NERA CONFERENCE PROCEEDINGS

NERA Conference Proceedings 2008

Title: The Use of Music to Teach Life Skills to Students with Emotional Disbilities in the Classroom
Author: Williams Emeka Obiozor, Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania2
Document Type : Conference Proceeding
Discipline: Education

Abstract
My paper reflects on the teaching of American youths with music, lyrics and cultural rhythms --- an instructional curriculum strategy to encourage positive participation, good behaviors and learning in the classroom. This is premised on the understanding of the student’s culture and using such background to educate them. Over the period of one school year, I worked with middle school students in an Emotional Challenged Program in Maryland, teaching Life and Job Skills, Reading, Writing, Math, etc. During the lessons, different hip-hop music/artists were profiled, their lyrics and messages examined and the class discussed the effect to the youths and the society. It turned out to be a bold approach to cognitive development theory of learning; Class participation increased while Functional Behavior Support was provided for the students with greater ease.
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Obiozor, Williams Emeka, "The Use of Music to Teach Life Skills to Students with Emotional
Disbilities in the Classroom" (2008). NERA Conference Proceedings 2008. Paper
21.http://digitalcommons.uconn.edu/nera_2008/21