Incompetech is an online site that provides access to a vast array of free legal music to download and use without fear of breaching copyright laws. Music can raise strong emotions in listeners, so can be a valuable tool in classroom situations where you want students to really take notice of something. Music can transform an unappealing text into something majestic and unforgettable.
Research has shown that emotional memory is a very powerful force. We are far more likely to recall something where we were either in a heightened state of emotion, or where images or music produced an emotional rather than neutral response.
We remember things better when they are connected to a strong emotion: why else does Hollywood invest so heavily in magnificent soundtracks for their movies. Many of the most memorable and famous moments are associated with a particular piece of music. We all felt a tremor of fear when the familiar Jaws theme was played in the movie; we all (some of us at least) get teary-eyed when the music sweeps into a crescendo of dramatic melody when a major character is dying.
To be able to cheaply and easily have access to music is incredibly important to a teacher (especially considering our wages). We can add sound to our PowerPoints to maintain interest, we can allow students to choose their own musical addition to their own projects. Some learners learn best with music playing softly in the background as they work on independent tasks, so with plenty of music at hand, we can cater to the diversity of learning styles in the classroom, and those whose intelligence is musical, or verbal-linguistic according to the Multiple Intelligences theory.
Here is an example of how music can transform something ordinary into something extraordinary.
REFERENCES
Baddeley, A., Hitch, G., Gathercole, S., Hartley, T & Jeffries, E. (n.d.) The University of York: the Centre for working memory and learning. Retrieved from http://www.york.ac.uk/res/wml/
BBC Radio 4, The memory experience: a journey of self discovery. (2006). Retrieved from http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/memory/understand/emotional_memory.shtml
Gardner, H. (1975). Retrieved from http://www.gp-training.net/training/educational_theory/multint/multint.htm. Retrieved from CQ University e-course, EDED20491 ICTs for learning design, http://e-courses.cqu.edu.au
Incompetech. (n.d). Retrieved from http://incompetech.com/m/c/royalty-free/. Retrieved from CQ University e-course, EDED20491 ICTs for learning design, http://e-courses.cqu.edu.au
Smith, J. (2007) Writers on writing. Retrieved from http://www.teachertube.com/viewVideo.php?video_id=560&title=Writers_on_Writing
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Hi Alice,
ReplyDeleteThank you for this information, I agree with you about the connection between emotion and memory. Music is certainly a powerful tool in this domain. As a person that has played and participated in music all their lives I can definately relate to this ideal. I am sure that there will be a variety of ways that music will be incorpoated into my lessons, knowing about free downloads will make planning that little bit easier.
Thanks again,
Kylie Gupwell
Hi Alice,
ReplyDeleteI agree, music is a powerful tool. It was used greatly over the ages as a tool for propaganda. It certainly can evoke strong emotions in people of all cultures. It would be a powerful tool in the classroom to engage or just to get a certain response from children. Playing soothing music would also help calm children down after playtime.
Great blog.
Miriam.
Hi Miriam,
ReplyDeleteYes, the fact that music has been used for propoganda for time immemorial does imply that it is one of the greatest factors in a successful marketing campaign. Even today, most commercials on TV have easy to remember 'jingles' to assist us in recalling the product name and associating it with a positive emotional reaction.
So, being this powerful, it would be silly not to use it in the classroom. It is so easy to put music into powerpoint presentations, or just to play a song before introducing a topic. The music itself is the main 'hook' in engaging students and capturing their attention straight away.
I like your idea of soothing music when hyperactivity is high! - i.e during heavy rain, immediately after lunch etc. Perhaps a quiet time of music and dance would be nice to end many days, in that last hour when little is achieved academically anyway.
Cheers,
Alice
Hi Kylie,
ReplyDeleteThank you for the comments. I agree about music being a 'powerful' tool and that with such power free and easily accessible, it would be crazy not to use it to engage students in learning.
It might be fun to use a popular tune that everyone knows (like Twinkle Twinkle Little Star) and ask the students to write their own lyrics on it on a particular topic studied, or just as a poetic narrative for English.
Cheers
Alice