| Music is a universal language. Exposing children to the | | | | arts experience, therefore, the better. |
| music, songs and dances of other cultures should | | | | Furthermore, by exposing children to other cultures in a |
| simply be another aspect of the music and movement | | | | positive way, they gain understanding and learn |
| program, integrated quite naturally on a daily basis. In | | | | acceptance of others. They need to be made aware |
| the home setting, where only one language is spoken, it | | | | that somewhere in another corner of the world are |
| is a good idea to expose children regularly to the | | | | children just like them. These children are also having |
| sounds of another language through music. | | | | fun by singing songs, chanting rhymes, playing games |
| Why is it a good idea? Young children learn by being | | | | and dancing. In this way inherent social values are |
| actively involved in the process, through exploring and | | | | gained, especially discovering that difference simply |
| experimenting, through copying and acting out. And so | | | | means diversity. Thus, it encourages a sense of |
| it is with learning music, including the music (and | | | | harmony and inclusion rather than discrimination and |
| language) of another culture, the foundations for which | | | | distrust. |
| are best learnt while developing primary language. As | | | | Studies show that exposing children to the sound, |
| such, a successful early childhood music program must | | | | rhythm and intonation of language and music from |
| incorporate movement (including dance) and should | | | | diverse cultures assists them to discriminate between |
| quite naturally involve learning across the curriculum. In | | | | sounds, which assist with the acquisition of language |
| other words, through music, the child can also develop | | | | skills. Listening is a skill that needs to be taught, as |
| language, mathematical concepts, physical | | | | opposed to hearing which is a sense we are born with. |
| development as well as social and emotional | | | | Listening to the sounds of another language |
| outcomes. Music, of course, is not exclusively reserved | | | | encourages concentration. In time, it starts to make |
| for the school domain. At home or in a childcare | | | | sense, in the same way that as babies, we all learnt to |
| centre, music, including music from other cultures, | | | | understand the spoken word. Introducing children to |
| should form part of the structure of everyday play. | | | | Languages Other Than English (LOTE) cannot start |
| EVERY child has the right to a musical education. Like | | | | soon enough. Far from confusing children, learning |
| other forms of verbal and non-verbal communication, | | | | another language actually enhances the learning of |
| exposure to music should start at birth and even | | | | their mother tongue. |
| before. | | | | Unlike adults, children absorb the language of another |
| It is important to bear in mind that not every child will | | | | culture easily. Children who come from bi-lingual |
| naturally take to singing or learning to play a musical | | | | households quickly learn to discriminate between the |
| instrument. Physical expression through dance and | | | | two languages and use them both appropriately. They |
| drama is the way some children prefer to enjoy their | | | | soon become aware that communication, in whatever |
| musical experience. How wonderful to extend that | | | | form, gets them what they want. |
| experience by using the dances, the music and the | | | | Whether in a classroom, a nursery or at home, children |
| costumes from another culture. And what child doesn't | | | | are naturally attracted to the sounds of another |
| love dressing up? | | | | language. Most adults can remember the foreign songs |
| In musical interpretation there should be no pressure on | | | | that they learnt at school. How many English songs |
| the child to "get it right" because there is no right or | | | | from school can we remember? And why limit it to |
| wrong but simply the joy of participation. When a child | | | | songs? Include fingerplays, dances and relaxation |
| feels successful at something, the child gains | | | | music. To the child, it is not important what the words |
| enormous confidence. This is critical where children are | | | | mean as the music conveys the mood and that is |
| suffering from low self-esteem due to poor academic | | | | everything. |
| achievement. The more you can extend the creative | | | | |