| The American public school curriculum has narrowed as a result of the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001. Music is being eliminated in public schools so more time and resources can be spent on "tested" subjects like reading and math. However, research has shown that both the intrinsic and extrinsic values of music may improve reading ability. This study focused on the extrinsic values of music. The purpose of this quantitative, quasi-experimental study was to determine if a first grade reading curriculum infused with music would produce test results that are statistically significantly different than the traditional, non-music reading curriculum. The sample consisted of two intact first grade --- reading classes---a control group and an experimental group---in a Title I public elementary school in Maryland. The teacher for the experimental group integrated music into the first grade reading curriculum for six weeks. The control group received the traditional first grade reading curriculum without music instruction. First graders' reading achievement was measured before and after the six-week study using the Gates MacGinitie Reading Test (GMRT), level BR (beginning reading). Although the experimental group made greater gains than did the control group from pretest to posttest, there was no statistically significant difference (at the 5% confidence level) between the pre and posttest mean scores for the treatment group. The results of this study indicate that music may improve reading ability when integrated into a reading curriculum. In addition to the quasi-experimental design that lacks random assignment, other limitations of this study include a small sample size and brief duration of treatment. |
