Developmentally Appropriate Musical Practice (DAMP) is a series of musical experiences that educators can provide to young children (birth through Age 8) during the school day. These experiences can provide a positive influence on the social, emotional, physical, and

intellectual development Cognitive development is a field of study in neuroscience and psychology focusing on a child's development in terms of information processing, conceptual resources, perceptual skill, language learning, and other aspects of the developed adult bra ...

of these children DAMP experiences are grounded in research studies in

music education Music education is a field of practice in which educators are trained for careers as primary education, elementary or secondary education, secondary music teachers, school or music conservatory ensemble directors. Music education is also a rese ...

and early childhood education.

History of Developmentally Appropriate Musical Practice

DAMP was coined in 2011 by music education researcher Dr. Guerino Terracciano while conducting a study for the effect of a hands-on music education in-service program on early childhood educators’ attitude, knowledge, and self-efficacy for providing DAMP in the learning environment with young children. Terracciano states the following:

Several studies have investigated the effect of
music education Music education is a field of practice in which educators are trained for careers as primary education, elementary or secondary education, secondary music teachers, school or music conservatory ensemble directors. Music education is also a rese ...
on the early childhood educators’ capacity for promoting Developmentally Appropriate Musical Practice (DAMP) in the learning environment with young children (de l’Etoile; Nicholas; Rogers, Hallam, Creech, & Preti; Saunders & Baker ). For example, these studies show that when providing educators with quality musical resources, they are able to gain the confidence and the knowledge to successfully promote musical experiences during the traditional school day. On the other hand, these studies also suggest that music education has an effect on the young child’s social, emotional, physical, and intellectual development.

Music education in relationship to cognitive development has been acknowledged throughout history (Dewey; Gardner; Collins, Griess, Carither, & Castillo ). For example, in the areas of

language Language is a structured system of communication that consists of grammar and vocabulary. It is the primary means by which humans convey meaning, both in spoken and signed language, signed forms, and may also be conveyed through writing syste ...

and

literacy Literacy is the ability to read and write, while illiteracy refers to an inability to read and write. Some researchers suggest that the study of "literacy" as a concept can be divided into two periods: the period before 1950, when literacy was ...

development young children have the propensity to learn their everyday spoken language by acquiring the

vocabulary A vocabulary (also known as a lexicon) is a set of words, typically the set in a language or the set known to an individual. The word ''vocabulary'' originated from the Latin , meaning "a word, name". It forms an essential component of languag ...

words through active engagement during music activities (Moomaw & Davis ). (p. 1)

Types of Developmentally Appropriate Musical Practice (DAMP)

Music and movement

According to the book titled ''Smart Moves'', learning is not all in our head. Hannaford stated that the more young children move the better they will learn. As a result, movement stimulates

neurological Neurology (from , "string, nerve" and the suffix -logia, "study of") is the branch of medicine dealing with the diagnosis and treatment of all categories of conditions and disease involving the nervous system, which comprises the brain, the s ...

development, which explains the potential it has on the learning process. Consequently, Gordon suggests that promoting movement while learning has the potential to expand the child's nerve network wiring system, therefore facilitating understanding of the element of rhythm. Gordon's

empirical research Empirical research is research using empirical evidence. It is also a way of gaining knowledge by means of direct and indirect observation or experience. Empiricism values some research more than other kinds. Empirical evidence (the record of one ...

goes on to explain that young children construct musical understanding through movement. Gordon looked at movement as an important

learning process Learning is the process of acquiring new understanding, knowledge, behaviors, skills, values, attitudes, and preferences. The ability to learn is possessed by humans, non-human animals, and some machines; there is also evidence for some ...

that the body must undergo in order for the learner to gain a comprehensive understanding of various elements of music, such as

rhythm Rhythm (from Greek , ''rhythmos'', "any regular recurring motion, symmetry") generally means a " movement marked by the regulated succession of strong and weak elements, or of opposite or different conditions". This general meaning of regular r ...

and

melody A melody (), also tune, voice, or line, is a linear succession of musical tones that the listener perceives as a single entity. In its most literal sense, a melody is a combination of Pitch (music), pitch and rhythm, while more figurativel ...

The child’s singing voice and musical instruments

Giving students the

autonomy In developmental psychology and moral, political, and bioethical philosophy, autonomy is the capacity to make an informed, uncoerced decision. Autonomous organizations or institutions are independent or self-governing. Autonomy can also be ...

to pursue music has shown positive results in students acquiring an interest of the subject. For example, Kemple, Batey, and Hartle suggest that exploration and play become vehicles for musical growth. When young children are given access to play a simple instrument, they unintentionally ‘construct’ specific knowledge and information that relates to an area of interest. Fundamentally, through autonomous engagement young children develop intuitively an interest that the classroom teacher is not able to foster through direct instructional methods.

Identifying sounds

Children's musical interest may vary from exploring a specific instrument to listening to a type of musical literature that the child finds interesting because of his or her cultural background. In other words, early childhood musical interest lies with the involvement that the child is actively engaged in the learning milieu. Morin's article suggests that in order for students to develop a personal interest during the exploration of music, they need opportunities and experiences that have been aligned by the educator as developmentally appropriate. In essence, Morin communicates about the importance of giving young children ample opportunities to explore, manipulate, and play in the classroom.

Emergent literacy skills and musical concepts and methods

Historically,

music Music is the arrangement of sound to create some combination of Musical form, form, harmony, melody, rhythm, or otherwise Musical expression, expressive content. Music is generally agreed to be a cultural universal that is present in all hum ...

education has been deemed an important subject in the lives of young children during their daily learning experiences (Monroe; Rousseau; McDonald; Brosterman ). Since 1838, the

Boston School Committee The Boston School Committee serves as the school board for Boston Public Schools. Precursors In 1647, the Massachusetts General Court passed a law requiring the establishment of schools, it dictated that responsibility for the schools would be gr ...

in the United States adopted music as a branch of instruction in their public school system for the purpose of positively affecting students’ academic potential (Abeles, Hoffer, & Klotman ). During this period, music was given importance, based on the assumption that it could humanize, refine, and elevate our elementary learning communities through listening and singing (Greata). Subsequently, one of the first decisions for music instruction was related to its capacity and potential in fostering intellectual growth (Dewey; Seefeldt ).

References

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External links

The National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC)

Music Education for Young Children (MEfYC)

National Association for Music Education (NAfME)
Early childhood education