P
laygroups, music lessons, art
classes, dance lessons and
celebrity tutors are big business
in Hong Kong, and it’s no
wonder. Standardised examinations that
determine whether or not a child can
further his or her studies drive many Hong
Kong parents in a desperate hunt for a
shortcut to a higher IQ.
Cue the stacks of music CDs that
promise to create instant geniuses. The
producers of
Baby Mozart
in particular
claim that passively listening to music
will improve your child’s intelligence. It
sounds too good to be true. So, is it?
In 1993, Gordon Shaw, a physics
professor at the University of California,
Irvine, conducted a study on the effect of
listening to Mozart’s music prior to taking
a test. With university students as the
subjects, the researchers discovered that
students had indeed improved scores
on spatial-temporal tests after listening
to Mozart. However, the effect lasted just
ten to 15 minutes.
The results of “The Mozart Effect”
have been difficult to replicate in
subsequent experiments. Even Shaw said
in an interview with
Forbes Magazine
that
the hype has nothing to do with reality.
Kathryn Eagle, founder of
Sensational Baby, which specialises
in classes that help parents learn
how to stimulate their baby’s sensory
development, says, “In my opinion,
exposing babies and children to a wide
range of different stimuli, including a
varied selection of music, can only be
beneficial to them. However, the claims
made by some that simply listening to
classical music will make your baby
smarter seem rather sweeping to me.
The brain develops through experience
and repetition of those experiences to
build neural connections, so I believe it
is important to expose your baby to a
whole variety of sensory experiences.”
If listening to music alone is not
enough, then what would be?
Another study at the University of
Toronto suggests that it is not passive
listening that increases a child’s IQ, but
rigorous learning. Study author E Glenn
Schellenberg says, “We don’t have any
evidence that music is unique in this
regard ... but, on the other hand, it’s
certainly not bad for you. Our studies
suggest that extracurricular activities are
indeed enriching to development.”
Kathryn adds, “In its first year, a
baby’s brain doubles in size thanks to the
amount of neurons created through life
experience. Babies exposed to visual,
auditory, tactile, taste and spatial and
movement activities are ready to explore
the world and are more active and
creative.”
Providing babies with different stimuli
early has its benefits. Kathryn explains,
“
A strong sensory base helps babies
process the information they need to
thrive. Classes like Sensational Baby give
parents opportunities to embrace and
capitalise on each of their baby’s new
developmental stages.”
In Hong Kong, where many children
spend a large amount of time with their
helper, parents might also consider
training courses and baby groups, such
as those run by maternity professionals
like Annerley, where the helper is guided
in stimulating activities for babies. Like
most things in life, there are no shortcuts
when it comes to learning.
Your baby will become a genius simply by listening to classical music –
or so some people claim.
Cindy Ip
tracks down the truth.
22
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