Ars inter Culturas 2014 ● nr 3

Eva Králová
Alexander Dubček University of Trenčín
Trenčin

MUSIC AS MEANS TO SUPPORT

ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE
AND BEHAVIOUR OF PREADOLESCENTS

Słowa kluczowe: academic performance, behaviour, background music, music activities, music
intervention, quasi-experimental research

Introduction

Purpose of the Research

The primary concern of this research is to examine whether music activities inte-
grated in English Language Lessons and background music utilized in Arts and Crafts
Lessons, can improve academic performance and behaviour of 10-11 year old middle
school pupils. The secondary concern of the study is to review the scholarly literature
on the potency of music activities and background music to improve academic per-
formance and behaviour.
The research results provide probabilistic assessment of the impact of half-year mu-
sic intervention on improvement of academic results and behaviour of pupils from ex-
perimental group. The paper summarises the results of rating scale which measures
teacher’s professional judgment of pupils’ academic performance and behaviour.

Design and Organisation of the Research

I use quasi-experimental design with the experimental and control group and pre-
measures to compensate because in education true experiments cannot be conducted
with random selection and assignment. The experimental study addresses the effective-
ness of music intervention programme compared to a more traditional approach by us-
ing a control group. The main research question was: “Can music intervention im-
prove academic achievement and behaviour of prepubescent middle school pu-
pils?” Pretest-posttest design of a quasi-experiment was used. I measured two groups
of participants, control and experimental, on the dependent variable both before and af-
ter the manipulation of the independent variable.

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 In the beginning of the research I planned to use background music during Physical
Education (PE) Lessons, as I consider this subject the most popular with children.
However, I was not allowed to do so, because the class was divided in two groups dur-
ing the PE lessons. The headmaster allowed me to integrate music activities in English
Language Lessons and background music in Arts and Crafts Lessons of an experimen-
tal class. I did not intervene in the education process of a control class. However, the
teachers of both groups (control and experimental) used modern techniques and meth-
ods during classes.
I consider poor academic performance and problematic behaviour which accom-
pany preadolescent middle school pupils to be a dependent variable which I aimed to
stimulate. Thus I examine the relationship between independent variable (the integra-
tion of music activities and background music in educational process in the 5th class)
and dependent variable (to support in a positive way academic performance and behav-
iour of pupils).
The research was carried out in the school year 2009/2010 at a big urban elemen-
tary school in Central Slovakia. Music activities: vocal, music and movement, theatri-
cal, perception of music, and performance of instrumental activities were integrated in
English Language Lessons thrice a week, and background music was used in Arts and
Crafts Lessons twice a week. I started the action research in September 2009 as an
English Language and Music Education Teacher. Simultaneously I informed the head-
master about the aim and brief layout of the research. After she approved it, she ob-
tained the permission from parents of control and experimental class pupils to carry out
the research. I was allowed to use specific methods during lessons with the goal to de-
crease negative emotions of pupils during the period of preadolescence and to evaluate
the potency of music to support their academic preformance and improve behaviour.
I could play and utilise the piano during English Lessons in experimental class. Pupils
learned by heart twenty-one English songs, out of which nine were created by the au-
thor of the paper and the rest were popular English and American songs. In the lessons
there were also utilised sayings and proverbs, dance, rhythmic exercises during text
works, music and movement learning activities, film music aimed at listening compre-
hension, creative sentence writing and vocabulary. In the beginning of each lesson its
aim and content were introduced to the pupils.
The sound recordings library which I selected and used during Arts and Crafts Les-
sons consisted of widely stratified range of so called classical music and pop classic,
instrumental and vocal-instrumental compositions and their arrangements (pop, rock,
folk, folklore, Celtic music, country), and finally of movie soundtracks (from animated
cartoons and fairy tales, musicals for children). I did not utilise exclusively vocal music
and esoteric music. Excitant music was used only during two themes (4 school-
classes). Emphasis was put on the aesthetic and artistic quality of music selection. We
did not observe any difficulties or inconveniencies within educational process concern-
ing background music.
During playback reproduction the decibel level (sound pressure level, DB SPL) was
set of maximum 50 DB SPL which did not disturb mutual communication between pu-
pils and pupils with teacher and was suitable for conversation. From compositional
and music-theoretical aspect I chose the compositions with easier structural form, and
based on the research of Strenáčiková, the dynamic level was without sudden and rapid

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changes1. The intervention was not a pure music therapy, because there was not present
a music therapist and background music was used only as an acoustic stimulation, cou-
lisse.
The input data was obtained before the realisation of quasi-experiment. After it was
finished, the referees (teachers) made their professional judgement about pupils which
they filled in the critical rating scale sheets. The rating scale sheets were constructed
and submitted to the teachers by the author of the paper, who was also a teacher of
English Language and Music Education.

