New research highlights value of Kodaly-based fraction programme

A brand new study by researchers at the San Francisco State University has confirmed previous research that children who learn fractions using rhythm outperform students taught in a traditional method, and this programme has a basis in the Kodaly method.

Assistant Professor Sue Courey developed the programme in conjunction with a music teacher. "They borrowed aspects from the Kodaly method, a Hungarian approach to music education that includes movement, songs and nicknames for musical notes, such as "ta-ah" for a half note.
The curriculum helps children connect the value of musical notes, such as half notes and eighth notes, to their equivalent fraction size. By clapping and drumming rhythms and chanting each note's Kodaly names, students learn the time value of musical notes. Students learn to add and subtract fractions by completing work sheets, in which they draw musical notes on sheet music, ensuring the notes add up to four beats in each bar or measure."

Of specific interest in South Africa is that the music-based method is especially valuable in a situation where those who are not first language English speakers are being instructed in English, as music provides a way to learn fractions that is not intensively language-based.