Major Benefits of Literacy Through the Arts, Part II: Student Engagement

Develops a high degree of engagement in school

Kids who love what they’re doing in school—whether it’s dramatizing a scene from Little Women or creating a class mural—stay actively engaged. In a study conducted by the University of Washington as part of their work on design and development of the program, teachers who participated in Arts for Learning Lessons reported that the overall level of student engagement in their classrooms is extremely high. Said one teacher:

“A major benefit is the kids are so excited about the program. They love doing it. They are engaged the entire time period. I don’t see any children who are bored or who are looking out into space or who are distracted. And for learning to take place, children must be engaged, so I see that as a huge benefit.” (A New Window Into A4L: 2008-09 Interview Study)

 A4L addresses many different learning styles, and therefore provides an opportunity for all students to excel, even those who do not normally do so. According to interviews with several A4L teachers, the arts-integrated curriculum gives many students the chance to succeed. Some teachers said it was one of the first times they were able to reach kids who were not typically good “at standard school stuff.” Other teachers mentioned that the program involves children emotionally with a greater than usual engagement in school. When her A4L Unit was over, one teacher said, some kids were in tears because the unit had been so meaningful to them. “The impact [of the program] is not just intellectual or cognitive. It’s emotional,” she observed.

 A4L was also effective in reaching ESL and ELL learners in that the arts-integrated program—whether children were drawing their own graphic novel or dancing to demonstrate a word or phrase—allowed students to learn through whole body activities. (A New Window Into A4L: 2008-09 Interview Study)

Certainly, children who are more engaged for sustained periods have greater opportunity to learn

 According to Daniel Pink, author of A Whole New Mind: Why Right-Brainers Will Rule the Future, if we are to provide our children with a competitive edge in the 21^st century, they should be well equipped through an arts-integrated education that promotes creativity, engages students, and encourages kids at all levels of achievement to succeed. And, as the Executive Summary in Champions of Change (1999) reports, we must provide arts and arts-integrated programs that give young people “authentic learning experiences that engage their minds, hearts, and bodies.”