The role of music in the auditory perceptual development of children from birth to ten years of age - a psychopedagogical investigation

Abstract

English: This study concentrated on an important developmental fact, namely auditory perception. Through personal experience it became clear to the researcher that children have a problem understanding or interpreting information that has been heard. Not all children have hearing impairment problems, but because children don't listen accurately, they experience difficulty in communicating. Somehow children teach themselves "to switch off' against environmental sounds. The problem is that children now have difficulty in understanding sounds and language, because they have never been taught to listen accurately. Therefore the importance of auditory perception and the listening skill is investigated in this study. The main goals of this study were: • to determine the importance of auditory perception and the role of music in the auditory developmental process; and • to provide activities through which auditory perception can be developed or improved. There is a definite link between auditory perception and music. The researcher stresses the important role that music plays in the auditory perception process. Therefore music is used as a medium through which auditory perception can be improved and developed. In chapter 2 the researcher describes the hearing process, because that is the origin of hearing a sound. The inner, middle and outer ear (as the structure of the human ear), as well as "sound" are discussed. Chapter 3 deals with terminology, such as auditory acuity, auditory perception and auditory processing. Auditory perceptual problems are discussed, as well as the impact that auditory perceptual problems have on music experiences. To be able to help the child, teachers must be aware of the general development and abilities of a child of a certain age. In chapter 4 the researcher discusses the listening abilities, musical experiences and motor development of children from the prenatal stage to children, 10years of age. In order to help the child develop or improve his/her auditory perception, listening activities must be used on a regular basis. Through these activities the child becomes aware of sound and learns to discriminate between various sounds. The child's listening skill can be improved by using music activities and games. These listening activities are described in chapter 5. Listening, music and movement cannot be separated. When a child listens to music, it is natural for him/her to move rhythmically to the beat of the music, or to respond through bodily movement. In order to respond to the music, the child is forced to listen accurately. In chapter 6 movement as a bodily response to listening is the basic approach. Activities that involve music, listening and movement are discussed. In the concluding chapter the important role of the home in the auditory perceptual development process is discussed. Practical implementations are given and recommendations are made. The conclusion arrived at in this study is that music can play a very important role in the development of auditory perception. The importance of accurate listening is stipulated, and the crucial part played by the parents in the auditory process are proved. Recommendations made by the researcher, teachers and parents ought to encourage them to start make children conscious of sounds at a very early age. The sooner they start, the easier the task will be - to teach children to listen accurately. Auditory perceptual exercises should be done on a regular basis in the right conditions.Afrikaans: Gedurende hierdie studie is daar gekonsentreer op 'n belangrike deel van ontwikkeling, naamlik ouditiewe persepsie. Deur persoonlike ondervinding het dit vir die navorser duidelik geword dat kinders probleme ondervind om inligting wat gehoor is, te verstaan of korrek te interpreteer. Nie alle leerlinge het probleme met beskadigde gehoor nie, maar omdat kinders nie effektief luister nie, ondervind hulle kommunikasieprobleme. Op een of ander wyse het kinders self geleer om "af te skakel" van omgewingsgeluide. Die probleem ontstaan nou dat leerlinge probleme ondervind om klanke en taal te verstaan, want daar is nie aandag bestee aan hul vermoë om effektief te luister nie. Gevolglik word die belangrikheid van ouditiewe persepsie en effektiewe luistervaardighede in hierdie verhandeling ondersoek. Die belangrikste doelstellings is: • Om die belangrikheid van ouditiewe persepsie en die rol van musiek in die ouditiewe perseptuele ontwikkelingsproses vas te stel; • om aktiwiteite te verskaf vir die ontwikkeling of verbetering van ouditiewe persepsie. Daar is 'n definitiewe verband tussen ouditiewe persepsie en musiek. Die navorser beklemtoon deurgaans die belangrike rol van musiek in die ouditiewe perseptuele proses. Gevolglik is musiek gebruik as 'n medium waardeur ouditiewe persepsie ontwikkelof verbeter kan word. In hoofstuk 2 beskryf die navorser die gehoorproses, omdat dit die oorsprong van die hoor van klank is. Die binne-, middel- en buite-oor (as die struktuur van die menslike oor), sowel as die begrip "klank" word bespreek. In hoofstuk 3 word terminologie soos ouditiewe skerpheid, ouditiewe persepsie en ouditiewe verwerking gehanteer. Ouditiewe probleme word bespreek, sowel as die invloed van ouditiewe perseptuele probleme op musikale ervarings. Om in staat te wees om die kind te help, moet onderwysers bewus wees van die algemene ontwikkeling en vermoëns van 'n kind op 'n sekere ouderdom. In hoofstuk 4 bespreek die navorser die luistervermoë, musikale ervaring en motoriese ontwikkeling van kinders vanaf voorgeboorte tot tienjarige ouderdom. Luisteraktiwiteite moet op gereelde basis gebruik word om die kind se ouditiewe persepsie te ontwikkelof te verbeter. Met behulp van hierdie aktiwiteite word die kind bewus van klank en leer hy om te diskrimineer tussen verskillende klanke. Die kind se luistervaardigheid kan verbeter word deur die gebruik van musiekaktiwiteite en speletjies. Hierdie aktiwiteite word in hoofstuk 5 beskryf. Luister, musiek en beweging kan nie geskei word nie. Dit is natuurlik vir 'n kind om ritmies op die maat van musiek te beweeg, of om liggaamlik te reageer wanneer musiek gehoor word. Om in staat te wees om op die musiek te reageer, word die kind gedwing om effektief daarna te luister. In hoofstuk 6 word liggaamlike beweging as reaksie op luister gebruik as uitgangspunt. In die slothoofstuk word die belangrike rol van die ouerhuis in die kind se ouditiewe perseptuele ontwikkeling bespreek. Praktiese toepassings word gegee en aanbevelings word gemaak. Die gevolgtrekking wat na afloop van die studie gemaak word, is dat musiek 'n baie belangrike rol speel in ouditiewe perseptuele ontwikkeling. Die belangrikheid van effektiewe luister word vasgestel en die uiters belangrike rol van die ouers word bewys. Aanbevelings gemaak deur die navorser, onderwysers en ouers, behoort kinders vanaf 'n vroeë ouderdom bewus te maak van klank. Hoe vroeër hulle begin, hoe makliker sal die taak wees om kinders effektiewe luistergewoontes aan te leer. Ouditiewe perseptuele oefeninge behoort op 'n gereelde basis en onder gunstige omstandighede gedoen te word.