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Every educator knows the importance of practice in developing reading skills. For many, nothing is more relaxing than settling into a comfortable chair and reading. But what about students who do not find reading an enjoyable experience? More significant, what can we do for students who have learning or behavioral needs that make reading a challenging, if not arduous, experience?
One solution may lie in the link between relaxation and academic success. Research has shown that relaxation can facilitate changes in physiological states in the body that allow the brain to work more effectively (Blanchard, 1979; Hepler & Kapke, 1996). According to a recent study (Smith, 2001), participation in a relaxed setting is critical for learning to read, as well as acquiring skills in writing, math, scientific understanding, and civics.
Although there are many ways to create a relaxed setting, the relationship between music and a relaxed mental state is well recognized. For example, The National Institutes of Health (cited in Patrick, 1999) reported that vibroacoustic music reduced symptoms of stress in hospitalized patients. Lozanov, a Bulgarian physician, found that rhythms of the body (heart beat, brain waves, and blood pressure) tended to slow down and synchronize themselves to the beat of Baroque music when he played it for his patients (Ostrander & Schroeder, 1979). Further, Blanchard (1979) found that playing music in the background during a classroom examination dramatically lowered blood pressure and resulted in significandy higher scores for participating students than those not having background music. Improved retention of spelling words has also been linked to the use of background music (Anderson, Henke, McLaughlin, Ripp, & Tuffs, 2000). In sum, these studies lay the foundation for a connection between music, relaxation, improved brain function, and increased academic performance.
Many components of music can have a calming effect; however, rhythm seems to be one of the important aspects of music that facilitates relaxation (Darner, 1966). The relationship between musical rhythms and the body's internal rhythms appears significant. Internal body rhythms play an important role in how relaxed or tense a person feels. One of the quickest changes to occur in body rhythms under stress is an increase in heart rate. Studies have shown mat the introduction of slow external rhythms (50-60 beats per minute)...