The Impact of Music Education on the Academic Achievement of Chinese Primary School Students

Abstract

Nowadays, it is widely acknowledged worldwide that music education is a beneficial activity for students’ cognitive, social, and emotional development (Ho, 2021). However, there is limited empirical evidence on how music education affects academic achievement in primary schools, especially in China. The aim of this literature review is to examine the existing research on the impact of music education on the academic achievement of primary school students in China, focusing on three aspects of music education: instrument-vocal training, music composition and music appreciation. The review synthesised the results of different research approaches and highlighted the importance of music education in enhancing Chinese primary school students’ motivation, creativity, and self-esteem, as well as in promoting cultural diversity and social harmony (Bao, 2020; Wang, 2021). Limitations of the current literature are then discussed and directions for future research are suggested, concluding that the main conclusion - that music education has a relatively positive impact on academic achievement in Chinese primary schools - requires more rigorous and comprehensive research to explore the underlying mechanisms and contextual factors that influence this relationship.