Most studies tested instrumental music training with only an implicit connection to mathematics in the design of the intervention, showing little evidence of transfer (for a review, see Sala & Gobet, 2017). Studies that investigated the impact of musical experiences on students’ mathematical skills yielded mixed results. The question of whether musical activities in school enhance young students’ mathematical skills has attracted attention recently. For example, the two disciplines are similarly expressed through the use of representational language and symbolic notations (Papadopoulos, 2002). The relation between music and mathematics has been recognized since the times of Pythagoras, Plato and Aristotle, who wrote about the overlaps and links between the two disciplines (Bamberger & Disessa, 2003). A video abstract of this article can be viewed at Gains were more evident in trained than in untrained fractions. Although both music groups outperformed the comparison group 3‐ and 6‐months post‐intervention on trained fractions, only the ‘MusiMath’ group demonstrated greater gains in untrained fractions. The ‘Academic Music’ group showed a trend on trained fractions. Pre‐ to post‐intervention analyses indicated that only the ‘MusiMath’ group showed greater transfer to intervention‐trained and untrained fractions than the comparison group. Music and math were assessed before, immediately following, and 3‐ and 6‐months post‐intervention. In the math lessons, the students learned the analogy between musical durations and 1 2, 1 4, 1 8 fractions, but also practiced fractions other than 1 2, 1 4, 1 8. The music programs used a 4/4 time signature with whole, half, quarter and eighth notes. They worked toward adding musical notes to produce a number (fraction), and created addition/subtraction problems with musical notes. Students in both music programs learned to write musical notes and perform rhythmic patterns through clapping and drumming as part of their fraction lessons. The third class received regular fraction lessons (comparison group, n = 22). Another class attended the ‘Academic Music’ acoustic program (Courey et al., Educ Stud Math 81:251, 2012) ( n = 25) which uses rhythm only. Three classes of fourth graders attended 12 lessons on fractions: One class attended the ‘MusiMath’ holistic program ( n = 30) focusing on rhythm within the melody. The current study examined the effect of two integrated intervention programs representing holistic versus acoustic approaches, on fraction knowledge. Controversy exists regarding transfer from musical training to math achievements. Music and mathematics require abstract thinking and using symbolic notations.
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