The PBS Special The Music Instinct is an excellent television program. It features interviews with Yo-Yo Ma, Bobby McFerrin, David Rothenberg, and many others discussing the impact of music on the brain and for learning. This program, which premiered June 24, may or may not still be available at your local station but there is a series of 5 online videos that may also be helpful:
I was immediately drawn to this topic when I saw the title, “Music and the Brain.” I have a daughter with Aspergers Syndrome, a form of Autism. One of the difficulties associated with her condition is the ability to learn abstract concepts or pure information in the absence of any context, such as raw memorization, like spelling a word.
As my wife and I searched for ways to help our daughter with school-work we decided to try and attach it to what she felt comfortable with. For her that’s music. We quickly learned that our daughter could very easily spell any word she turned into a song. Over and over we tested it with 100% success every time. We even went as far as to help her write songs about other subject material like, social studies, science, and language arts. As long as she could create a song out of her study material she could learn it with ease. She would simply recite the songs in her head during test. This doesn’t mean though that the material is able to be recalled for general conversation as she’d have to get the song through her head to get to all of the material.
This learning process can only last so long though so we are seeking other options to help her with her challenges.
Thanks
Bob