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Using singing to nurture children’s hearing? A pilot study

Welch, GF; Saunders, J; Edwards, S; Palmer, Z; Himonides, E; Knight, J; Mahon, M; ... Vickers, DA; + view all (2015) Using singing to nurture children’s hearing? A pilot study. Cochlear Implants International , 16 (S3) S63-S70. 10.1179/1467010015Z.000000000276. Green open access

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Abstract

This article reports a pilot study of the potential benefits of a sustained programme of singing activities on the musical behaviours and hearing acuity of young children with hearing impairment (HI). Twenty-nine children (n=12 HI and n=17 NH) aged between 5 and 7 years from an inner-city primary school in London participated, following appropriate ethical approval. The predominantly classroom-based programme was designed by colleagues from the UCL Institute of Education and UCL Ear Institute in collaboration with a multi-arts charity Creative Futures and delivered by an experienced early years music specialist weekly across two school terms. There was a particular emphasis on building a repertoire of simple songs with actions and allied vocal exploration. Musical learning was also supported by activities that drew on visual imagery for sound and that included simple notation and physical gesture. An overall impact assessment of the pilot programme embraced pre- and post-intervention measures of pitch discrimination, speech perception in noise and singing competency. Subsequent statistical data analyses suggest that the programme had a positive impact on participant children’s singing range, particularly (but not only) for HI children with hearing aids, and also in their singing skills. HI children’s pitch perception also improved measurably over time. Findings imply that all children, including those with HI, can benefit from regular and sustained access to age-appropriate musical activities.

Type: Article
Title: Using singing to nurture children’s hearing? A pilot study
Open access status: An open access version is available from UCL Discovery
DOI: 10.1179/1467010015Z.000000000276
Publisher version: http://dx.doi.org/10.1179/1467010015Z.000000000276
Language: English
Additional information: Special Issue: Music Perception and Cochlear Implants. This is an Accepted Manuscript of an article published by Taylor & Francis in Cochlear Implants International: An Interdisciplinary Journal on 12/11/2015, available online: http://www.tandfonline.com/10.1179/1467010015Z.000000000276.
Keywords: Children, hearing impairment, music, benefits
UCL classification: UCL
UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > School of Education
UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > School of Education > UCL Institute of Education
UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > School of Education > UCL Institute of Education > IOE - Culture, Communication and Media
UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > School of Life and Medical Sciences
UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > School of Life and Medical Sciences > Faculty of Brain Sciences
UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > School of Life and Medical Sciences > Faculty of Brain Sciences > Div of Psychology and Lang Sciences
UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > School of Life and Medical Sciences > Faculty of Brain Sciences > Div of Psychology and Lang Sciences > Language and Cognition
URI: https://discovery.ucl.ac.uk/id/eprint/1474918
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