TEACH IT LIKE LANGUAGE (MY OWN TAKE ON HOW MUSIC SHOULD BE TAUGHT TO KIDS)

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Music is beautiful and amazing but the task of making it and teaching it can also be very daunting. Ask the music teacher and the music composer. In this short essay, I am going to recommend a simple approach to teaching music to kids, which is the same approach parents and nannies use in teaching language to babies.

Music is pretty much the same as language because the primary element in this two is sound. Music is basically made through a combination of sound and so are speeches. Through a careful observation, you may agree with me that speech and language can also be classified as a form of music and this is most evident in tonal languages like the Chinese. A good musician with great aural ability can easily locate the tonal center of a tonal language when it is spoken by an individual or in most cases, relate the different pitches of the spoken phrases to a musical scale. If music and language are this closely related, then the approach to teaching music to kids shouldn't be so different from the approach of teaching language to kids.

First of all let's remind ourselves of what music is, some scholars would simply define music as arrangement of sound in such a way that is appealing or pleasing to the ears. This definition may sound simple and right but to me, it limits what music truly is and thus does not properly define music. A good musician would know that what is not played is also as important and powerful as what is being played, and the same applies in language and communication: what you don't say is as powerful as what you say. So what am I saying in essence? Defining music without talking about “silence” would mar and limit the definition of this art. I would define music as the careful arrangement of sounds and silences in such a way that is pleasant to the ears. The most important thing here is the arrangement of sounds and silences, the next line that follows is subject to debate as what is pleasing to my ears may not be pleasing to your ears. The fact that what I call music sounds annoying to you doesn't mean that it is no more music to me or that it is music to you. Hip Hop or Jazz may sound unpleasant to Mr. A but pleasant to Mr. B. The same goes with language and speech.

After observing that language and music are similar, let's remember how we learnt to speak. I guess no one remembers but I know most of us have witnessed or even participated in teaching language to newborns. First we use gestures, when you are happy you smile at the child and gradually he gets to understand that gesture. In my own society, if a mother breast-feeds a baby and for whatever reason, the baby bites the mother, the mother frowns at the baby to show disapproval but if the baby continues this unacceptable action, the mother may pinch or smack the infant in such a way that the infant feels just the appropriate amount of pain. Appropriate enough to send a signal that the infant’s actions is inappropriate and unacceptable. A baby should not don't bite the breasts that gives it milk. After a couple of times, the baby will start matching the mother's reactions to his/her own actions, i.e. the baby bites, he receives a spank or a frown. If the mother’s reactions pleases the baby, then the baby will continue the action but if it doesn't please the baby, the baby learns to stop. This is how gestures are important in teaching language and communication to kids.

After sometimes, words are added to the gestures. At this stage the infant doesn't have to be able to speak before words are being used. Single word commands are uttered to the baby, commands like sit, come and go. Compliments are added and then some phrases like sit down, *go there” and come here. Gradually the infant gets to understand these words even without being able to speak them. After some time, the child starts to learn how to say these words and over time he masters them. After mastering the foundation of language and communication, the child is now sent to school for formal learning. This is the stage where books and reading of signs and letter combinations are introduced.

Now coming back to music, you will agree with me that if the parents (who are the child’s first teachers) should approach teaching music and language hand in hand as the child is growing, that the job of teaching music would be less cumbersome for the music teacher. If you can't leave a child to learn language all by himself before sending him/her to school, then you shouldn't leave a child to learn music all by himself before sending him/her to the music teacher. I often hear parents say that their kids are too young to start learning music, but that is wrong. Parents should make conscious efforts to teach music to their kids from the day they are born.

Simple methods like playing different kinds of music for the infant can go a long way in teaching the infant that there are numerous kinds of music and all should be appreciated. Play Soft Rock, Hard Rock, Heavy metal, Jazz and others at the most appropriate volume for the infant. Make gestures like nodding your head in acceptance to send a signal that all kinds of music are beautiful. Simple ear training method like playing recorded sounds from different kinds of musical instruments can go a long way in sharpening the skill of aural perception in the child. Over time the parent can graduate from using only gestures to getting the baby to imitate different but simple musical pitches and pitch combinations. This can also be a great vocal training method for the child.

These methods are simple and doesn't require great effort and time. It can even be done while feeding the baby. The bottom line here is don't just teach language and leave the child to learn music all by himself. As language and simple communication are being taught, bring in music also. This will make the task of learning and teaching music easy for your child and the music teacher when it's time for formal music training. Thanks for reading this far.

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