Using Music in Lessons:
Guided Imagery

When combined with a narrative designed to reinforce learning, music is an effective way to help people use their imaginations to journey to places they've been to in the past, to imaginary places, or to places they ordinarily couldn't travel to. What allows for this kind of traveling is Guided Imagery, an activity that can have a profound impact on learning. Guided Imagery provides a way to reinforce comprehension as well as build visual capability. Suppose you're studying science. You could ask your student to imagine that someone has let go of a balloon. You could describe some of the principles of velocity, height, motion, and perspective by asking them to become the balloon and journey with it. One of the reasons Guided Imagery a powerful learning tool is that it supports the Spatial Intelligence. Because it helps people learn to visualize, it builds visual skills which are extremely useful in learning. Music greatly enhances the effects of Guided Imagery.

Keep in mind these general principles when creating a Guided Imagery.

Play music softly in the background during the narrative. Choose music which supports the imagery you're suggesting.

Make the experience as multisensory as possible. Ask your learner to see the texture of the tree bark, smell the pine leaves after a fall storm, feel the mud oozing between her toes.

Ask your learner to take you on a Guided Imagery tour.

Take different kinds of journeys. Talk your learners through many experiences. Ask them to become...

a raindrop in a fierce storm.
a character in a story you've just read.
oxygen flowing through a blood vessel.
a popcorn kernel about to pop.

Choose a reading passage you've just completed. Use that as the basis for a Guided Imagery.

Take time after the Guided Imagery to talk about the experience. If possible, use it as a beginning for further explorations.

The following music is recommended for Guided Imagery.

The Golden Voyages music series by Bearns and Dexter, Awakening Productions, Culver City, California.
The Environment Series. Atlantic Records, New York, New York.
Spectrum Suite and other works by Steven Halpern. Halpern Sounds, San Rafael, California.
Haydyn: The Creation; The Seasons; Masses.
Mozart: Piano Concerto No. 21.
Pachelbel, Canon in D.

Remember to invite your learner to suggest some music.

Next page: Music for Relaxation