Prepubescence and Period of Changes – Recent Developmental Research

Despite the development of cognitive competence, the prepubescence is the period

of changes in the content, progress, duration and way of experiencing and outward ex-
hibition of emotions. With no formal rite of passage into adulthood, the stages of pre-
pubescence and puberty can be seen as the formative struggle from childhood to adult-
hood. Cromwell2 believes that with the exception of the first 18 months of their life,
pupils experience more changes between the ages of 10 and 14 than at any other time
in their lives. The preadolescent is often portrayed as impulsive, out of control, con-
fused, self-centred, rebellious, or reserved3. This quite a negative portrayal of the early
preadolescent causes that school teachers and educators might have lower expectations
of pupils or they magnify the negative aspect of them and thus behave in a particular
negative way toward them.
In spite of the fact that the period of preadolescence doesn’t belong to the most
rapid and stormy, preadolescents can also confront serious problems, especially when
the other people around them (especially adults) underestimate them. The onset of pu-
berty with its new biological, social changes and stress can induce various neurotic
symptoms to children. Therapy lies in reduction of negative potency of environment
and also in strengthening children’s inner resistance. Excessive workload can be dem-
onstrated by functional problems such as disorders of concentration, sleep disorders,
vigilance (the ability to maintain attention and alertness over prolonged periods of
time), fatigue and also psychosomatic problems such as gastric problems4.
The onset of puberty in the context of education is not only “transfer”, even if it in-
cludes both. It is a change and shift in the identity and competences how the individual
advances in educational process and reaches educational goals. The changes involve re-
lationships in the classroom, teacher alternation and exchange, and their teaching style,
——————
1
M. Strenáčiková, Vplyv reprodukovanej hudby na vnímanie sociálnej klímy triedy v 3. ročníku
základnej školy (Impact of background music on perception of class social climate in 3rd grade of
elementary school), [in:] Zborník Hudba Integrácie Interpretácie II. Mediálne a komunikačné
aspekty hudby, ed. J. Vereš, Nitra 2008, p. 287-301.
2
In P. Akos, J.A. Queen, C. Lineberry, Promoting a Successful Transition to Middle School, New
York 2005.
3
Z. Stránska, I. Poledňová, Problémy sociální adaptace žáků základních škol (Problems of social ad-
aptation of elementary school pupils), [in:] Současné metodologické přístupy a strategie peda-
gogického výzkumu, Plzeň 2006, p. 23-30.
4
Ibidem.

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expansion of the space, decreasing time for movement in specialised classrooms, new
sounds, new subjects, meeting new pupils. All these can create the potential for emer-
gence of fear, disorder and discomfort of pupils and these specific problems relate to
transitions. Change is also situational: new place, new authorities, new environment, in
our case also new school politics.

Physical Development

This period has little pattern or structure, because it does not follow a constant
schedule, or plan. As the rate of physical maturity varies, it can be quite a difficult pe-
riod of development from this point of view. No two students will experience the same
degree of growth or development. Pupils, especially girls, are often in the middle of
physical and hormonal change and this fact makes an interesting challenge for school
staff. From this point of view prepubescence can be advantageous for boys as they of-
ten participate in sports and seek social recognition. On the other hand, it can be prob-
lematic especially for the girls as they experience menstruation, some of them gain
body fat and confront heightened careful observation from their schoolmates. They
might also experience depressive symptoms and lower evaluating of body mental im-
age which might bring them specific behavioural and educational problems. Some pu-
pils feel pressure to gain acceptance through their appearance, which can sometimes
result in mood swings, bullying and frequent changes in opinions.
These opinions have demonstrated that the timing of prepubescence rather than its
status is associated with depression for early-maturing girls. Thus school staff needs to
be sensitive to physical development and its potential implications during the transiton
to middle school.

Identity Development

Prepubescent pupils may begin the process of self-awareness, and they use the
knowledge to establish a sense of identity. Parents and educators can sometimes wit-
ness fast changes in appearance, opinions and moods in preadolescents as they try to
form their identities.
A German-born American psychoanalyst Erik Erikson (1902-1994) emphasised
these turbulent years, where struggles concentrate on the psychological aspects of the
child’s life and especially the examination of independence and the concept of self. He
saw early adolescence (ages 7-11) as a time of exploration and identification of tal-
ents and capabilities. Struggling with increased peer competition, youth fear being left
behind or judged as substandard. Pupils who lack success at this developmental stage
can activate negative feelings toward school, teachers, and friends, as well as low self-
esteem.
According to Erikson the social environment is a prime determinant of overall well-
being. Relative to move into adolescence, Erikson explained the “identity vs. role con-
fusion” psychosocial stage as a powerful and influential period of human development
in the terms of self-discovery. As pupils try to answer the question “Who am I?” the

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new environment around them provides an endless flow of experiences, influences and
motives. This can lead to great deal of confusion and anxiety for preadolescents.
The process of discovering “who I am” may be quite disorganised by the transition
to middle school. A pupil might find it quite difficult to examine or feel good about his
or her competences when negotiating a new environment. Similarly, peer comparisons
enlarge exponentially, and inferiority and failure might be an unavoidable aspect of
growth.

The Growth of Abstract Thought

Swiss developmental psychologist and philosopher Jean Piaget (1896-1980) charac-

terised preadolescence by a shift from concrete to formal operational thought. Concrete
thinkers (ages 7-11) begin by applying logical operations and principles to explain their
experiences and use objective and rational thought more than intuition.
Within the social environment (a school class) it is easy to see the differences that ex-
ist between early adolescent pupils in relation to relationships. Concrete thinkers tend to
group their peers as friends or enemies. Many middle school pupils shift these groupings
hourly, daily, or weekly as to whether they consider someone a best friend or an enemy.
Gradually, after they develop more formal thought, they tend to view their classmates on
a continuum coexisting with varying levels of relationships. It means variation exists in
when and how consistently preadolescents use formal operational thought.
At the same time, middle school pupils tend to question and look for alternatives to
new main concepts introduced through school, society and family, and with formal
thought they tend to consider risk taking activities. According to Piaget, early adolescents
also think about future possibilities, exploring alternatives and choices more thoroughly
than those which deal only with “here and now” perspective. It may be useful for schools
to engage students in more formal operational thought by including participatory activi-
ties in orientation programming or team building.

