All schools are discovering the power of arts when it is integrated into the curriculum.  It is about methodology and a philosophical approach that creates connections and added depth in the classroom, through the inquiry-based process of teaching and learning.  

Benefits of an interactive approach:

1.  It connects visualization with reading comprehension

2.  It contextualizes math.  

3.  It brings an experiential context to the classroom.

4.  It can assist students in understanding and applying skills to standardized exams.  

5.  Focus and concentration can be developed through different learning styles, for example visual,           linguistic, or kinesthetic thinking. 

6.  Students perform at a higher level. 

Critical links between learning in the arts and academic and social skills and motivations in 6 major areas. 

1.  Reading and Language Development

      Basic Reading Skills

      Certain forms of arts instruction enhance basic reading instruction.  It helps with associating letters, words, and phrases with sound, sentences, and meanings. 

.  Literacy

It helps to read with comprehension,  story understanding, and the ability to read new resources that they have not read before.  In dance and drama, they develop expressive reflective skills that enhance writing proficiency. 

2.  Mathematics

Learning keyboard skills develops spatial reasoning and spatial-temporal reasoning skills, which are fundamental to understanding and using mathematical ideas and concepts. 

3.  Fundamental Cognitive Skills and Capacities

Learning individual art forms as well as multi-arts strengthens cognitive capacities as concentration, memory, spatial reasoning, conditional reasoning, problem-solving and creative thinking. 

4.  Motivation to learn

Learning in the arts includes active engagement, disciplined and sustained attention, risk-taking and persistence, and educational aspirations.  

5.  Effective Social Behaviour 

It shows student growth in self-confidence, self-control, and self-identity. 

6.  School Environment

A school must provide a positive environment for learning.  Arts help to foster teacher innovation, a positive culture, community engagement, and student attendance.

Champions of Change (1999)

This document demonstrates through research that arts can play a powerful role in student learning. In-depth case studies were done.

When young children are involved with arts, something changes in their lives. 

Learners can attain higher levels of achievement through their engagement with the arts. It can help children from disadvantaged circumstances.  

Why does art change the learning experience?

The arts provide authentic learning experiences that engage their minds, hearts, and bodies.  The learning experiences are real and meaningful for them.  

Another consensus has been made:

Arts reach students who are not otherwise being reached.

It connects students to themselves .

It transforms the environment for learning

It provides learning opportunities for adults in the lives of young people.

It provides new challenges. 

The Theoretical framework for arts integration in the Foundation Phase 

1.  Teaching and learning about music.  

2.  Teaching and learning from music.  

3.  Teaching and learning on music.  

4.  Teaching and learning with music.  

5.  Teaching and learning in music.  

6.  Teaching and learning through music.

Examples for art integration strategies:

Ask the learners to create their own songs about certain maths concepts which offer opportunities for learners to incorporate which relate to music.  Learning must be fun and foster creativity and problem-solving skills.  

Strategies for including throughout the day:  

Songs can easily be used between activities.

Sing specific songs during daily routines about washing hands, standing in a line and about waiting your turn to answer the teacher.  

Clap a pattern after playtime.  

Play calming music when learners are getting restless.

Strategies for integrating music with other subjects:

Learners can write their own rhythmic patterns by using the names of certain fruit based on the theme.  

Play a song and ask learners to write a story that they imagine without lyrics.  

Ask learners to choreograph a dance that shows the meaning of the song.  

Draw attention to the relation between music and maths.  Learners can demonstrate their understanding of rotation through movement.  

Vibration and sound waves can be explained and demonstrated by looking at the ways in which instruments produce sound.  

I am ending my blog by emphasizing that arts must be integrated with other subjects for optimal learning.