Music training and mathematics achievement

Iowa Tests of Basic Skills (ITBS) mathematics scores of eighth graders who had received music instruction were compared according to whether the stude nts were given private lessons. Comparisons also were made between students whose lessons were on the keyboard versus other music lessons. Analyses in dicated that students who had private lessons for two or more years perform ed significantly better on the composite mathematics portion of the ITBS th an did students who did not have private lessons. In addition, students who received lessons on the keyboard had significantly higher ITBS mathematics scores than did students whose lessons did not involve the keyboard. These results are discussed in relation to previous research on music training a nd mathematics achievement.