Self-Esteem and Emotional Well-being

Learning is dependent on the child’s emotional state. Children need to feel secure
and happy in order to deploy all their faculties fully to meet the challenges presented to
them through the school curriculum. They also “need to feel emotionally ready for
middle school in order to meet new challenges with confidence”5.
Self-esteem is a significant factor in becoming a successful learner and will affect
the way in which children perceive their level of success. Gajdošíková-Zeleiová6 be-
lieves that if there is a lack of well-being, the child’s development is likely to be threat-
ened. Some children are “at risk” of not copying well with changes and as a result
——————
5
D. Goleman, Emotional Intelligence: Why it Can Matter More Than IQ, Bloomsbury 1996.
6
J. Gajdošíková Zeleiová, Psychodynamické aspekty muzikoterapie. Hudobnopedagogické a hudob-
no-terapeutické súvislosti (Psychodynamic Aspects of Music Therapy. Connections of Music Peda-
gogy and Music Therapy), Trnava 2012.

121
problems caused by the stress of not settling into school develop. If they cannot cope
with the change of circumstances then they are unlikely to engage fully in the life of
the class, might under-perform academically and perhaps express frustration by dem-
onstrating poor behaviour. Children should be supported from the very beginning to
overcome these anxieties and develop resilience.
Acquiring skills such as being able to anticipate changes, adapt their own learning
styles, and develop conceptions of them as learners in the school setting, these all rep-
resent the expression of getting accustomed to school. The children who are successful
have developed social competence, resiliency and agency that will enable them to
“read” the teacher, make meaning of the nature of school and to deal with new situa-
tions. In another words, they are able to function at school and have expectations of
learning.

Academic Performance and Behaviour during Preadolescence

Slovak preadolescent pupils experience the transition to puberty concurrently with

the changes connected with the transition from elementary to middle school. Bridges7
claims, that transition to something new is the psychological process of how the indi-
vidual adapts to it. Change is outward and transition is inward psychological redirec-
tion of an individual to a new situation. Even if the change itself is considered a prob-
lem, it is important to realize that the transition lasts for a longer period of time during
which individuals go through three difficult phases.
In the first phase ‘Ending and Losses’, it is important for the individuals not to con-
tinue in the activities they were successful in the past. New school situation demands of
pupils to give up their previous experience with the sense of identity, or reality. The
second phase ‘Neutral Zone’ (terrain exploration) is full of confusion and insecurity.
Thus many pupils try to escape to the past, or they run fast onward through this phase.
However, successful transition requires presistence of school staff, parents and pupils
in this phase, because there, in the situation where the change happens, the energy of
transition is hidden. Finally, the third phase ‘New Beginning’ is also difficult for chil-
dren, because they start to behave, think and do in a new way. This may cause them in-
ner imbalance during which the most uncomfortable ones are followed with punish-
ments, or low academic performance, which can cause that some individuals observe
how the others “go through” this phase, however, at the same time they consider the
phase too risky to cope with it.
On the other hand certain styles of teacher behaviour have been found to be related
to increased pupil learning. Therefore the teacher’s attitude toward pupils plays an im-
portant part to a new classroom setting and in establishing routines and classroom
ethos. “The schools that ‘really trust’ their students, that value, respect, and know
them, are the schools that foster the resiliency of students”8.
How can children be helped to make a successful transition? Let’s start with the
——————
7
W. Bridges, Managing Transitions: Making the Most of Change, 2nd ed., Cambridge 2003.
8
M.L. Krovetz, Fostering Resiliency. Expecting All Students to Use Their Minds Well, Thousand
Oaks 1999, p. 144.

122
conception of a school success. According to Ladd9 a child can be seen as successful in
school when she or he develops positive attitudes and feelings to school and learning;
establishes supportive social ties with teachers and classmates, feels comfortable and
relatively happy in classroom rather than anxious, lonely or upset, is interested and mo-
tivated to learn and is engaged in classroom activities, and finally improves his or her
academic performance, has better marks.

