ACT for In School Programs
Building on research that began in public schools, Arts for Critical Thinking® (ACT) has been/ used in a variety of settings including public and private schools, after school programs and at home. Educators make ongoing contributions to the development of the program, and participants through elementary school age continue to benefit from exposure to ACT.
The goal of ACT is to build thinking, learning, and engagement skills. Specifically, the ACT program can help:
- improve focus, conceptualization, categorization, and association skills
- develop a foundation for learning more about music and visual arts
- impact other aspects of thinking in academics, sports and daily life
Youth who participate in ACT:
- build skill at focusing and maintaining focus more effectively
- develop mental skills that help them understand what they are learning
- develop greater confidence in themselves and skill at interacting with others
- are more engaged and less likely to be disruptive
- have fun
What is ACT?
Using music and visual arts, ACT provides opportunities to develop and practice thinking skills that can aid learning, not only in the arts, but also in academic areas like mathematics, reading, and writing.
The program includes a series of interrelated ACTivities or lessons that are designed to be fun while developing engagement and thinking skills. The ACTivities are:
- short, approximately 20-30 minutes each
- easy to use - no special training in music or arts is required to lead them
- structured for both individual and collaborative learning
- designed to help participants discover connections between the arts and other learning
Because the ACTivities are structured on the Dewey concept of inquiry-based learning, leaders are encouraged to ask questions based on experience rather than just present facts. Feel free to present the ACTivities creatively and encourage participants to speak, write, and draw about their ideas without restraint. Through its Inquiry Learning approach, ACT fosters curiosity, initiative, and active involvement in learning.
Each 20-30 minute inquiry-based ACTivity includes two parts:
- activities that involve skill-developing engagement with music or visual arts and often also relate to mathematics or language arts
- an opportunity to reflect upon what participants have just experienced and associate this learning to their broader interests and experiences
Some ACTivities are specifically designed to help participants focus their attention so they settle down quickly. These lessons are especially effective if used regularly, for example to begin the day or after lunch. Experience has shown that less disruption occurs with ACT usage and attendance is better on days when ACT lessons are anticipated.
Our books fully describe each ACTivity, including simple instructions and a list of materials you might need – things like a CD player to play music, paper and markers to draw, a xylophone and percussion instruments like sticks. Because the lessons are designed to build skills progressively, instructions are included suggesting how ACTivities should be presented, from simplest to the most advanced.
How do I find out more about the ACTivities?
- Visit Explore ACT to see sample ACTivities and other information from our books
- Visit Watch ACT to see short videos of the ACTivities
- Visit Get ACT to download our books
If desired, training and consulting services are also available. Please contact us for more information.
How does ACT improve the climate for learning?
- ACT participants appear to find the learning process more inviting and take greater ownership of their learning
- ACT uses an engaging inquiry-based approach in which there are no “right” and “wrong” answers
- ACT leaders report that participants become more engaged with their learning and show improved social behavior
How does ACT foster achievement in language arts?
- ACT fosters language acquisition by creating opportunities to practice language while describing music or pictures
- ACT fosters writings skills by helping understand what makes written language effective
- ACT fosters reading skills by developing the mental skills needed to read with understanding
How does ACT foster achievement in mathematics?
- ACT fosters math skills by building number sense
- ACT fosters math skills by developing an understanding of the way that mathematical operations work
- ACT fosters math skills by creating a motivational atmosphere to promote active learning
What is the thinking behind ACT?
(excerpt from article by Martin F. Gardiner, Ph.D.)ACT uses learning activities involving music and other arts to foster three types of capability which we consider essential to the ability to learn. Not only are all three fundamental in themselves, but they also enhance and strengthen one another.
To be successful, learners must:
- develop not one but a variety of ways of using their minds proficiently to accommodate the wide range of skills they must master
- expect and learn the ability to explore “why” as they learn “what”
- develop proficiency at participating actively in their learning
Arts activities are at the center of ACT because:
- they are attractive and enjoyable for all learners
- they provide rich low risk, high feedback opportunities for learners to practice ways of thinking that are needed, not only in the Arts, but also in other areas
- they affect personal and social development