MUSIC AND IT’S IMPACT ON STUDENT’S WRITING

PRODUCTIVITY & ATTITUDE TOWARD WRITING.

Onekqua N. HenryEducation 703.22

Spring 2010

TABLE OF CONTENTSIntroduction Statement of the Problem Review of Related Literature Statement of the HypothesisMethod Participants Instruments Experimental design ProcedureResults Discussion Implications ReferencesAppendices Appendix A Appendix B

STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM According to the National Assessment of Educational

Progress writing is considered the most neglected of the 3 R’s.

Students in 8th grade are writing at a proficient level of 31% and 23% in grade 12.

Students leave elementary school and progress through the grades not prepared for college writing.

Teachers are faced with the task of engaging students to write in a world filled with other stimuli such as video games, television, and the internet (Walsh,2008)

REVIEW OF THE RELATED LITERATURE

Well Known Practioners and Theorists

Piaget Cognitive Development Theory

(Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia 2009 Howard Gardner

Multiple Intelligence Theory (Gardner, 1998)

Lucy Calkins Units of Study for Teaching Writing, Grades 3-5

Donald Graves Writing: Teachers & Children at Work

Nancy Atwell Lessons That Change Writers

REVIEW OF THE RELATED LITERATURE Pros :

Music can increase writing productivity, be used as a motivational tool for writing.

Music can encourage discussion, & written responses.

Music can reengage students and compete with iPods & video games.

Music ties into Howard Gardner’s Multiple intelligences & has parallels to writing. (Donohue & McNeely, 1999; Kariuki &

Honeycutt, 1999;Black,1993; Patterson & Clemens, 2008; Kim & Lorsbach, 2005; Hudson, 2001; Prescott, 1999; Southgate & Roscigno, 2009; Rubin & Melinick, 1998 ; Walsh, 2008; Rubin & Melinick, 1998; Wiggins,2007; DiEdwardo,2005; Perry, 2007; Hansen, 2009; Pearman & Friedman, 2009

Cons: It is a hazy claim that

listening to music makes you smarter. (Piro, 2009; Zehr, 2000)

Using music is a non-traditional way of teaching, lyrics can be provocative, and have controversial perspectives. (Earnest & Duncan,2009; Perry, 2007)

At times the gains are not distributed equally because of factors such as music selection, culture, race/ethnicity, and at times gender. (Southgate, & Roscigno, 2009).

STATEMENT OF THE HYPOTHESIS

Hr1Integrating music in five fifth grade students writing assignments at P.S. ABC in Brooklyn, NY over the course of five weeks will increase their attitudes toward writing.

Hr2- Integrating music in five fifth grade students writing assignments at P.S. ABC in Brooklyn, NY over the course of five weeks will increase their writing productivity.

METHODS Participants

Five 5th grade Students 9-11 yrs old 3 females 2 males

All demonstrating low writing productivity,

and lack of motivationfor writing

Instruments Parental consent form

Two student surveys Assess students’ perception of how well they write. Assess students attitude and motivation for writing and

music.

METHODS Experimental Design

Pre-Experimental: One shot case study

Single group exposed to a treatment (X) and post tested (O)

Symbolic Design:XO

THREATS TO VALIDITY Internal Threats

History

Maturation

Instrumentation

Mortality

Selection-Maturation

Interaction

External ThreatsEcological Validity

Selection Treatment Interaction

Experimenter Effects

Reactive arrangements/participants effects

METHODS Procedure

Students responded to survey questions before and after exposure to music.

Students listened to 3-4 minute pop song per session for five sessions.

Researcher posed a question that related to each song.

Students were to write a response to that question.

Students were given 15 minutes to respond.

RESULTS Data Analysis

Student 1

Student 2 Student 3 Student 4

Student 5

Total words written perSession.

