Homeschool – Staff Writer: 
Many scholars, teachers and musicians have argued over this simple question: “Is music a language?” It’s true that reading music notation can be compared to reading text. Many of us have similar emotional reactions to particular types of music, that’s why movie soundtracks are so effective. A recent study conducted at John Hopkins determined that speaking and playing music (specifically jazz improvisations) activated some of the same sections of the brain. The main difference is an important one. When the musicians played, the area of the brain that is typically associated with meaning did not activate. So, music can be used to communicate broad emotions and ideas, but the specifics are lost in the absence of text. Music isn’t exactly a language, but it is very language-like. What does that mean for our children? How do we approach learning and comprehension in music? When you learned your native language, how did you do it? It’s hard to remember because we started learning as soon as we took that first breath. We begin by listening to the sounds around us. Then we experiment with our own voice making babbling sounds. Eventually we are able to say simple words and we understand their meaning. Luckily, music is all around us. It’s on the radio in the car, the overhead speakers at the mall and grocery stores and it accompanies commercials and shows on TV. Inherently, children are exposed to music early on. Learning multiple languages comes easier at a young age, and the same is true for learning music. So, start early and expose your child to a myriad of musical styles.(more)