Introduction
In the midst of the interacting currents of educational anticipations, there is one field of inquiry which places pressure on educational administrators. The inquiry is: by which manner can the incorporation of the performing and visual arts enable the improvement of the academic performance of the children who attend (Lorimer, 2009). Research has demonstrated that there is a correlation between the subscription to music courses and academic attainment in elementary schools. It has been demonstrated that the students who maintained their enrollment in the music classes attain higher academic performance than the children who did not enroll in music appreciation courses (Hodges and O’ Connell, 2006). Does art integration improve reading scores in elementary schools?
The question which must be asked by educational practitioners is: what are the abilities which are being motivated when children are enrolled in the processes of creating art? The emphasis on recording academic improvements has been established with the NCLB, various school districts have restricted their funding to arts programs (Mason & Steedly, 2006). The modifications in the national policies on elementary education during the past few years have formed the landscape for the appreciation of the arts in scholastic environments over the past few years. In the Educate America Act, art appreciation has been delineated as being a component of the elementary school curriculum (Rupert, 2006). There have been decades of educational policies and implementations which have been directed at elevating the educational standards. These implementations and policies have eroded the prominent position that art appreciation has in elementary school education (Rabkin & Redmond, 2006).
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"Art Integration and the Relationship to Reading Scores in Elementary Schools".
The NCLB Act requires that the performing and visual arts be perceived as core studies. Notwithstanding, the majority of schools dedicate relatively exposure to art appreciation. It has been suggested that there should be some initiatives which are directed toward improving the participation of art appreciation in the elementary school curriculum (Lorimer, 2009). Research which has been conducted has demonstrated that the elementary school students listening skills and mathematics skills were improved by means of the application of Kodaly musical instruction (Hodges & O’Connell, 2006). Research has also demonstrated that the students who enrolled in listening attentiveness course in addition to the music appreciation courses achieved increased academic performance than the students who did not enroll in listening attentiveness and music appreciation courses (Hodges & O’Connell, 2006).
The participation of interdisciplinary artists has been proven to be extremely effective for the enabling of reading comprehension in third grade students. Additional studies have confirmed that students who receive musical appreciation instruction score improved grades on mathematics exams. Music appreciation has been proven to increase the elementary students’ spatial – temporal logical capacity in addition to the elementary students’ verbal abilities (Mason & Steedly, 2006).
The NCLB (No Child Left Behind) Act enabled the expansion of the participation of the federal government in order to diminish the distinction of the disadvantaged minority students and their peers (Rupert, 2006). Evidence has proven that art appreciation courses in the elementary school curriculum can have a powerful influence on the outcomes of academic achievement. These influences may be long lasting for the disadvantaged and minority students. The gains which were achieved by the students in academic attainment as a result of their art appreciation were most manifest in the students who were categorized as being of a minimal socioeconomic status (Rabkin & Redmond, 2006).
Research has demonstrated that the art appreciation classes were combined with supplementary arts courses, which were dance and theater courses. The encouragement which was provided by the instructors was an additional advantage. Many of the participants in the art appreciation, theater and dance courses reported that the art appreciation caused them to experience greater joy and efficacy in the classroom environment (Lorimer, 2009).
Research has demonstrated that there were assertive outcomes in the academic achievement scores of Hispanic students who received training at minimal participation art appreciation programs, rotational fine arts programs and intensive fine art appreciation academies. It has also been determined that there is a substantial correlation between the ability of music students to read music notes and the mathematic achievement in mathematic courses (Hodges and O’ Connell, 2006).
Research which was conducted on the effectiveness of teaching strategies demonstrated that the participation of the appreciation of art in their daily teaching routine demonstrated that 48% of the teachers stated that they applied art on a daily basis in their courses. Twenty one percent of the instructors stated that they applied art in the teaching activities once a week, The smallest group of respondents stated that they applied art once a month in their educational activities (Mason & Steedly, 2006).
Research which has been conducted demonstrates that the overwhelming majority of Americans (93%) perceive that art appreciation is an important element in attaining a comprehensive elementary school education and 86% were in concurrence that art enhances the elementary school children’s perceptions toward school. Additional findings demonstrated that 83% of Americans per4ceive that art appreciation enables the children to develop effective communication skills and 79% of Americans concurred that including art appreciation in the elementary school curriculum is what would remedy the present educational deficiencies (Rupert, 2006).
- Hodges, D. A. & O’ Connell, D. S. (2006). The impact of music education on academic achievement. The University of North Carolina at Greensboro.
- Lorimer, M. R. (2009). Using interdisciplinary arts education to enhance learning. Principal, January 2009: 8- 13.
- Mason, C. Y. & Steedly, K. M. (2006). Rubrics and an arts integration community of practice. Teaching Exceptional Children, 39(1): 36- 43.
- Rabkin, N & Redmond, R. (2006). The arts make a difference. Educational Leadership, 63(5): 60- 64.
- Rupert, S. S. (2006). Critical Evidence How the arts benefits student achievement. National Assembly of State Arts Agencies, Arts Education Partnership.
