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Music and Language Immersion:
Introducing Music, Language and Health to Children.
By: Aurore Adamkiewicz, ND

The area of foreign language learning is as diverse as the area of music learning, especially when it
comes to early childhood. Everyone seems to know the “earlier the better” research but many feel
lost and confused as to how to approach these two important subjects.  Brain scans have now
proven that the bridge between the two sides of the brain, the corpus callosum, is actually 15
percent larger in adults who started music lessons before the age of eight than in those who started
later. The corpus callosum carries a hundred million nerve fibers; a 15% increase in its cross-
section suggests a vast increase in information flow (2002).  Similar research has been recorded
about children who grew up bilingually with an increase in the density of gray brain matter (2004).  
An early experience with music and foreign language has a profound effect on the performance of
the brain and the entire human body.   
The fact that the majority of American music education is spent on learning music, rather than
creating it, shows that music learning is not a perfect science and could be dramatically improved
upon (Jourdain, 2002).   Another sad but true fact is that foreign language is not routinely taught until
after the ages of 12 to 14 years old in the United States.  This compelling research has not caught
up to or yet changed an educational system that holds on to out dated concepts and that has, in
many ways, failed our children in the area of the Arts.
So, do we as parents aggressively over intellectualize our children, to get all of their “early” training in
with grand hopes of virtuosity and genius mentality?  Indeed, not, I propose that a child’s intellect
can be both trained musically and protected reverently. One way we can accomplish task is to first
ask ourselves what our ultimate motives and goals are for our child.  This question should help us
first, create an age appropriate lesson structure which honors the child and secondly, to help the
child develop a life long appreciation of music and language.

Memorization vs. Comprehension
I will never forget the wise words spoken by my children’s former music teacher on the last day of
my seven year olds class.  She said, “Resist the temptation to have them perform and memorize
songs at the expense of slowly building solid technique and understanding.”  Her words illuminated
in my mind as I recently re-read the book “The Miracle Worker” the story of Helen Keller, a child that
was deaf and blind and her relationship with her teacher Anne Sullivan.  While, Helen’s parents
were more than satisfied and truly impressed to have their daughter perform memorized signs and
imitate proper behavior for treats, Ms. Sullivan was not.  Ms. Sullivan would not rest or give up until
Helen understood what the signs meant and developed “comprehension.”  This comprehension
was only made possible by forming a relationship with the child, remaining steadfast, and finally by
the child opening her heart on her own accord and began to “trust” the teacher.  
This story is microcosmically related because every parent strives to balance the polarized aspects
of Helen’s mother and Anne Sullivan throughout parenthood.  In my work with autistic children,
healing is often only possible when the Helen’s Mother within the parent voluntarily surrenders and
the Ann Sullivan within the parent takes command.  Macrocosmically speaking, I cannot help but
question how many Helen Keller’s have the traditional educational system produced?  How many
children are playing music, to play, with memorization and lack of comprehension?  How many
children speak words without meaning?   Have teachers that haven’t taught?  Or parent’s that have
simply given up?
To answer my musical education questions, I turn to Brian DiBlassio, an assistant Professor of
music at the University of Michigan.  Besides his university work, Mr. DiBlassio also maintains a
base of private teaching for children.  He says that teachers can often be afraid to let the natural,
creative, ear-based playing run wild because they don't know how to embrace and develop it.  They
can often be more comfortable with tangible, traditional skills that are easier to quantify (curl your
fingers, that is a middle C, etc.).  He also remarked that his own love and development for music
came directly from his mother, who introduced him at nine years old but never made it compulsory
or abusive.  This “gentle” introduction to music has given him the freedom to both follow music into
a successful career and continue to find residual joy in creating music, day after day and year after
year.
Mr. DiBlassio had a very specific and enlightening response when asked about music learning. I
found it so profound and courageously intriguing; I decided to quote him directly and keep it in its
entirety.  “I think there is an extremely delicate balance in how one should unfold the art of playing
and communicating music while teaching children.  Starting the child off too early with note reading,
the logic of counting, and intense hand techniques will risk overload and increase a later propensity
to music repulsion.  Teaching the child totally by ear, too far in their intellectual development, could
potentially cause an enormous deficit of musical reading and writing that takes years of focus and
commitment to overcome.

Surprisingly, I believe the musician who learns completely by ear and can't read a note can be just
as musical or MORE musical than one who learns both skills.  However, this completely ear-based
musician will have a quite difficult, if not impossible time functioning and communicating as a
musician in society (exactly analogous to a brilliant adult who can't read or write).

Specifically, I believe children from womb to about 7 years should have music in their environment --
daily.  Actively listening, singing/being sung to, freedom to play a variety of instruments in the
household.  If they begin an instrument in this time period, it should be offered with no expectations,
like a meal set before them.  If they are hungry fine, if not, back off!

Age 8 to . . . 24(?) would be a good time to offer more formal lessons that combine the intellectual
skills of technique and theory with the listening and playing artistry of music.

From age 18(?) to __ would be a good time to talk about using music as a form of meditation with
the possibilities of transcending consciousness.”