Music and its potency to promote academic achievement and behaviour

There is a correlation in the research which explores the relationship between general
achievement and engagement with music. Research of Morrison10 informs on better gen-
eral achievement of students who participate in music education. The data refers to stu-
dents from the National Centre for Educational Statistic who participated in music and
achieved better grades in English, Math, History and Science than the control group who
did not participate. The newer research revealed a relationship between elementary
school pupils’ academic performance and the participation in music programmes11.
However, there also exists the research which says that attending musical lessons
does not affect academic performance of pupils12. These researchers believe that partici-
pating in music activities is related to other factors which have also a strong impact on
academic achievement, such as parents and home environment. Among other factors
which have impact on academic achievement there is regular music activity of pupils
which might contribute to enhanced self-esteem and increased motivation of pupils. The
positive effect of participation in music on general achievement was proved in the ex-
perimental study of Barr et al.13. Another important factor is motivation which is crucial
in how well pupils perform at school. According to Hallam14, frequent music activity is
linked to self-perceptions of ability, self-efficacy, and aspirations. If engagement with
music enhances positive self-perception, this can increase motivation to persist.
The research of Broh15 indicates that music can have positive effects on personal
and social development of children, which is reflected in their behaviour. She says that
pupils who are engaged in music activities talked and co-operated more with their par-
——————
9
G.W. Ladd, School transitions/school readiness: An outcome of early childhood Development, [in:]
Encyclopedia on Early Childhood Development, eds. R.E. Tremblay, R.G. Barr, R. DeV. Peters,
Montreal, Quebec 2003, p. 1-9, www.child-encyclopedia.com/documents/LaddANGxp-Original.pdf
(5.10.2008).
10
S.J. Morrison, Music students and academic growth, “Music Educators Journal” 1994, vol. 81(2),
p. 33-36.
11
C.M. Johnson, J.E. Memmott, Examination of relationships between music programmes of differing
quality and standardised test results, “Journal of Research in Music Education” 2006, vol. 54(4),
p. 293-307.
12
D.A. Hodges, D.S. O’Connell, The impact of music education on academic achievement, [in:]
Sounds of Learning Report: NAMM Foundation Sounds of Learning, 2007.
13
L. Barr et al., Enhancing student achievement through the improvement of listening skills, [in:]
ERIC document Reproduction Service No ED465999, 2002.
14
S. Hallam, Enhancing learning and motivation through the life span, London 2005.
15
B.A. Broh, Linking extracurricular programming to academic achievement: who benefits and why?,
“Sociology of Education” 2002, vol. 75, p. 69-95.

123
ents and teachers. She deduced that their social benefits probably led to higher self-
-esteem in the pupils which in turn led to increase in motivation and self-efficacy.
There is a high correlation between positive self-perception, self-esteem, good relation-
ships and active music performance. Success in music seems to enhance general feel-
ings of confidence and self-esteem which increases motivation for study. Similarly
Pitts16 found out that being involved in music activities can facilitate the development
of friendships, contributes to a better social climate in classroom, pupils’ confidence
and sense of belonging which has impact on other activities.

Integration of music activities to English lessons

Music activities adequately integrated in educational process of English Language

Lessons can support mental processes of a child within the system of creative-
humanistic education. In this sense music activities have the potency to develop and
cultivate individuality of a child within the scope of non-cognitive and cognitive func-
tions and processes of his or her personality17. But then, it is important to choose par-
ticular music activities which have the potency to affect the development of certain tar-
get functions and processes of a child’s personality. Music is the resource that enables
people to express feelings, communicate and react. For example songs can help an in-
dividual to get deep inside him or her and to communicate with his or her emotions di-
rectly. If someone feels depressed, music has the potency to encourage him emotion-
ally and make him feel a little better. If the music has positive lyrics, it can make the
individual feel good and encourage his or her personal growth. Some examples are Joe
Cocker’s You Are So Beautiful, Bob Marley’s Three Little Birds, Carole King’s You’ve
Got a Friend, We are the Champions by Queen, Sheryl Crow’s Strong Enough or
Bobby Mc Ferrin’s Don’t Worry, Be Happy.
One of the main goals in education is to provide an easier approach and flexible
learning opportunities and skills development. Thus it is important to use music activi-
ties which provide students with a resemblance of the real world, give them immediate
feedback and sense of reality. Integration can be defined as “incorporating the curricu-
lum of single subjects or cognitively related educational fields in one entity with the
emphasis on comprehensiveness, where cross-curricular approach to teaching and
learning is used”18. Our intention was to use both music and English to enhance, and be
enhanced mutually, by making effective cross-curricular links, so as a child could ac-
quire and master enough stimulation for self-realization with the help of teacher who
facilitates the whole process.
The existing methodology of foreign language learning inclines to the acceptance of
the ways of subconscious language acquisition which are similar to mother tongue acqui-
sition. Music, rhythm and movement form the connection between processing of music in

——————
16
S.E. Pitts, Anything goes: A case study of extra-curricular musical participation in an English sec-
ondary school, “Music Education Research” 2007, vol. 9(1), p. 145-165.
17
J. Gajdošíková Zeleiová, Psychodynamické aspekty muzikoterapie...
18
L. Podroužek, Integrovaná výuka na základní škole (Integrated education at elementary school),
Plzeň 2002, p. 11.

124
the right hemisphere and between processing of verbal information in the left hemisphere.
During the processing of music inputs, both hemispheres work simultaneously19. Beats of
majority of songs correspond with the alternation of accentual and unstressed speech syl-
lables and that helps individuals to remember not only vocabulary, but also phrases20.
Through music activities pupils can be actively involved in reproduction, production and
perception of music. This way they can also cognize and experience music, and it may af-
fect cognitive and also emotional aspect of pupil’s personality. Due to this fact pupils can
expand their intellectual, emotional and creative potency which stimulates them to their
own initiative, change and leads them to their self-presentation.

