1. Onekqua N. Henry Education 703.22 Spring 2010
Music and it’s impact on Student’s writing productivity & attitude toward writing.
Onekqua N. Henry
Education
Spring 2010

2. Table of contents Statement of the Problem Introduction
Review of Related Literature
Statement of the Hypothesis
Method
Participants
Instruments
Experimental design
Procedure
Results
Discussion
Implications
References
Appendices
Appendix A
Appendix B

3. Statement of the Problem
According to the National Assessment of Educational Progress writing is considered the most neglected of the 3 R’s.
Students in 8th grade are writing at a proficient level of 31% and 23% in grade 12.
Students leave elementary school and progress through the grades not prepared for college writing.
Teachers are faced with the task of engaging students to write in a world filled with other stimuli such as video games, television, and the internet (Walsh,2008)

4. Review of the related literature
Well Known Practioners and Theorists
Piaget
Cognitive Development Theory
(Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia 2009
Howard Gardner
Multiple Intelligence Theory
(Gardner, 1998)
Lucy Calkins
Units of Study for Teaching Writing, Grades 3-5
Donald Graves
Writing: Teachers & Children at Work
Nancy Atwell
Lessons That Change Writers

5. Review of the related literature
Pros :
Music can increase writing productivity, be used as a motivational tool for writing.
Music can encourage discussion, & written responses.
Music can reengage students and compete with iPods & video games.
Music ties into Howard Gardner’s Multiple intelligences & has parallels to writing.
(Donohue & McNeely, 1999; Kariuki & Honeycutt, 1999;Black,1993; Patterson & Clemens, 2008; Kim & Lorsbach, 2005; Hudson, 2001; Prescott, 1999; Southgate & Roscigno, 2009; Rubin & Melinick, 1998 ; Walsh, 2008; Rubin & Melinick, 1998; Wiggins,2007; DiEdwardo,2005; Perry, 2007; Hansen, 2009; Pearman & Friedman, 2009
Cons:
It is a hazy claim that listening to music makes you smarter. (Piro, 2009; Zehr, 2000)
Using music is a non- traditional way of teaching, lyrics can be provocative, and have controversial perspectives. (Earnest & Duncan,2009; Perry, 2007)
At times the gains are not distributed equally because of factors such as music selection, culture, race/ethnicity, and at times gender. (Southgate, & Roscigno, 2009).

6. Statement of the hypothesis
Hr1Integrating music in five fifth grade students writing assignments at P.S. ABC in Brooklyn, NY over the course of five weeks will increase their attitudes toward writing.
Hr2- Integrating music in five fifth grade students writing assignments at P.S. ABC in Brooklyn, NY over the course of five weeks will increase their writing productivity.

7. Methods Participants Five 5th grade Students 9-11 yrs old 3 females
All demonstrating low
writing productivity,
and lack of motivation
for writing
Instruments
Parental consent form
Two student surveys
Assess students’ perception of how well they write.
Assess students attitude and motivation for writing and music.

8. Methods XO Experimental Design Pre-Experimental: One shot case study
Single group exposed to a treatment (X) and post tested (O)
Symbolic Design: XO

9. Threats to validity Internal Threats External Threats History
Maturation
Instrumentation
Mortality
Selection-Maturation
Interaction
External Threats
Ecological Validity
Selection Treatment Interaction
Experimenter Effects
Reactive arrangements/participants effects

10. Methods
Procedure
Students responded to survey questions before and after exposure to music.
Students listened to 3-4 minute pop song per session for five sessions.
Researcher posed a question that related to each song.
Students were to write a response to that question.
Students were given 15 minutes to respond.

11. Results Data Analysis Student 1 Student 2 Student 3 Student 4
Total words
written per
Session.
Session 1
110
140
150
143
161
704
Session 2
127
135
158
147
157
724
Session 3
130
144
170
155
169
768
Session 4
141
149
173
805
Session 5
156
179
176
177
845

12. Results Student survey question # 3:
I write longer paragraphs after exposed to music.
1. Strongly disagree
2. Disagree
3. Agree
4. Strongly agree
With a correlational coefficient of 0.72rxy there appears to be a fair positive correlation between student’s exposure to music and the number of words written

13. Discussion
The results of this study demonstrated that the use of music is effective in increasing students attitudes toward writing & writing productivity.
These findings are consistent with the available research that music can influence students writing productivity & motivation toward writing.

14. Implications The results of this study suggests the following:
A need for a larger sample size.
A need for more longitudinal studies.

15. References
Applebee, A., & Langer, J. (2009). What Is happening in the teaching of writing? English Journal, 98(5), 18-28.  Retrieved November 15, 2009, from Teacher Journals. (Document ID:  ).
Black, J. (1993). The effects of auditory and visual stimuli on tenth graders' descriptive writing. (ERIC Document Reproduction Service No. ED364887) Retrieved September 29, 2009,from ERIC database
Box, J. (2002). Guided writing in the early childhood classroom. Reading Improvement, 39(3), Retrieved October 14, 2009, from Education Full Text database.
Cooks, J. (2004). Writing for something: essays, raps, and writing preferences. English Journal, 94(1), Retrieved December 1, 2009, from Education Full Text database.
DiEdwardo, M. (2005). Pairing linguistic and music intelligences. Kappa Delta Pi Record, 41(3), Retrieved November 17, 2009, from Education Full Text database.
Donohoe, R., & McNeely, T. (1999, May 1). The effect of student music choice on writing productivity. (ERIC Document Reproduction Service No. ED448472) Retrieved September 17, 2009, from ERIC database.
Eady, I., & Wilson, J. (2004). The influence of music on core learning. Education, 125(2), Retrieved October 8,2009 Academic Search Complete database.
Gardner, H. (1998). A multiplicity of intelligences. Scientific American Presents, Retrieved from Academic Search Complete database.
Hansen, D. (2009). Writing in the music classroom. Teaching Music, 16(4), Retrieved November 12, 2009, from Education Full Text database.
Kariuki, P., & Honeycutt, C. (1998, November 1). An investigation of the effects of music on two emotionally disturbed students' writing motivations and writing skills. (ERIC Document Reproduction Service No. ED427491) Retrieved September 29, 2009, from ERIC database
Kim, J., & Lorsbach, A.W.(2005). Writing self-efficacy in young children: issues for the early grades environment. Journal of Learning Environments Research, 8(2), Retrieved October 29, 2009, from Springer link database.
Kissel, B. (2008). Promoting writing and preventing writing failure in young children. Preventing School Failure, 52(4), Retrieved from ERIC database.
Knudson, R. (1995). Writing experiences, attitudes, and achievement of first
to sixth graders. Journal of Educational Research, Retrieved from ERIC database.

