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The Impact of the Arts On Learning:
The Experts Weigh In
A recent study by the Council for Basic Education
(CBE) showed the dismal state of arts education in
U.S. public schools: “We’re seeing that low−income
minority students are being denied the liberal arts
curriculum that their more privileged counterparts
receive as a matter of course,” says Raymond Bartlett
of CBE. Yet research shows such students have the
most to gain from regular arts instruction.
UCLA Professor James Catterall, a supporter of
infusing dance into education, notes that arts
experiences help level the playing field for
disadvantaged students by providing additional
learning resources. The Gabriella
Charter
Schoolprogram reinforces academic instruction by
integrating dance classes into other curricular areas in
order to reinforce learning and help students make
connections between academics and the arts. Not
only does this core content area promote the
development of physical skills, but dance also
promotes the development of mental skills, including
memory, recall and rhythmic and spatial awareness
(Hanna, 1999; Catterall, 2002).
According to the Arts Education Partnership, students
who participate in the arts outperform those who
don’t on virtually every measure. Researchers found
that “sustained learning” in the arts correlates to
greater success in math and reading, and that
students from lower socioeconomic backgrounds see
the greatest benefits.
All students benefit intellectually, personally, and
socially from quality arts education,” says Arts
Education Partnership’s Richard Deasy. “But students
of special needs −− English−language learners, special
education, those who may be failing in school−− those
who are often the lowest performing on standard
measures of achievement, are immensely benefited
from the opportunity to engage in quality arts
experiences and instruction.”
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