"We practice imitative group singing of old melodies of Hindi films for more than hour daily in a park to enhance our lung functions and boost immune system along with the maintenance of our mental health and sense of community since we more prone to COVID-19. None of group members has been affected by the pandemic. We also go by the belief that for old persons group singing halts the memory loss which is a common thing otherwise," said a group member as shown in the collage of older persons singing in a group..
As a pedagogue and educational therapist, I have done some lesson studies of coupling musical intelligence with academic learning and found that across the ability range of children, simple rhythmic sinning and recitation lead to better social pedagogy in the classroom and stronger cognitive skills specially memorization of content. When content based group rhythmic singing by musicalization of the text is done it has potential enhancing mental alertness, attentiveness, speech clarity and voice control
According to medical science and psychologists, music makes us relax by reducing muscle tension and decreases the levels of a stress hormone or cortisol along with improving oxygenated blood circulation to different parts of the body and brain.
In a recent lesson study by me involving two- line singing of poem with music (Peacock dances when it moves up and down / Peacock shakes its tail when it moves back and forth ) along with making of a peacock with paper folding in assisted learning situation, a dysgraphic child not only developed his language but it also had positive effects on his motor and coordination skills (see inset collage of the child).
Studies in neuro-science and child-psychology, singing to babies as well as children during the early-primary grades, music needs to be given as much value as literacy skills to make brain cheerfully act. In fact, singing the textual material along with its cognitive learning leads to total brain development.
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