16. References
Morrell, E., & Duncan-Andrade, J. (2002). Promoting academic literacy with urban youth through engaging hip-hop culture. English Journal, 91(6), Retrieved December 16, 2009, from Education Full Text database.
Patterson, E., Schaller, M., & Clemens, J. (2008). A closer look at interactive writing. The Reading Teacher, 61(6), Retrieved December 16, 2009, from Education Full Text database.
Pearman, C., & Friedman, T. (2009). Reading and rhythm: binding language arts and music in an academic notebook. General Music Today, 23(1), Retrieved from ERIC database.
Perry, T. (2007). Adolescent voice in the middle school classroom: can you dig it?. English Journal, 97(1), Retrieved December 1, 2009, from Education Full Text database.
Piro, J. (2009, June). Music training and literacy development. Literacy Today, Retrieved September 17, , from Academic Search Complete database.
Prescott, J. (2005). Music in the classroom. Instructor, 114(5), Retrieved October 8,2009 from Academic Search Complete database.
Rodesiler, L. (2009). Turn it on and turn it up: incorporating music videos in the ELA classroom. English Journal, 98(6), 45-48.  Retrieved November 15, 2009, from Teacher Journals. (Document I D:  ).
Rubin, R., & Melnick, J. (1998). Twisters and shouters: teaching music and literature together. Radical Teacher, Retrieved November 17, 2009, from Education Full Text database.
Scott, L. (1996). Writing to music. The Reading Teacher, 50, Retrieved December 16, 2009, from Education Full Text database
Southgate, D., & Roscigno, V. (2009). The impact of music on childhood and adolescent achievement. Social Science Quarterly Retrieved November 17, 2009, from Academic Search Complete database.
Sudol, David, & Sudol, Peg. (1991). Another story: putting Graves, Calkins, and Atwell into practice and perspective. Language Arts, 68(4), 292.  Retrieved October 15, 2009, from Platinum Periodicals. (Document ID:  ).
Walsh, M. (2008). Worlds Have collided and modes have merged: classroom evidence of changed literacy practices. Literacy, 42(2), Retrieved from ERIC database.

17. Appendices Appendix A Parent Consent Form Dear parents/guardians,
Dear parents/guardians,
I am a graduate student at Brooklyn College. As part of my coursework this semester I am required to complete an action research project. Your child has been asked to in this project which examines the impacts of music on student writing. As improving students writing is the goal of this research project I am asking that you give your child permission to participate in this project. The students selected for this project will participate in a group two times a week over the course of five weeks. I will be using popular music as way to open up discussions and then giving the students a writing prompt based on the songs listened to. Each student participating in the action research project will remain confidential no names or other identifying characteristics will be used.
Thanks in advance,
Onekqua N. Henry
____ Yes, I give permission for my child to be part of the action research project.
____ No, I do not give permission for my child to be part of the data collection procedure.
____ I would like more information before giving my permission.
Print Child’s Name: _______________________
Parent Signature: _________________________

18. Student Music& Writing Attitude Survey
Appendices(cont)
Appendix B
x B
Student Music& Writing Attitude Survey
Directions: For each statement place the number on the corresponding line that you mostly agree with.
=1= =2= =3= =4=
Strongly Disagree Agree Strongly
Disagree Disagree
1. Writing is boring ___________
2. I like listening to music ___________
3. I like to write in my spare time ___________ 
4. I enjoy writing notes and letters to people ___________
5. I like writing at school ___________
 6. I have trouble thinking about what to write ___________
7. It is fun to write things at home ___________
 8. I can study write to music ___________ 
9. I like to share my writing with others  ___________
10. Writing is fun ___________  
11. I wish I had more time to write at school __________ 
12. can pay attention while music playing __________ 
13. I think I’m a good writer ___________
14. I like to write ___________
15. I write often write at home ___________ 
16. I like to write about things that have happened to me ___________ 
17. It is difficult to study to music

19. Appendices(cont)
Student writing skill survey Directions: For each statement place the number on the corresponding line that you mostly agree with. =1= =2= =3= =4= Strongly Disagree Agree Strongly Disagree Disagree I write well. ___________ I get good grades on my writing assignments. ___________ My writing always contains a beginning, middle, and end. ___________ Writing is difficult for me. ___________ My writing has a logical sequence. ___________ I write better when I free write than when given a topic. ___________ I get mostly 4’s on my report card for writing workshop. ___________ My teacher thinks I write well. ___________ I am good at spelling. ___________ I use many details when I write. ___________