Music’s ability to enhance our learning is tremendous. Take, for example, a radio or television commercial. Because music and memory are intrinsically linked, commercials often incorporate a catchy jingle or rhythmic catch phrase as a way to stick in the audience’s memory. Or think back to how you memorized the ABCs or learned to clean up and do your share. Both likely began with a song.
Beyond its ability to help us learn, music also has the unique ability to provoke or calm emotions. This explains why we categorize our music into playlists for certain occasions. This engagement with music is natural and should not be forgotten in the classroom. Because music has an equally powerful influence on the way students learn and feel, below are ways it can be incorporated into the classroom.