What about Foreign Languages?
For foreign language introduction, many parents are relying solely, if not completely on tapes and
DVDs.  We have been hearing it periodically for years but now even pop culture research show TV
before 7 years old can be very damaging (2004).  Children under seven thrive, need and learn
through real interaction especially with music, rhymes, singing and signing.  (Why signing? I use
English Sign Language as a "base" physical language to link all other languages).  At one point on
my language journey with my own children, I enrolled them in L'Ecole de Francaise, a French
immersion school for expatriates.  There they got the much needed immersion but were
unfortunately surrounded by teachers who were so cruel to them they did not want to speak French
anymore!  Thus, after the plan having backfired, I had to seek out a better solution that left me, the
parent in ultimate control.
Let me make it clear, I pass no judgment on parents resorting to TV for language immersion
because I understand the parents’ plight.  As a parent and an early music
and language educator I have struggled with this and still do.  My older two children had many hours
of diverse language TV time, programs like: Muzzy, Lyric Language, TinTin, etc.  None of these
videos, however, helped to produce the language savvy individuals I had hoped for and any
language learning they learned came directly from me and my not so desirable accent!   Similarly, in
the musical realm the long distance traveling to the very expensive Kelly Kirby piano classes at five
years old proved to be little more than overwhelming my children with "adult-erated" expectations at
the expense of their childhood.  I speak of childhood as a sacred realm, an area that needs to be
tread upon with great care and appreciation.   

What about Health?
As a Naturopath, I have researched the health benefits of music, language, color, and sound and
have faithfully used it with my own family and practice for the last ten years.  I have now created a
revolutionary different and amazingly effective music and sound therapy program that encompasses
all of the fore mentioned arts. The children are learning basic musical principals through the healing
aspects of color, sound and language all at the same time.
In terms of music as a form of therapy and lessons, I encourage parents that they can unequivocally
have both.  There are, of course, lots of classes to expose your child to "music” however, the most
important and overlooked aspect of early music learning is the exposure of "pure tones.”  This is
where sound therapy comes in and applying pure tones to the body to balance and bring wellness
as in Jean Beaulieu's research on the Pythagorean scale and the interesting work of composer
John Cage (1998).  My music therapy program the AMHC strives to bring sound and color therapy
together in a harmonious and fluid intellectual transition.
The colors applied to my song books are not applied half-hazardly for visual appeal but are based
on scientific research of color and sound as prescribed by the late Dr. Darius Dinshah and his book,
Let there be Light (2005).  For more general information on color and sound, you can also purchase
my book, Beyond Natural Cures where I outline color and sound therapy, its usage and benefits in
terms of creating balance and health (2006).
Because color and sound are such and important and strong foundation of the therapies I employ
for naturopathy, I spend a tremendous amount of time educating and teaching others about the
uses and benefits of color and sound therapies.  In a time of economic uncertainty, color and sound
are powerfully effective and economically advantageous means of treatment.  With color and sound
therapy, the dependence and addiction to expensive herbal supplements and vitamins are thankfully
avoided.  

About the Program
The AMHC Phase I is the first in a series of three programs.  It contains charming folk songs in
French, German, and Spanish led by children; indeed, the songbook itself was designed and
created with the help of children.  Created in a pentatonic octave, there is no annoying dissonance.
This means that children are introduced to sound and music foundation with great confidence and
compositional abilities.  The lesson planner is filled with ideas and lessons for children of all ages
and adults. The DVD that comes with the program isn't meant for children to sit and watch over and
over although they will want to but as a means to inspire and help with pronunciation.  Along with a
translation guide and a pronunciation guide in the song book, you have a complete educational
program which is delightfully simple and easy to comprehend.   The information that has been
brought together is vitally important and refreshingly different.
I encourage anyone interested in early childhood education to thoughtfully consider using
temperance and careful evaluation, even considering health and psychology, when forming goals
and expectations for their child.  I leave you with a quote to inspire you on your journey from the
founder of Waldorf schools, Rudolf Steiner, “Receive children in reverence, educate them in love,
and send them forth in freedom.”


References

Jordain, Robert. (2002). Music, the brain and ecstasy.
New York: Harper Collins, Quills division.
Hitti, Miranda. (2008) Being bi-lingual boosts brain power.
Cited. http://www.webmd.com/parenting/news/20041013/being-bilingual-boosts-brain-power.
Mechelli, A. Nature, October 13, 2004; vol 431: p 757.
Diblassio, Brian (2008). Music Interview.
Ann Arbor: Studio, questions in email.
Macloud, Murdo and Cairns, Gary. (2008) Uh-Oh! Study urges TV ban for tots.
April 24, 2004  http://news.scotsman.com/latestnews/Uh-oh-Study-urges-TV.2523214.jp  
(2008)        TFLTA.org. Foreign languages: essential core experience.  
Beaulieu, John, ND. (1995). Music and sound in the healing arts.
New York: Station Hill Press.
Dinshah, Darius. (2005). Let there be light.
Malaga: Dinshah Health Society
Adamkiewicz, Aurore, ND. (2006). Beyond natural cures.
Michigan: www.beyondnaturalmedicine.com.