By Lora Heller
“Let’s sing a song together… let’s sing a song… let’s sing a song together, let’s sing a song. La la la…” (Alan Turry, Nordoff-Robbins Center for Music Therapy).
Singing releases endorphins, the body’s natural painkillers. Endorphins are released by the hypothalamus and pituitary gland in response to pain or stress, creating a general feeling of well-being. A 1998 study found that after nursing-home residents took part in a singing program for a month, there were significant decreases in both anxiety and depression levels. A 2016 study provided preliminary evidence that singing improves mood state and modulates components of the immune system. As a music therapist, I have found that my clients of all ages and abilities find joy in singing, as evidenced by changes in affect and energy. Singing simple songs can teach children how language is constructed. According to Jessica Pitt from the Pre-School Music Association: “Babies seem to learn best when songs are experienced through their bodies. Movement and music greatly enhance acquisition of language.” Sign language can provide that meaningful movement to music.
As a music therapist, I knew that my graduate degree in Deaf education would have to be put to work that included music. I was fortunate to have the opportunity to work in a therapeutic preschool where I had a class of deaf children whose parents were hearing, together with hearing children whose parents were Deaf (CODAs). The hearing students with Deaf, signing parents, were on target with their language development. Most of the deaf children with hearing parents who didn’t sign, did not have access to language until they began school. So learning sign in the classroom opened many doors for these 3 and 4 year olds. Finally they knew what to call a table, a book, an apple, a friend… and signing while singing songs helped to solidify their new language. Furthermore, engaging in active music making provided practice for language use and understanding. Seeing the sign for “stop” while watching classmates stop marching, and noticing the vibrations of the drum diminishing, helped them to understand the meaning of stop—both for their movement and for sound.
Aside from my own experience, research supports the benefits of music and sign. An article by Patricia Ivankovic and Ingrid Gilpatric in a 1994 issue of Perspectives in Education and Deafness includes a table of songs that teach parts of language. For example, Where is Thumbkin teaches verbs, nouns, pronouns, and sequencing; coupled with ASL, Deaf students can fully participate in the learning process. An article by Heather A. Schunk in a 1999 issue of the Journal of Music Therapy focuses on the receptive language benefits of singing & signing for ESL students. Steve Kokette, the producer of award winning signed song videos featuring Deaf performers, wrote in 1995 on the benefits of sign paired with music–for the level of sign learned when presented through songs, and the memory of rhythms when presented with sign. Also in 1995, Buday wrote an article for the Journal of Music Therapy highlighting the benefits of signed songs on sign and speech imitation by children with autism.
Music is processed in both hemispheres of the brain, thereby stimulating cognitive function while supporting development or remediation of a variety of skills and processes. Music can improve memory and elicit memories. Infants can recognize songs that were sung to them regularly while in utero, providing comfort and connection. Singing together as a family can further strengthen bonds.
SO – Let’s sing a song together!