Example of Music Activities Integrated in English Language Lessons

Music activities which were utilised in our English Language Lessons can be char-
acterised as integrated learning, because the pupils solved particular tasks which were
aimed at the development of language competences by means of music.
In foreign language education songs are the most often used activities. That is why
in this subchapter I start up with the example from this field. Vocal and intonational
lessons belong to the key activities in Music Education, but they are not the key activi-
ties during language acquisition. In our English Language Lessons the main objectives
were to practise songs with simultative method, to acquaint pupils with a song from
practical point of view, and to introduce elementary components of of a song (rhythm,
melody, beat, tempo, dynamics and form) to them. The pupils were allowed to accom-
pany songs and texts with elementary music instruments. We paid attention to the natu-
ral expression of pupils’ outputs, pupils were asked not to shout.
During English Language Lessons we used simple English and American songs
such as Good morning to you, The Alphabet Song, My Bonnie, Head, Shoulders,
Knees and Toes (Ex. 1), Old Mac Donald had a farm, If you’re happy and you know it.
These songs were the pleasant shift from prevailing sedentary activities. Internet was
also the source of challenging materials such as: “We are Busy Beavers”21, or “DJC
Kids Media”22, and it offers songs as for example Seven Continents Song based on the
melody of the old song Frére Jacques, or I like Baby Animals based on the melody of
old English song from 1744, London Bridge, Brahms’ s Lullaby with the text by Fritz
Simrock from 186823. The other sources which we used in the lessons were Slovak folk
——————
19
J.W. Stansell, The Use Of Music For Learning Languages: A Review Of Literature, 2005,
mste.illinois.edu/courses/ci407su02/students/stansell/Jon_Stansell_The_Use of_Music in Learning_
Languages.pdf (4.03.2008).
20
Ibidem.
21
www.wearebusybeavers.com – English songs and videos for children and English language users.
Web side includes working sheets for children and games. It is great tool for English language
teachers. The songs are catchy and are accompanied with interesting videos.
22
DJCKidsMedia.com – “English Songs” DVD Videos on the “English Songs” DVD – short videos
with simple songs aimed at vocabulary acqui sition (the alphabet, numbers, prepositions, animals,
shapes, pronouns, countries and so on.).
23
Old Favorites for All Ages. Songs for Learners of American English, ed. A.M. Malkoc, Washington
1992.

125
Example 1: Traditional Song for Children Head, shoulders, knees and toes
Source: Kiboomu Music 2010

songs translated in English language, songs created by pupils on popular melodies

(with the teacher’s help). The other possibility was to bring to the classroom popular
songs from fairy tales, for example Hallelujah from Shrek with the melody by Leonard
Cohen, or Prayer by David Foster and Carole Bayer Sager. We practiced them in the
computer room and sometimes we used You Tube. The lyrical text of Hallelujah of-
fered us many possibilities to vary the interpretation in different moods: melancholic,
fragile, elevating, or joyful. Finally, a few creations of some pupils’ were in the rhythm
of valse and in a rock temper.

Background Music in Art Education

By the term background music (BM) we mean music which is heard, not intention-
ally listened to24. It does not intend to be organised, analytical listening. Thus it is not
appropriate to label it with the term BM which is organised listening with successive

——————
24
A. Bendall, Music Function and Change, “Innerface International. Psychology, Mind, Conscious-
ness” 1994, vol. 1, no. 6.

126
analysis. Listening activities at Music Education lessons are defined as an organised
listening in State educational programme of Slovak Republic25.
Even if there is a little evidence of employing BM as means to improve behaviour
or/and academic performance of pupils, the existing research from other scientific dis-
ciplines offers sufficient information of its utilisation during preadolescence. For ex-
ample S. Hallam and J. Price26 examined what impact has BM on elementary school
pupils, especially on their behaviour and academic performance. The authors suggest
that BM can be utilised to increase or maintain student arousal levels for study pur-
poses. The greater the cognitive challenge and the lesser stimuli are required whereas
tasks which need endurance and patience will benefit from higher levels of arousal to
increase pupils’ motivation.
BM in the hands of erudite teachers can create the atmosphere of contentment and
enjoyment, support pupils in fondness of a subject, support memorisation of facts and
increase abstract thinking. However, the teachers should follow criterions of variety,
adequacy, comprehensibility and aesthetic value of utilised BM. They should also con-
sider pupils’ personality, so as they properly used the components of music to reduce
stress and to contribute to pupils’ well-being. By stress reduction and improving the
well-being of pupils, we understand the ability of pupils to manage educational de-
mands, to react adequately to sudden tasks, to have good attitude to “I” (to the self),
and to have good relationships with the other people.

Example of Background Music on Arts and Crafts Lessons

a) The lesson’s theme “Fantastic portrait of a country” was the part of thematic unit Pa-
per transformations. Within the scope of educational output pupils were asked to create
the country in which they would like to live. They were asked to examine the possibilities
that paper offers and to make combinations with another kinds of paper. Their music
education teacher used the songs from DVD Proměny (Transformations) by Czech tradi-
tional music band Čechomor which plays songs in rock arrangements. She introduced
pupils to the atmosphere of lesson’s theme by way of songs from the DVD.
b) The teachers of music and arts and crafts checked whether there is adequate lighting
and temperature in the classroom. Decibel level of the recordings was set to the level
which did not disturb mutual communication between the teachers and pupils. The fur-
ther attention of the teachers was devoted to the quality of recordings and to the atmos-
phere during lesson. The teacher selected melodious and positive music which created
hospitable atmosphere for pupils to create the paper objects they would like to have in
their “dream country”.
——————
25
ŠVP 2, State Educational Programme for Middle School (Štátny vzdelávací program pre 2. stupeň
základných škôl, ISCED 2), 2008, www.statpedu.sk/files/documents/svp/2stzs/isced2/isced2 spu_
uprava.pdf (5.10.2008).
26
S. Hallam, J. Price et al., The Effects of Background Music on Primary School Pupils’ Task Per-
formance, “Educational Studies” 2002, vol. 28, no. 2, p. 111-122; S. Hallam, J. Price, Can the use
of background music improve the behavior and academic performance of children with emotional
and behavioural difficulties?, “British Journal of Special Education” 25, no. 2, p. 88-91, 1998,
www.freewebs.com/laset/documents/Background%20 music% 20and%20behaviour.pdf (1.10.2009).

