To what extent does music integration in mathematics aid in

student achievement and math anxiety?

Amber Mackintosh
Pre-service Teacher
University of Lethbridge

I think music in itself is healing. It's an explosive expression of humanity. It's something we are all touched
by. No matter what culture we're from, everyone loves music
Billy Joel

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Professional Inquiry Project
Amber Mackintosh

Introduction:
Through-out my time at Raymond Elementary School, I participated in a professional inquiry
project that examined the relationship between music integration and mathematics. In my previous
post-secondary classes at the University of Lethbridge this past year, namely Ed. 4738 Curriculum
and Instruction for Early Childhood Education and Ed. 4709 Issues in Special Education:
Behavioural Disorders, I spent a great deal of time looking into the effects of music in education. The
research I collected during that time was dedicated towards the neurological effect of music and
music therapy itself. I came to realize the pronounced connection between mathematics and music.
Moreover, from prior practicums and whilst entering my third professional semester classroom, I
came to realize that math anxiety is a hard and cold reality for many students. As a passionate
numeracy advocate, I believe the impact that music integration would have could greatly help
students who suffer from math anxiety, and in return, support achievement in mathematics.
Therefore, I decided to take the opportunity to analyze this relationship.
In the past sixteen weeks, I partnered with other teachers within the school to collaborate on
music integration resources. I personally used several resources in my own teaching. Furthermore, I
tested students three times on a basic math facts test. These test were timed, and scores were
recorded. The students participated in a survey at the beginning and end of the sixteen weeks to
acquire qualitative data on the level of math anxiety experienced. The first test was taken without
calming music playing in the background, while the second and third test was taken with calming
music. Additionally, all summative assessments were accompanied with calming or focusing music.
A goal of this professional inquiry project was to affirm the hypothesis that music can aid in success
of mathematics and diminish math anxiety in the following research. Another goal was to provide an

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Amber Mackintosh

effective and free online resource for teachers to learn from and to use for integrating music into their
own mathematics classroom.

Literature Review:
The following passage discusses the neurological impact of music on humans, the effects of
music integrated activities on students attitudes, dispositions and beliefs towards mathematics, as
well as mathematical competencies.
In previous literary work, Behaviour Intervention Paper - Music Therapy, Amber Mackintosh
and Andrea Ziel (2015) explore the use of music for therapy purposes and the influences of music on
neurological reactions:
Recent research has looked into the neural bases underlying music evoked emotions, which
has found that music does impact the neural areas used in emotional processing. Emotional
regulation is characterized by increased activation in the cognitive control and monitoring
areas - the anterior cingulate cortex, orbitofrontal cortex and lateral prefrontal cortex which
leads to decreased activity of the amygdala. Researchers have found that the amygdala is
activated when listening to minor, dissonance, negative or unpleasant music. It was also found
that the amygdala was deactivated during music improvisation and when listening to pleasant
music. Ultimately, the results indicate that certain music characteristics and experiences allow
for the deactivation of the amygdala, and is seen when individuals listens to music that is
pleasant or happy, regardless of the emotional meaning of the music for the listener. The
amygdala is an important neural structure as it controls our ability to perceive emotions in
ourselves and see emotions in others, (Moore, 2013). These findings, though not causal, point
to the brain's ability to change when exposed to music. From an evolutionary standpoint,

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music has preceded language. Neuroscientists are not yet sure of why, but our brains are
wired to respond to music, (Moore, 2010). (p. 2-3).
Never-the-less, these finding are important in understanding the way that music can assist in
the emotional response to mathematics, specifically math anxiety.
It is equivalently as important to note the common misconception of the Mozart effect verse
passive music participation, as mentioned by Prokop (2011). The Mozart effect is summarized as
listening to Mozart (or classical music in general) will make someone smarter. Prokop (2011)
summarizes that researchers concluded that listening to Mozart does not affect spatial reasoning
ability, (p. 25). Instead music stimulates arousal and alertness which in return would affect spatial
reasoning performance, (Prokop, 2011, p.25). In brief, the engagement that music can cause,
improved mathematical skills which are directly associated with spatial reasoning.
In the study, The Effects of a Music Composition Activity on Chinese Students Attitudes and
Beliefs towards Mathematics: An Exploratory Study, orchestrated by Song A. An, Gerald O. Kulm,
and Tingting Ma (2008), students participated in a mathematics activity that integrated pop music
composition. There was evidence to suggest that a mathematics lesson integrated with music had a
positive effect on students attitude and beliefs toward mathematics learning, (An, Kulm & Ma,
2008, p. 96). In particular, An, Kulm and Mas (2008) open-ended and closed-ended questionnaire,
in which the students participated after the music integrated activity and integrated music reward
system, implied: increased engagement in learning mathematics (p.104), improved confidence in
mathematics (p.105), students were able to apply mathematics to some situations outside of
mathematics class and mathematics is related with real life, (p.105), and student capacity to present
and understand mathematics in alternative ways, (p.108). Consequently, there were clear benefits to
the music integration activity in regard to emotional connections to mathematics. An, Kulm, and Ma,

