How Songs Can Improve Retention in Children with Dyslexia

Dyslexia is a specific learning difficulty affecting 10% of the population, with challenges primarily in reading, writing, and information retention. However, research highlights that songs and music can significantly improve learning outcomes for dyslexic children by engaging multiple senses, improving attention, and enhancing working memory. Let’s explore how music-based learning, particularly through songs, can make a difference.

The Science Behind Songs and Dyslexia

1. Multisensory Engagement
   Dyslexic children often benefit from learning methods that integrate auditory, visual, and kinaesthetic inputs. Songs naturally engage these senses by combining rhythm, melody, and lyrics with actions or visuals.

   • Research Link: Studies like Teri Lawton’s (2016) show that improving attention and working memory through tailored stimuli, such as figure/ground motion discrimination, has significant positive effects on dyslexic children’s cognitive functions.

2. Improved Attention Through Rhythm

   • Rhythmic patterns in songs are processed in the brain’s magnocellular pathway, which is associated with movement and attention. This is crucial for dyslexic learners who often have deficits in this area, as highlighted by Livingstone et al. (1991) and Stein (2001).

   • Rhythm helps focus attention, making it easier to absorb and retain information presented in the form of lyrics.

3. Activation of Visuo-Spatial Attention

   • Vidyasagar and Pammer (2010) emphasise that dyslexia is more than a phonological deficit; it also involves visuo-spatial attention challenges. Songs accompanied by visual aids (e.g., videos) address these issues by synchronising auditory and visual inputs, enhancing comprehension and retention.

Why Songs Work for Dyslexic Children

• Memory Hooks: The repetitive nature of melodies and rhymes makes it easier for children to recall information, even complex concepts.

• Boosting Confidence: Singing along to songs fosters a sense of achievement, building self-esteem in children who may struggle with traditional learning.

• Engagement and Fun: Songs turn learning into an enjoyable activity, reducing the stress and frustration often associated with dyslexia.

References

1. Lawton, T. (2016). Improving Dorsal Stream Function in Dyslexics by Training Figure/Ground Motion Discrimination Improves Attention, Reading Fluency, and Working Memory.

2. Livingstone, M. S., Rosen, G. D., Drislane, F. W., & Galaburda, A. M. (1991). Physiological and anatomical evidence for a magnocellular defect in developmental dyslexia.

3. Stein, J. (2001). The magnocellular theory of developmental dyslexia.

4. Vidyasagar, T. R., & Pammer, K. (2010). Dyslexia: a deficit in visuo-spatial attention, not in phonological processing.