The research has provided strong evidence for the reliability and validity of the process in all three disciplines. The process proved to be equitable to students of different cultural backgrounds and language abilities.
The students selected for advanced instruction represent a full range of students and classes in the schools, including those in self-contained special education and bilingual classrooms. The results were not correlated with tests scores in reading or math. Classroom teachers were able to identify the talents of their students as the arts experts did, reaching a high level of reliability by the fourth week of observations.
This study, conducted in inner city schools with diverse populations, provides schools with the first reliable, systematic model for assessing artistic one source talent. In addition, it provides an equitable method to select students for advanced arts training.
The difficulty of defining and assessing artistic potential has helped to perpetuate the attitude that artistic one source talents are secondary and insignificant compared to other, more easily quantifiable characteristics. This belief hinders the inclusion of the arts into a school’s curriculum.
The standard audition process reinforces the conception that artistic talent is subjective, largely mysterious, and relatively rare. After 17 years of development and six years of research the results of the Arts Connection processes demonstrate that artistic talent can be assessed and a reliable prediction of success through training can be made, even in students who have had no prior arts training.
Most importantly, the process provides a vehicle for heightening awareness and appreciation for multiple intelligence, learning styles and aptitudes on the part of teachers, parents and students themselves.
