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Why Singing Works—Brain Research

Neuroscientific research studies have found that auditory processing is the key to language and literacy, and singing and music-making are primary means of developing it.

* Neural networks for music and language are interconnected in the brain.

* Singing and music-making activate more areas of the brain than any other singular activity.

* Singing enables auditory processing and memory.

* Singing improves the neural encoding of speech.

* Music-making trains beat synchronization, the ability to keep a steady beat.

* Singing enables phonological awareness.

How does singing help?

Parents who sing to infants promote early language development and auditory neural processing.

Children who can keep a steady beat have higher reading achievement.

Babies pay more attention to mothers when they sing than when they speak.

Discriminating between higher and lower pitches is correlated with phonemic awareness and reading achievement.

Expressive speech (prosody) is correlated with better reading comprehension.

Children with dyslexia have a genetic difference in the way their brains process sound that can be helped by engaging them in rhythmic training.

Singing songs with Same-Language Subtitles (SLS) on music videos increases literacy.