Academic music: music instruction to engage third-grade students in learning basic fraction concepts Susan Joan Courey & Endre Balogh & Jody Rebecca Siker & Jae Paik Published online: 23 March 2012 # Springer Science+Business Media B.V. 2012 Abstract This study examined the effects of an academic music intervention on conceptual understanding of music notation, fraction symbols, fraction size, and equivalency of third graders from a multicultural, mixed socio-economic public school setting. Students (N 0 67) were assigned by class to their general education mathematics program or to receive academic music instruction two times/week, 45 min/session, for 6 weeks. Academic music students used their conceptual understanding of music and fraction concepts to inform their solutions to fraction computation problems. Linear regression and t tests revealed statisti- cally significant differences between experimental and comparison students’ music and fraction concepts, and fraction computation at posttest with large effect sizes. Students who came to instruction with less fraction knowledge responded well to instruction and produced posttest scores similar to their higher achieving peers. Keywords Fraction concepts . Elementary . Representation . Music notation . Semiotics 1 Introduction Fractions are one of the most difficult mathematical concepts to master in the elementary curriculum (Behr, Wachsmuth, Post & Lesh, 1984; Cramer, Post & delMas, 2002; Moss & Case, 1999). For many students, the struggle to understand fractions continues through middle and high school, thereby delaying or preventing development of mathematical reasoning and mastery of algebraic concepts (Brigham, Wilson, Jones & Moisio, 1996; Mazzocco & Devlin, 2008; National Research Council, 2001). For students with learning difficulties, English Language Learners (ELLs), and students with low achievement, mas- tering fraction concepts is an even more formidable task (Basurto, 1999; Butler, Miller, Crehan, Babbitt & Pierce, 2003; Empson, 2003; Hiebert, Wearne & Taber, 1991; Mazzocco & Devlin, 2008; Menken, 2006). Educ Stud Math (2012) 81:251–278 DOI 10.1007/s10649-012-9395-9 S. J. Courey (*) : E. Balogh : J. R. Siker : J. Paik San Francisco State University, San Francisco, CA, USA e-mail: scourey@sfsu.edu