127
c) The arts and crafts teacher familiarised pupils with the goal of the lesson and the
music they listened.
d) Before the first music sample was heard, the music teacher asked pupils the follow-
ing question: “Do you think that today it is important to preserve folk music?
Why?” I sum up their answers in the following perspectives. The astounding perspec-
tive: “Listen to folk music [...] nowadays? I think it’s the music of my grandma!”; the
rigorous perspective: “Folk songs [...] No way! I would go mad from so much hooting
and whooping”; the optimistic perspective: “I dance in a folk ensemble [...] and [...] it is
a great relax for me. I have also several good friends there... we never quarrel. I think
folk music is cool”; the expert perspective: “Celtic music is also a kind of folk music.
That is what my dad says. And I know the band Čechomor. It is quite a good music.
Also the men who play it seem pleasant. I watched a movie with them and Nohavica.
Cool one”; the intimate perspective: “My mum likes folk songs and country songs as
well. She is quite satisfied when listening to them. She allows them to get under her
skin. I don´t mind them too”. The class discussion was closed by a music teacher. She
answered her own question by using the words of Karel Holas (the violinist in Čecho-
mor): “Folk music is the part of our history, which is deep inside us. Maybe we know
nothing about it, but when we listen to it, it is woken up inside us. Folk culture is our
culture, our identity. And the mission of Čechomor is to build the bridge between the
tradition and the present world”.
e) Music teacher told pupils interesting things about Čechomor and their CD Proměny.
She intended them to get acquainted with the band and to tune up to the music per-
formers. The DVD was recorded with chamber orchestra Collegium of Czech Philhar-
monic Members, under the stage management of world-famous composer and singer,
Jaz Coleman from English band Killing Joke 27.
f) In the end of the lesson pupils created a beautiful country with colourful, aesthetic
and witty inventiveness. Arts and crafts teacher was satistied not only with the final re-
sult, she liked also the whole process and the way of how pupils created their “dream
country”.

Method

Research Problem

The main research question is: does music intervention have a significant effect on
the behaviour and academic achievement of preadolescent pupils?
Two hypotheses were tested:
(1) Preadolescent pupils will demonstrate significantly better scores in relation to
academic performance and behaviour in the school subjects where music was
utilised, compared to the control group.
——————
27
CD Proměny was released by the corporation Venkow Records in 2001. Jaz is a singer-songwriter,
musician, composer, and record producer. CD Proměny was also awarded Anděl by the Academy of
Pop Music. In 2002 Jaz Coleman featured in Czech movie by Petr Zelenka Rok Ďábla (Year of the
Devil), which was awarded Czech Lion and Crystal Globe in international film festival, Karlove Vary.

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 (2) Preadolescent pupils will demonstrate significantly better scores in relation to
academic performance and behaviour in the main school subjects where music
was not utilised, compared to the control group.

Participants

Music intervention was utilised in a big urban municipal elementary school in a city
of Central Slovakia with the target research group which consisted of forty-four Slovak
fifth graders. The school has been designated for the children from the centre of
the city, its suburbs and surrounding villages, because it is situated near railway station
and bus station. It is important to notice, that in this elementary school there is inclu-
sive system for pupils from socially disadvantaged surroundings and for pupils with
learning disabilities, such as dysgraphia, dyslexia, dysphasia, and also with neurobe-
havioral disorders, such as ADHD. For these pupils teachers develop individual learn-
ing plan.
As it was not possible to accidentally assign subjects to groups, we used intentional
choice of subjects to the treatment and a control group. The headmaster selected two
classes of 5-graders in the beginning of the school year 2009 for the reason of the high-
est possible homogeneity. Thus since November 2009 twenty-two pupils were ranked
in the experimental group (class 5th C) and twenty of them in the control group (class
5th B). The study lasted seven months, from October 2009 to May 2010. The number of
pupils in control group decreased till the beginning of November 2009, because two
pupils were placed in different schools for the reason of relocation of their families.
One pupil was included in experimental class, because she moved to Banska Bystrica
from nearby village.