Session 1 110 140 150 143 161

704

Session 2 127 135 158 147 157

724

Session 3 130 144 170 155 169

768

Session 4 141 149 173 169 173

805

Session 5 157 156 179 176 177 845

Student 1 Student 2 student 3 Student 4 Student 50

50

100

150

200Student Writing Productivity

Session 1Session 2Session 3Session 4Session 5

Num

ber

of w

ords

w

ritt

en

RESULTS

With a correlational coefficient of 0.72rxy there appears to be a fair

positive correlation between student’s exposure to music and the number of

words written

Student survey question # 3: I write longer

paragraphs after exposed to music. 1. Strongly

disagree 2. Disagree 3. Agree 4. Strongly agree 1.5 2 2.5 3 3.5 4 4.5

020406080

100120140160180

Correlation between music and student writing productivity

Series1Linear (Series1)

Student perception of their writing productivity

Aver

age

num

ber

of w

ords

w

ritt

en

DISCUSSION

The results of this study demonstrated that the use of music is effective in increasing students attitudes toward writing & writing productivity.

These findings are consistent with the available research that music can influence students writing productivity & motivation toward writing.

IMPLICATIONS The results of this study suggests the

following:A need for a larger sample size.A need for more longitudinal studies.

REFERENCES Applebee, A., & Langer, J. (2009). What Is happening in the teaching of writing? English Journal, 98(5), 18-28.  Retrieved

November 15, 2009, from Teacher Journals. (Document ID: 1742972881). Black, J. (1993). The effects of auditory and visual stimuli on tenth graders' descriptive writing. (ERIC Document

Reproduction Service No. ED364887) Retrieved September 29, 2009,from ERIC database Box, J. (2002). Guided writing in the early childhood classroom. Reading Improvement, 39(3), 11-13. Retrieved October 14,

2009, from Education Full Text database. Cooks, J. (2004). Writing for something: essays, raps, and writing preferences. English Journal, 94(1), 72-6. Retrieved

December 1, 2009, from Education Full Text database. DiEdwardo, M. (2005). Pairing linguistic and music intelligences. Kappa Delta Pi Record, 41(3), 128-30. Retrieved November

17, 2009, from Education Full Text database. Donohoe, R., & McNeely, T. (1999, May 1). The effect of student music choice on writing productivity. (ERIC Document

Reproduction Service No. ED448472) Retrieved September 17, 2009, from ERIC database. Eady, I., & Wilson, J. (2004). The influence of music on core learning. Education, 125(2), 243-248. Retrieved October 8,2009

Academic Search Complete database. Gardner, H. (1998). A multiplicity of intelligences. Scientific American Presents,18-23. Retrieved from Academic Search

Complete database. Hansen, D. (2009). Writing in the music classroom. Teaching Music, 16(4), 28-30. Retrieved November 12, 2009, from

Education Full Text database. Kariuki, P., & Honeycutt, C. (1998, November 1). An investigation of the effects of music on two emotionally disturbed

students' writing motivations and writing skills. (ERIC Document Reproduction Service No. ED427491) Retrieved September 29, 2009, from ERIC database

Kim, J., & Lorsbach, A.W.(2005). Writing self-efficacy in young children: issues for the early grades environment. Journal of Learning Environments Research, 8(2), 157-175. Retrieved October 29, 2009, from Springer

link database. Kissel, B. (2008). Promoting writing and preventing writing failure in young children. Preventing School Failure,

52(4), 53-56. Retrieved from ERIC database. Knudson, R. (1995). Writing experiences, attitudes, and achievement of first

to sixth graders. Journal of Educational Research, 8990-97. Retrieved from ERIC database.

REFERENCES

Morrell, E., & Duncan-Andrade, J. (2002). Promoting academic literacy with urban youth through engaging hip-hop culture. English Journal, 91(6), 88-92. Retrieved December 16, 2009, from Education Full Text database.

Patterson, E., Schaller, M., & Clemens, J. (2008). A closer look at interactive writing. The Reading Teacher, 61(6), 496-7. Retrieved December 16, 2009, from Education Full Text database.

Pearman, C., & Friedman, T. (2009). Reading and rhythm: binding language arts and music in an academic notebook. General Music Today, 23(1), 12-16. Retrieved from ERIC database.

