Enhancing children's learning: the art perspective

This study, which was qualitative in nature, investigated what school children in Ghana had to say about their drawings. Observation and in-depth interviews were used to examine links between art and emotion. Parents' views about art lessons were investigated also. The aim of this article is to transmit what we found out about the value of art for enhancing these children's learning. The data analysis revealed that art facilitated expression of emotion and experience. Theory in the literature suggests that learning is most effective when it links with emotional experience; thus, we put forward an argument for effective learning in the context of art lessons. Art can also be used as a form of therapy or preventive medicine to contribute to children's psychological well-being and subsequently prepare them for learning.