Baby Beethoven
For millions of Chinese children, learning to play an instrument like the violin or piano begins early. Children with musical training outperform their untrained peers on tests of IQ and language skills (Schellenberg, 2011; Schellenberg & Winner, 2011). Is this because music lessons make children smarter, perhaps by stimulating positive changes in the brain? Or is it because smart children are more likely to take lessons? Researchers are still trying to get to the bottom of this conundrum.
For millions of Chinese children, learning to play an instrument like the violin or piano begins early. Children with musical training outperform their untrained peers on tests of IQ and language skills (Schellenberg, 2011; Schellenberg & Winner, 2011). Is this because music lessons make children smarter, perhaps by stimulating positive changes in the brain? Or is it because smart children are more likely to take lessons? Researchers are still trying to get to the bottom of this conundrum.
Lou Linwei/Sinopix