Posted by admin on Nov 29, 2016 in Blog

– landmark Arts Council/ESRI study (Source: http://www.artscouncil.ie/News/Children-engaged-in-arts-go-on-to-have-better-academic-self-image-and-more-positive-attitudes-to-school—landmark-Arts-Council/ESRI-study/) School provision leads to increased participation in cultural activities outside school Irish children who participate in artistic and cultural activities cope better with schoolwork and have more positive attitudes towards school later on than those who are less engaged, according to a landmark Arts Council-ESRI study (PDF, 10MB) The study, which is being published by the Arts Council today, has identified that children aged 9 who frequently read and attend classes in music, dance or drama have an improved ‘academic self-image’ – or the confidence to cope with schoolwork – by age 13. They are also happier, have reduced anxiety, better academic skills and fewer socio-emotional difficulties. TV watching is shown to lead to improved cognitive development but increased socio-emotional difficulties. More active cultural participation (e.g. reading, structured cultural activities) improves both wellbeing and cognitive development according to this study. After-school cultural activities, such as choir and drama groups, were also found to have a significant influence in fostering broader interest in the arts outside of school hours. According to the survey’s findings, young people attending schools which offer drama classes are more likely to read frequently outside school. Levels of TV watching are lower in schools providing choir or dance, while playing computer games is also a less frequent activity among children attending schools that provide music after school. This major study, conducted by the ESRI on behalf of the Arts Council, draws on Growing Up in Ireland (GUI) data to assess arts and cultural participation specifically among 3, 5, 9 and 13-year-olds. Growing Up in Ireland is an initiative of the Department of Children and Youth Affairs in association with the Department of Social Protection and the Central Statistics Office. The study measures the impact of arts and cultural participation on the cognitive development and emotional wellbeing of children and young people in Ireland. There are striking gender differences in levels of participation in the arts from as young an age as three. These gender differences persist throughout childhood, with girls’ schools offering more arts activities, and more girls participating after school. Socio-economic background is also found to have a strong...