Materials

In the research the intensity of education problems and behavioural problems were
investigated by the assessment made by the teachers of the subjects Mathematics, Slo-
vak Language, English Language Lessons and Arts and Crafts Lessons. Then it was put
in 4-Point Rating Scale Sheet. They expressed their opinions on pupils whom they
taught, based on their own experience and observation during lessons. As we did not
have any rating scales at our disposal, the author of the research made the rating scale
sheet of her own.
We formulated the rating scale sheet with the following three statements:
– A pupil has education problems.
– A pupil has behavioural problems.
– A pupil has a strong impact on the class.
To measure the teachers’ attitude or perception of pupils’ academic results, behav-
iour and expressiveness, we made 4-Point Rating Scale with the following response op-
tions:
1 – Strongly disagree – it is not characteristic of a pupil;
2 – Disagree – it does not characterize the pupils in essence;

129
 3 – Agree – it is characteristic of a pupil to some extend;
4 – Strongly agree – it absolutely characterizes a pupil.
Teachers had two weeks to fill in the sheets, thus the time did not press on them.
They had enough time to evaluate their students thoroughly.
We calculated an average, median, standard deviation and determined how many
pupils from experimental and control class had education problems, behavioural prob-
lems and acted in an expressive way in the beginning and end of our quasi-experiment.
We attributed numerical values (coefficients) to the particular location in the rating
scale from the number 1 (absolute disagreement) to number 3 (absolute agreement).
Particular frequency of a choice (agreement or disagreement) was multiplied with the
coefficients as demonstrated in the Table 1.

Table 1
Calculation of the Teachers’ Attitudes Choice Frequency (Experimental Group)

5th C class – Mathematics Mean Median SD

09-10/2009
4 3 2 1 Σ x m σ

Education problems
3 6 8 5 22 2.3 2 0.995
(multiple) 12 18 16 5 51
Behavioural problems
1 4 8 9 22 1.9 2 0.889
(multiple) 4 12 16 9 41
Acts in an expressive way
7 9 3 8 27 3.1 3 1.082
(multiple) 28 27 6 8 69

Source: own research

The number of all multiples from the frequency of a choice “s/he has education
problems” is 51. To calculate the average we divided the total by the number of re-
spondents (22). The result is average 2.3. Since the median was not affected by ex-
treme values, we specified the calculation of choice frequency from every attitude (lo-
cation). In this case the scale has the median of 2 which approaches the average (2.3).

Results
Based on the obtained empirical research data within the scope of education prob-
lems, behavioural problems and teachers’ perception of the expressiveness of pupils in
four investigated subjects: Mathematics, Slovak Language, English Language Lessons
and Arts and Crafts Lessons, we observed statistical significance in all subjects in ex-
perimental group (see Table 3), from one to three categories, and in two subjects (one
category) in control group (see Table 2).
Two hypotheses were tested. The first hypothesis was that preadolescent pupils will
demonstrate significantly better scores in relation to academic performance and behav
iour in the school subjects where music was utilised, compared to the control group.

130
 Table 2
Occurrence of Education Problems and Behavioural Problems in Control Group

Class 5th B Control Group

Pre-test Post-test

Category Mean Median SD Mean Median SD

p-value
Designations ↓ x m σ x m σ

Mathematics Mathematics

Education
2.55 3 0.887 1.95 2 0.945 0.023*
Problems
Behavioural
1.55 1 0.826 1.6 1 0.886 0.427
Problems
Acts in an
2.2 2 1.152 2.4 2 0.940 0.276
expressive way
Slovak Slovak
Language Language
Education
1.65 1 0.988 1.65 2 0.988 0.5
Problems
Behavioural
1.45 1 0.999 1.55 1 0.940 0.314
Problems
Acts in an
3 3.5 1.124 3.05 3 0.999 0.441
expressive way
English English
Language Language
Education
2.2 2 0.952 1.75 2 0.945 0.310
Problems
Behavioural
1.75 1.5 0.911 1.75 2 0.945 0.5
Problems
Acts in an
2.1 2 0.852 1.75 2 0.945 0.301
expressive way
Arts Arts
and Crafts and Crafts
Education
2 2 0.973 2.3 3 0.979 0.169
Problems
Behavioural
1.95 2 0.999 2.2 2 1.056 0.223
Problems
Acts in an
2.75 3 0.911 2.1 2 0.718 0.008**
expressive way

Legend Table p < 0.01 **

p < 0.05 *

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 Table 3
Occurrence of Education and Behavioural Problems in Experimental Group

Class 5th B Control Group

Pre-test Post-test

Category Mean Median SD Mean Median SD

p-value
Designations ↓ x m σ x m σ

Mathematics Mathematics

Education
2.3 2 0.995 1.95 2 1.053 0.127
Problems
Behavioural
1.9 2 0.889 1.4 1.5 0.839 0.0261*
Problems
Acts in an
3.1 3 1.082 3.2 3 1.011 0.123
expressive way
Slovak Slovak
Language Language
Education
1.95 1 1.053 1.8 1.5 1.283 0.449
Problems
Behavioural
1.3 1 0.780 1.2 1 0.954 0.247
Problems
Acts in an
2.5 2 1.143398 3.2 3 1.143 0.005**
expressive way
English English
Language Language
Education
2.6 3 1.008 1.9 1 0.935 0.013*
Problems
Behavioural
2.3 2 0.827 1.7 1 0.456 0.014*
Problems
Acts in an
2.3 2 0.827 2.95 4 0.839 0.0009**
expressive way
Arts Arts
and Crafts and Crafts
Education
2.4 2 1.098 1.9 2 1.141 0.049*
Problems
Behavioural
2.1 2 1.046 1.7 2 1.098 0.128
Problems
Acts in an
2.5 3 1.225 3.2 3 0.950 0.015*
expressive way