Perry, T. (2007). Adolescent voice in the middle school classroom: can you dig it?. English Journal, 97(1), 109-12. Retrieved December 1, 2009, from Education Full Text database.

Piro, J. (2009, June). Music training and literacy development. Literacy Today, Retrieved September 17, 2009, from Academic Search Complete database.

Prescott, J. (2005). Music in the classroom. Instructor, 114(5), 29-76. Retrieved October 8,2009 from Academic Search Complete database.

Rodesiler, L. (2009). Turn it on and turn it up: incorporating music videos in the ELA classroom. English Journal, 98(6), 45-48.  Retrieved November 15, 2009, from Teacher Journals. (Document I D: 1777697411).

Rubin, R., & Melnick, J. (1998). Twisters and shouters: teaching music and literature together. Radical Teacher, 31-6. Retrieved November 17, 2009, from Education Full Text database.

Scott, L. (1996). Writing to music. The Reading Teacher, 50, 173-4. Retrieved December 16, 2009, from Education Full Text database

Southgate, D., & Roscigno, V. (2009). The impact of music on childhood and adolescent achievement. Social Science Quarterly Retrieved November 17, 2009, from Academic Search Complete database.

Sudol, David, & Sudol, Peg. (1991). Another story: putting Graves, Calkins, and Atwell into practice and perspective. Language Arts, 68(4), 292.  Retrieved October 15, 2009, from Platinum Periodicals. (Document ID: 1867394).

  Walsh, M. (2008). Worlds Have collided and modes have merged: classroom evidence of changed literacy

practices. Literacy, 42(2), 101-108. Retrieved from ERIC database.

APPENDICESAppendix A

Parent Consent Form   Dear parents/guardians,

I am a graduate student at Brooklyn College. As part of my coursework this semester I am required to complete an action research project. Your child has been asked to in this project which examines the impacts of music on student writing. As improving students writing is the goal of this research project I am asking that you give your child permission to participate in this project. The students selected for this project will participate in a group two times a week over the course of five weeks. I will be using popular music as way to open up discussions and then giving the students a writing prompt based on the songs listened to. Each student participating in the action research project will remain confidential no names or other identifying characteristics will be used.

    Thanks in advance,   Onekqua N. Henry     ____ Yes, I give permission for my child to be part of the action research project. ____ No, I do not give permission for my child to be part of the data collection procedure. ____ I would like more information before giving my permission.   Print Child’s Name: _______________________ Parent Signature: _________________________

APPENDICES(CONT)x B

Appendix BStudent Music& Writing Attitude Survey

Directions: For each statement place the number on the corresponding line that you mostly agree with.=1= =2= =3= =4=

Strongly Disagree Agree StronglyDisagree Disagree

1. Writing is boring. ___________

2. I like listening to music. ___________3. I like to write in my spare time. ___________ 4. I enjoy writing notes and letters to people. ___________5. I like writing at school. ___________ 6. I have trouble thinking about what to write. ___________7. It is fun to write things at home. ___________ 8. I can study write to music. ___________ 9. I like to share my writing with others.  ___________10. Writing is fun. ___________

 11. I wish I had more time to write at school. __________ 12. can pay attention while music playing. __________ 13. I think I’m a good writer. ___________ 14. I like to write. ___________ 15. I write often write at home. ___________ 16. I like to write about things that have happened to me.

___________ 17. It is difficult to study to music  

APPENDICES(CONT)Student writing skill survey

 Directions: For each statement place the number on the corresponding line that you

mostly agree with.

  

=1= =2= =3= =4= Strongly Disagree Agree Strongly Disagree Disagree  I write well. ___________I get good grades on my writing assignments. ___________My writing always contains a beginning, middle, and end. ___________Writing is difficult for me. ___________My writing has a logical sequence. ___________I write better when I free write than when given a topic. ___________I get mostly 4’s on my report card for writing workshop. ___________My teacher thinks I write well. ___________I am good at spelling. ___________I use many details when I write. ___________