2.1 EXPLAIN two (2) developmental benefits of music for young learners as described in your F-LSK 323 CLG. [2] Structure your answer as follows: Benefit 1: Benefit 2: Music is a fundamental part of every human society and part and parcel of the nature of mankind. Music has some relation to all cultures and cannot play an essential role if separated from education. Music enriches the vocabulary, teaches articulation and pronunciation. It requires attention to detail. Music conveys messages and builds bridges between cultures. Although experienced differently, music still forms part of the communication between cultures. Music can be taught in a way that the essential values of a culture are reflected. When children sing, as during language developmental stages, they also discover language structures and vocabulary incidentally and spontaneously. These then carry over into conversational situations. During language developmental stages, they discover language structures and vocabulary incidentally and spontaneously. These skills carry over to conversational situations (Horn, 2007). Music has well-recognised developmental benefits: • Music establishes patterns of brain development; • Music, together with movement, stimulates the neural connections needed for reading readiness; • Music creates a pathway for emotional bonding and self-esteem; • Music provides a tool for problem-solving and an opportunity to free the imagination; • Music activities are beneficial in developing listening skills; • Social development improves through music and related activities; • Music will enhance numeracy skills because they are used in a variety of musical activities: o It is well known that learners learn information far more quickly when it is set to music, for example, learners find it easier to learn the alphabet by singing ‘The alphabet song’; and o Music is vital in the development of language skills. Using action songs through music and body movement is a useful developmental activity for young learners, not only to develop their listening skills but also to combine movement with music.