Legend Table p < 0.01 **

p < 0.05 *

132
Results of rating scale showed no significant differences (p > 0.05) between both
groups in pre-test scores (see Table 2 and 3). There were noted significant differences
between both groups, control and experimental, on post-test scores in two subjects
English Language and Arts and Crafts. The second hypothesis was that preadolescent
pupils will demonstrate significantly better scores in relation to academic performance
and behaviour in the main school subjects where music was not utilised, compared to
the control group. However, there was not noted a statistically significant difference
between the two groups on post-test scores in the subjects Mathematics and Slovak
Language.
Table 2 demonstrates the scores in the control group. The potency of music inter-
vention for preadolescents was proven statistically significant in one strategy Educa-
tion Problems of the subject Mathematics, where we observed improvement below
0.05, p = 0.023 and in one strategy Acts in an expressive way of the subject Arts and
Crafts below 0.01, p = 0.008. We did not observe significant results in the rest of the
other subjects nor in their strategies.
Table 3 shows the scores in the experimental group. The most significant results
were proven in the subject English Language in all three strategies. In the strategies
Education Problems (p = 0.013) and Behavioural Problems (p = 0.014) we observed
improvement below 0.05 and in the strategy Acts in an Expressive Way there was
proven improvement below 0.01 (p = 0.0009). In the subject Arts and Crafts the scores
show significant improvement in two strategies, Education problems (p = 0.049) and
Acts in an expressive way (p = 0.015), both below 0.05. In the subjects Mathematics
and Slovak Language there were observed statistically significant results in one strat-
egy. In Mathematics the results in the strategy Behavioural Problems were scored be-
low 0.05 (p = 0.026) and in Slovak Language the results in the strategy Acts in an ex-
pressive way were scored below 0.01 (p = 0.005).

Discussion
The research results of our study correspond to the research which explores the rela-
tionship between general achievement and engagement with music28. In our study the
pupils from experimental group demonstrate significantly better scores in relation to
academic performance compared to the control group in two subjects where music was
utilised, English Language Lessons and Arts and Crafts Lessons. However, its potency
was not proven more significant in the main subjects, Mathematics and Slovak Lan-
guage. Regular music activity was not integrated in these subjects which could have
been the reason of this finding. Psychologists perceived that regular music activity can
have positive effects on personal and social development of children who, as a conse-
quence of it, talked more with their teachers and parents, and their social benefits might
lead to their higher self-esteem, increase in motivation and self-efficacy, development
of friendships and sense of belonging which has impact on other activities29.
——————
28
For more information see: C.M. Johnson, J.E. Memmott, Examination of relationships..., p. 293-
-307; L. Barr et al., Enhancing student achievement..., 2002; S.J. Morrison, Music students and
academic growth..., p. 33-36.
29
S.E. Pitts, Anything goes..., p. 145-165; B.A. Broh, Linking extracurricular programming..., p. 69-95.

133
Conclusions and Recommendations

The obtained research results can not be rigorously declared the representative ones
because the target research group consists of forty-four Slovak fifth graders from one
middle school. Thus their interpretation is of delimited significance. However, they can
be considered relevant in the respect of unequal conditions of the subject Music Educa-
tion compared to the other subjects, such as Mathematics, foreign languages, Slovak
Language in Slovak elementary and middle schools. Since 2008 the subsidy, distribu-
tion of Music Education lessons, is one lesson per week for 1st – 5th graders and one
lesson per two weeks for 6th – 9th graders. It is only half a lesson per week. A lesson
lasts 45 minutes.
The research results authorise us to formularise the following conclusions:
● There was assessed statistical significance in the experimental group in all in-
vestigated subjects: English Language (all three strategies); Fine Arts Education
in two strategies (Education problems and Acts in an expressive way), Mathe-
matics in the strategy Behavioural Problems; and finally Slovak Language in the
strategy Acts in an expressive way.
● By the verification of the two hypotheses we found out that the pupils from ex-
perimental group demonstrated better academic performance, behaviour and
they acted with more self-confidence in the two subjects English Language and
Fine Arts Education, compared to the pupils from control group.
● If a similar research would confirm our findings, we recommend integration of
music in other school subjects at elementary schools for their potency to im-
prove academic achievement, behaviour and self-confidence of pupils.
● We recommend conducting qualitative research to examine the potency of music
on school achievement and behaviour and building pupils’self-confidence in
school.

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Summary

MUSIC AS MEANS TO SUPPORT ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE

AND BEHAVIOUR OF PREADOLESCENTS

Background: The paper explores the potency of music activities and background music
to support academic performance and behaviour of Slovak middle school pupils. It reviews
developmental, social and emotional changes that children face during the period of preado-
lescence. School and education is connected with the formation of personality, thus school
staff and parents need to pay attention to social and emotional well-being of pupils.
The objective of the study is to investigate academic performance and behaviour of pu-
pils (aged 10-11) before and after music intervention.
Methods: The target research group consists of forty-four Slovak fifth graders from big
urban, municipal middle school. Data were collected by evaluation of rating scale conduct-
ing teacher´s professional judgement about pupils they taught the four explored school sub-
jects.
Results: The study summarises the results of rating scale of teacher’s opinions of pupils’
academic performance and behaviour in the control and experimental groups (with and
without music intervention). The results show the potency of music to support academic
performance and improve behaviour of pupils.

Key words: academic performance, behaviour, background music, music activities, music in-
tervention, quasi-experimental research

136