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transparently claim the importance of technological support to aid mathematics teachers in music
integration without an intensive time and effort to learn musical knowledge and skills.
Almost identical findings resulted in the article, Fostering Elementary Students Mathematics
Disposition, by Song A. An, Daniel A. Tillman, Rachel Boren, and Junjun Wang (2014) when testing
two groups of students, a group who received a musically integrated lesson, and a group who did not.
The group that were participating in music themed mathematics lessons not only enriched students
view of mathematics problem forms but also improved their basic mathematical procedural fluency
and strategic competence, (An, Tillman, Boren, & Wang, 2014, p.11). In conclusion, An, Tillman,
Boren, & Wang (2014) secure an idea around mathematical pedagogy, namely, the concept that
music can be used as an educational resource and context for teaching mathematics to elementary
students, (p.12).
Prokop (2011) following finding reinforced the notion that musical integration into
mathematics can reveal understand of both music and mathematics in alternative manners:
Some saw very superficial connections noting a "mathematical relationship" involving beats
and measures while others noticed a more theoretical connection and mentioned "harmonic
and melodic structures" and "physics of sound." One student said that it was a coincidence
that music was mathematical, (p. 85).
Though these comments are from students in high school, by fostering the connection between music
and mathematics at a young age, it could energize a mathematical perspective to view and make
sense of the world.

Final Report
Professional Inquiry Project
Amber Mackintosh

Personal Findings:
The research that I conducted consisted of three tests on a basic math facts test which
contained 44 questions. The three tests were taken by students approximately a month apparent from
one another. The students participated in a survey at the beginning and end of the sixteen weeks to
acquire qualitative data on level of math anxiety. Prior to the first test, the students were taught about
anxiety and our physical responses to it. The first test was taken without calming music and the
students received three minutes to complete it. Also, it was accompanied with the survey. The survey
entailed the following ten statements which the students were to respond by picking one of four
options (Never, Once in a While, Often, or Always): 1) I get anxious when I have to go to math class,
2) I am uneasy about going to the board in a math class, 3) I am afraid to ask questions in math class,
4) I am always worried about being called on in math class, 5) I understand math now, but I worry
that it's going to get really difficult soon, 6) I tend to zone out in math class, 7) I fear math tests more
than any other kind, 8) I don't know how to study for math tests, 9) It's clear to me in math class, but
when I go home it's like I was never there, and 10) I'm afraid I won't be able to keep up with the rest
of the class in math. The results from the initial survey showed that 50% students had answered
often or always to 2 or more of the statements. This group was designated as high math anxiety and
based on prior observation of these students, it was no surprise. Accordingly, this group of students
were only able to complete, on average, just over half of the test. This is disregarding accuracy.
The second basic math facts test consisted of the exact same problems, and was accompanied
by calming music from the album Angel by Gary Lamb (1995) published by Kagan. Subsequently,
the second testing yielded the following results amongst the high anxiety group: 0% of students with
an improvement in both completion and accuracy, 20% of students with an improvement in
completion and no change in accuracy, 10% of students with an improvement in accuracy and no

