Social-emotional Learning | Center for Excellence in Learning and Teaching (BLOG)

By Omar Badessi, Ph.D.
Language Instructor
Department of Hispanic Languages and Literature

As an educator and music enthusiast, I firmly believe in harnessing the transformative power of music to cultivate inclusive learning environments both within the classroom and beyond (Harwood, 2010). Music, with its universal language, serves as a bridge connecting students from diverse backgrounds while also fostering empathy, understanding, and collaboration.

A page of sheet music. — There are many ways that music can contribute to the learning experience.

Embracing a Global Soundscape

My approach to incorporating music into the classroom begins with immersing students in the rich tapestry of global musical traditions. Utilizing music platforms and recordings, I introduce students to a diverse array of Spanish and Arabic genres and instruments from North Africa, Latin America, the Middle East, Europe, and beyond. Through listening sessions and open discussions about the lyrics and context of the songs, students explore the origins, instrumentation, and cultural significance of various musical expressions. This not only sparks curiosity but also cultivates cultural appreciation and encourages dialogue about our shared humanity amidst diverse musical landscapes (National Association for Music Education, 2023).

Celebrating Student Identities

Moving beyond passive engagement, I invite students to share music from their own cultural backgrounds. Whether it’s through presentations like “Ventana Cultural” (cultural windows), Karaoke Nights activities, sharing hobbies and passions through the “Amigos de Omar أصدقاء عمر “ newsletter, or participating in live performances such as “A Star is Born,” students are encouraged to express themselves musically while celebrating their unique cultural identities. These experiences promote empathy, understanding, and active participation in shaping the classroom’s cultural tapestry (Edwards, 2022).

A record on a turntable. — Music can help us to learn about other cultures, serve as a powerful tool for Social-Emotional Learning (SEL), and more.

Music for Social-Emotional Learning (SEL)

Moreover, music serves as a powerful tool for social-emotional learning (SEL). Collaborative songwriting activities centered on themes like empathy and understanding allow students to express themselves creatively while honing essential social and emotional skills. Through shared musical experiences, students develop communication skills, emotional intelligence, and a sense of belonging within the classroom community (The Journal of Music Therapy, 2021).

Music as a Bridge for Collaboration

Outside of class, musical rehearsals or live performances are a great opportunity for different people to connect and collaborate with each other.. These activities promote teamwork, cultural exploration, and a deeper appreciation for diverse musical heritages (Higgins & Jones, 2020). Personally, I cherish memories of collaborating with musicians from various cultural backgrounds at Stony Brook University, like playing the drums for the cross-cultural ensemble Lost in Staller, which mixed classic and funky-Afro beats while exploring jazz tension between composition and improvisation. Here is a recording of a Spanglish performance: Besame con frenesí.

The Stony Brook Broadway Orchestra (SBBO) further exemplifies the power of music to unite students from diverse cultural backgrounds. Each final show, supported by families and friends, showcases the talents of our community. Shows such as Annie Get your Gun, The Addams Family, or Big Fish, leave lasting impressions and fond memories. Check out our rendition of The Lightning Thief.

In conclusion, music serves as a catalyst for cultural understanding, emotional exploration, and collaborative learning. By integrating diverse musical experiences into the classroom, educators create vibrant and inclusive environments where every student’s voice is valued and celebrated. Music becomes more than just a subject—it becomes a vehicle for enriching the educational journey for all.

References:

Edwards, M. R. (2022). *Building inclusive music classrooms: A guide for general music teachers*. Oxford University Press.

Harwood, J. (2010). “The Power of Song: The Cultural and Pedagogical Functions of Song in the EFL Classroom.” Tesol Quarterly, 44(4), 617-640.

Higgins, L., & Jones, E. (2020). *Inclusive musical practice in education: Embracing all learners*. Routledge.

National Association for Music Education. (2023). *Music & social justice: Educators guide*.

The Journal of Music Therapy. (2021). *The power of music in inclusive education*, 58(2), 123-142.

By Bismi Biju
CELT Graduate Student Assistant

Have you ever noticed a difference in how you speak around your colleagues compared to how you speak with your friends and family? It’s likely that you unconsciously adjust your speech to fit professional settings, such as using more formal language and being more measured in your tone. Additionally, if you come from a place with a regional dialect, you may also adapt your speech based on the social context. For example, you may speak with a different accent or use different words or phrases depending on who you’re talking to.

decorative — Coming to campus can mean choosing new ways to speak and dress in order to fit in. Social scientists call that code-switching.

I find myself having to switch between dialects and slang when talking to professors on campus versus friends back home versus traditional family settings. As I spent my undergraduate career at Stony Brook, I naturally found myself changing tone and sentence structure to fit into the classroom setting better, especially in STEM courses. This is something that I didn’t consider in high school as everyone around me was familiar with regional slang words.

Linguists refer to this phenomenon as code-switching, which originally meant switching between two languages in a conversation (Gardner-Chloros, 2009). However, in today’s increasingly multicultural and multiethnic society, the term has evolved to describe how people shift between different cultures as they communicate with others. This can include choosing different communication styles, such as using different languages, adjusting your accent or tone, or adapting your behavior and dress.

There are many reasons why people use code-switching. Sometimes, it’s to fit in with a particular group or to convey thoughts and concepts that might be easier to explain in a specific language or communication style. Other times, it’s simply a force of habit or a way of expressing one’s cultural identity. However, the most common reason for code-switching is to identify with a particular social group, and most of the time, people don’t even realize they’re doing it (Myers‐Scotton, 2017). Code-switching happens subtly, and it’s not limited to bilingual speakers.

For example, when you leave your hometown for college, you may find yourself in a new cultural environment where you must navigate unfamiliar social structures while retaining your identity. This can involve cultural code-switching, which can include multiple aspects of one’s cultural identity, such as the type of clothing worn, hair style, speech, or behavior (Martin-Jones, 1995). Unfortunately, those from Black, Indigenous, People of Color (BIPOC) communities are more likely than their non-Hispanic White counterparts to say they feel the need to code-switch. A study found that 4 in 10 Black and Hispanic adults often feel the need to change the way they talk around others of different races and ethnicities, especially among non-Hispanic Whites. Additionally, 48% of Black professionals under age 50 see code-switching as a career necessity (McCluney, et al., 2021).

Expertly navigating another culture isn’t a rejection of where you come from or a signal that you are any less authentic. Especially in the American culture that too often demands assimilation or marginalization, it matters that academic and corporate spaces are embracing people of all backgrounds. If it isn’t intentionally inclusive, it is unintentionally excluding. Therefore, flexibility and awareness is necessary in these circles to make sure everyone feels heard and empowered. Those that are in the majority have less code-switching and less adaptation required when in these settings, so it is important to bring awareness to the issue.

References:

Gardner-Chloros, P. (2009). Code-switching. Cambridge University Press.

Martin-Jones, M. (1995). Code-switching in the classroom: Two decades of research. One speaker, two languages: Cross-disciplinary perspectives on code-switching, 90-111.

McCluney, C.L., Robotham, K., Lee, S., and Durkee, M. (2019). The costs of code-switching. Harvard Business Review. Retrieved from https://hbr.org/2019/11/the-costs-of-codeswitching

Myers‐Scotton, C. (2017). Code‐switching. The handbook of sociolinguistics, 217-237.