: Modern Humans and Musical Primates,” 1998, Journal of Memetics—Evolutionary Models of Information Transmission, http://users.ugent.b/%7Emvaneech/ORILA. [...]
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