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(KSL News) Pianos, computers and students at Franklin Elementary School are combining for a first-of-its-kind program in America.
The children, 85 percent of whom use English as a second language, play the keyboards using computer-assisted learning. They are part of a pilot study with the help of the University of Utah, Daynes Music and the Salt Lake Rotary Club.
"This really is the future: To combine not only music and piano skills, but I have a number of my students here who are going to be doing compositions and are really junior composers of tomorrow," said Carol Ann Floyd, teacher in the Franklin Elementary piano lab.
Student Michelle Rodriguez said, "[It's] really cool because you get to invent your own songs."
The benefits reach beyond music. Test scores in all subjects for students in this program showed significant improvement.