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Professional Inquiry Project
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change in completion, 20% of students decreased in accuracy, yet improved in completion, 20% of
students improved in accuracy, yet decreased in completion, and 30% of students showed no
improvement in neither areas of completion or accuracy. Thus, showing that 70% of the students in
the high anxiety group had an improvement or remained unchanged in at least one of the areas of
completion or accuracy while listening to calming music.
The third basic math facts test procedure and content was identical to the second test. The
third testing yielded in the following results amongst the high anxiety group: 0% of students with an
improvement in both completion and accuracy, 0% of students with an improvement in completion
and no change in accuracy, 10% of students with an improvement in accuracy and no change in
completion, 30% of students decreased in accuracy, yet improved in completion, 30% of students
improved in accuracy, yet decreased in completion, and 30% of students showed no improvement in
neither areas of completion or accuracy. Again, demonstrating that 70% of the students in the high
anxiety group had an improvement or remained unchanged in at least one of the areas of completion
or accuracy while listening to calming music.
The end of the sixteen-week period, the final survey consisted of a whole class discussion
around the impact that music has had on student learning and feeling towards math. Several students
claimed an enhanced mood in math class when learning through songs and movement. Additionally,
I collected observational notes during passive music integration times. There were differences in
student body posture during more dissonant music verse calming or consonant music while taking
summative assessments in math. Formative assessment, such as exit slips, demonstrated quick recall
time for the steps of traditional 2x2-digit multiplication and steps in traditional long division when
using the music integration through songs and movement. Moreover, I observed an increased interest
and focus on task at hand during mathematics class time while music was playing.

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Professional Inquiry Project
Amber Mackintosh

There are some limitations to my research. Precisely, the social factors that contribute to
student success in school, test anxiety verse math anxiety, and repetitive recall of math facts. Much of
the differences in the basic math fact testing could be contributed to impacts that students personal
and social life have on their learning. If students are having a bad day, then they may have performed
worse on a basic math facts test than they might have on a different day. Also, students could have
anxiety over the fact that it was a timed test, not just because it was a math test. Lastly, students
improvement in either accuracy or completion could have been contributed to the repetitive recall of
the same math facts on the basic tests. Hence, the qualitative data may be more valuable that the
quantitative data that I collected.

Resource:
The resource that I created is intended for teachers of Division Two grade levels and is online
for free. It is organized by grade level, specifically finishing grace five level, then by strands from the
mathematics program of studies: numbers, patterns and relations, shape and space, and statistics and
probability. Each strand page is in blog format with easy links to each Specific Learning Outcome
(SLO) on the right hand side. Out of the whole resource, I was only unable to integrate music
activity, songs or theory into three SLOs, namely, Shape and Space 3, Shape and Space 4 and
Numbers 8. In addition to the grade level integration resource, I have provided Alternative Resources
for fellow teachers to explore. Through this process, I was surprised with the extent to with music can
be integrated into mathematics.

Final Report
Professional Inquiry Project
Amber Mackintosh

Conclusion:
Based on my personal research, it appears to be inconclusive whether or not there was a direct
correlation between accuracy and ability of mathematical skills. However, based on the literature
review, student comments and personal observations while teaching, I still highly suggest attempting
music integration as a regular strategy in other teachers mathematical pedagogy. As Gretchen L.
Johnson, and R. Jill Edelson (2003) claim, activities integrating music and mathematics do not
require musical training or expensive equipment, (p. 474).

Final Report
Professional Inquiry Project
Amber Mackintosh

REFERENCES:
An, S. A., Kulm, G. O., & Ma, T. (2008). The effects of a music composition activity on Chinese
students attitudes and beliefs towards mathematics: An exploratory study. Journal of
Mathematics Education, 1(1), 91-108. Retrieved from:
http://www.educationforatoz.org/images/8SAnmusicandmath-1.pdf
An, S. A., Tillman, D. A., Boren, R., & Wang, J. (2014). Fostering elementary students mathematics
disposition through music-mathematics integrated lessons. International Journal for
Mathematics Teaching & Learning, 15(3), 1-18. Retrieved from:
http://www.cimt.plymouth.ac.uk/journal/an.pdf
Johnson, G. L., & Edelson, R. J. (2003). Integrating music and mathematics in the elementary
classroom. Teaching Children Mathematics, 9(8), 474-479. Retrieved from
http://search.proquest.com/docview/214139035?accountid=12063
Mackintosh, A. Ziel, A. (2015) Behaviour Intervention Paper - Music Therapy [Unpublished
Personal Document].
Prokop, K. L. (2011). The relationship between studying music and mathematics performance on the
new jersey high school proficiency assessment (Order No. 3471685). Available from
ProQuest Dissertations & Theses A&I; ProQuest Education Journals. (887901708). Retrieved
from http://search.proquest.com/docview/887901708?accountid=12063

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