Building Language with Music

I randomly stumbled on an article on two-daloo.com, "Building Language With Music" (link here) about the power of music in building language skills. Little did I realize, until the end of the article, that my friend and mother of one of my cute level 2 students was the guest blogger.  She definitely knows her stuff and has helped me personally with some concerns about my own children.  Yay!  Katie!

Research has long shown that music helps "unlock" language abilities in the brain.  My experience teaching my son in Sound Beginnings has shown this to be true.

Top Ten Reasons to Know Your Primary Chords

Each year in Let's Play Music classes, students learn to hear and play what we call the "Primary Chords" and label them red, blue, and yellow.  These chords, also known as I IV and V or tonic, dominant, and sub-dominant chords, are a foundation for 90% of the music we listen to.  Here's a run-down from fellow LPM teacher Dave Meadows on the other Top Ten Reasons Primary Chords are Awesome!

10 - Memorizing is easier!
9 - Better feel for chord position.
8 -  Tension and Release: Hear the harmonies that aren't written.  Feel where the music is going...
7- Can do more with written music.
6 -  Easier to fake it! Cover up mistakes easier...
5- Recognizing key signatures.
4- Improvisation
3- Composition
2- Trust the experts.
1- IT'S FUN!

Let's Play Music isn't just any music class, it is a total musicianship program that uses the piano to give the students an amazing foundation!

Music is Good for the Brain: Another Possible Benefit

A great article from CNN about how early exposure to music benefits our brains.

Check it out:  http://www.cnn.com/2013/08/31/health/music-dementia-link/index.html

Truly A Sound Beginning

Sure singing and playing with our kids is fun, and we feel good about it, but what does it do for our kids?  And what can babies actually learn?The National Association for the Education of Young Children, which exists to advocate and educate for young children, says babies benefit more than we think!  Click below to read on:

http://families.naeyc.org/learning-and-development/music-math-more/10-ways-babies-learn-when-we-sing-them

Benefits of Early Music Education

Since you are reading this, you are one who won't be surprised to know the benefits of music at an early age. But, did you know that those benefits stretch beyond the years of early childhood?  Click to read more...

http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/09/10/early-music-lessons-have-longtime-benefits/