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Merriam Webster dictionary defines research as a “studious inquiry or examination; especially : investigation or experimentation aimed at the discovery and interpretation of facts, revision of accepted theories or laws in the light of new facts, or practical application of such new or revised theories or laws.” In your view as an early childhood
educator, what is the relevance of doing research especially in music when you teach children? Discuss your views giving examples based on your experience and Chapter 5 of our text book pg 64-74.
No plagarismon time
1. In a small group or individually, list the key components of the Kodály Approa. Create a visual representation su
as a web or map to show the relationship between the various components in the approa.
2. Sear the Internet for more information on the Kodály Approa and e You-Tube for videos of teaing
examples.
Music Learning eory: Edwin E Gordon
e Music Learning eory (MLT) of American music educator and resear professor Edwin E. Gordon (1927-2015) is an
explanation of how ildren and adults learn music. MLT is the result of Gordon’s extensive resear and field-testing over
many years. It is neither a teaing method nor a theory of teaing. Rather it outlines a sequential, cyclical process for
learning music, providing a basis for understanding what is being learned as we listen to, perform, and create music.
Audiation
Music Learning eory is based on the concept of audiation—Gordon’s term for the ability to think music in the mind with
understanding. Audiation is to music as thought is to language. Consider when someone speaks how we must listen and
remember his or her vocal sounds in order to understand the words that the sounds represent. e same is true when listening
to music. We must remember and organize the sounds we hear. Audiation skill develops as we learn both the surface structure
(melody) and deep structure (tonality, meter, ord functions, rhythm functions, etc.) of music.
rough MLT, Gordon explained what one must know at a particular level of music understanding/skill to proceed to more
advanced levels. Developers of practical applications have provided teniques for teaing audiation, a multi-layered process.
e primary objective of MLT-based instruction is to help ildren develop tonal and rhythm audiation so they will
experience a deeper understanding of the music they listen to, perform, and create. By knowing ildren’s music aptitudes and
the process of audiation development, teaers are equipped to develop appropriate music curricula and deliver music
instruction in a logical, sequential way that also is differentiated for individual student success. An example of a sequential
music teaing curriculum, based on MLT, is Jump Right In: The Music Curriculum for Classroom Music (see Appendix D).
Sequential Music Learning
ere are four music-learning sequences in MLT—skill learning sequence, tonal and rhythm content learning sequences, and
paern learning sequence—whi are combined in instruction. In addition, there are five sequential music vocabularies—
listening, singing and rhythm anting, audiation and improvisation, reading music notation, and writing music notation.
Notice how similar this sequence is to learning a spoken language—listening, speaking, thinking, reading, and then writing.
A whole/part/whole approa is embedded in MLT. In developing audiation, the first “whole” are songs taught during regular
classroom activities. e “part” aspect refers to tonal and rhythm paern instruction occurring during learning sequence
activities (LSAs). e second “whole” occurs when ildren understand songs more fully as a result of learning tonal and rhythm
elements (the parts) of music.
Discrimination and
Inference Learning
Gordon identified an eight-level hierary of skill learning. e levels are divided into two categories—discrimination learning
(five levels) and inference learning (three levels). Discrimination learning, or learning by rote, precedes inference learning
(conceptual learning). ese levels are defined sequentially below.
Discrimination Learning
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e goal of discrimination (rote) learning is to help ildren build a vocabulary of tonal and rhythm paerns—mu like a
vocabulary of words in language. As students proceed through the following levels, they move from aural/oral experiences
with song literature and paerns to verbally associating (labeling) paerns with syllables to discriminating among groups of
paerns, and finally to reading and notating. In discrimination learning, the teaer teaes students both what to learn and
how to learn it.
1. Aural/Oral. In a call and response format, ildren listen to (aural) and perform (oral) tonal and rhythm paerns with
neutral syllables. e syllables are usually “bum” for tonal paerns and “bah” for rhythm paerns. When students can
sing in tune a variety of tonal paerns and can ant rhythmic paerns while keeping a steady beat, they are ready to
work with verbal association.
2. Verbal association. Children sing the previously learned tonal paerns with sol-fa syllables (do, re, mi, etc.) in do-
based major and la-based minor tonalities, and ant the previously learned rhythmic paerns with rhythm syllables
su as “du,” “da,” and so on. (Rhythm syllables are presented in Appendix A.) Children also learn to associate
vocabulary and proper names with these paerns.
3. Partial synthesis. Children aurally recognize and discriminate among groups of previously learned tonal and rhythm
paerns and interpret them as being in meters, major or minor, and so on. is is similar to hearing groups of words
in language and being able to interpret them as sentences.
4. Symbolic association. Children are now ready to read the wrien symbols for the sol-fa syllables and rhythm syllables
of familiar paerns and perform them. ey associate these symbols with what they have already audiated and are
thus able to notate these tonal and rhythmic paerns.
5. Composite synthesis. Children comprehend and notate previously learned tonal and rhythm phrases (a group of
paerns in a series). is is similar to aurally discriminating paerns at the partial synthesis level, but now students
can read and write them as well.
Inference Learning
To learn by inference is to think for oneself or to perform tasks that have not been learned by rote. Given prior experiences
with familiar paerns at various levels of discrimination learning, ildren are able to identify, create, and improvise unfamiliar
paerns in inference learning. e goal is for the teaer to tea students how to learn and then the students tea themselves
what they learn.
6. Generalization. Children demonstrate that they can transfer familiar tonal and rhythm paerns (read/wrien) to new
musical examples. ey compare sets of tonal or rhythm paerns, some familiar and some not, and decide aurally
whi are the
same and whi are different. In addition, they identify names or labels for paerns and read or write unfamiliar tonal or
rhythm paerns.
7. Creativity/Improvisation. Children create or improvise different but related tonal and rhythm paerns in response to
paerns performed by the teaer. ey also can read and notate these newly created paerns.
8. Theoretical understanding. Aer ildren have developed the knowledge and skill outlined in the previous levels, they
are ready to discern why music is what it is. Just as one would not tea ildren how to diagram a sentence before
they can speak the language fluently, ildren need not learn the rules and tenical aspects of how music “works” and
is put together until they can synthesize, read, write, create, and improvise music through audiation.
e Music Learning eory provides some important guidelines for teaers to use to involve students in meaningful music
learning. For example:
Begin with sound and move to symbol—hear, label, symbolize.
Plan music learning experiences sequentially so that learning is not fragmented.
Adjust the music learning sequence to the ild’s readiness.
Follow the same steps in music learning that ildren demonstrate in language development. Listen to a wide variety
of spee (music). Learn words (or tonal/rhythm paerns) first to acquire a vocabulary, and then combine those words
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(or tonal/ rhythm paerns) into sentences (or phrases).
As with the Dalcroze, Orff, and Kodály Approaes, a teaer needs direct instruction in MLT to thoroughly understand and use
the ideas. Fortunately, there are many institutes, colleges, and universities that offer courses and instruction. e Gordon
Institute for Music Learning website (www.giml.org) offers a wealth of information. For complete information on MLT, see
Gordon’s Learning Sequences in Music (GIA Publications, 2012), and e Appendix D for more references and classroom
resources.
Projects
1. View teaing examples of MLT on YouTube. Select and describe one or two that you feel are appropriate illustrations
of what you have learned from the above description.
2. If one were following the MLT skill learning sequence, what levels of discrimination learning would be missing if a
teaer started beginning recorder instruction for fourth graders by teaing them to read notation? Describe.
Other Approaes to Curriculum
e Comprehensive Musicianship Approa
Comprehensive musicianship, as an educational approa and philosophy, is designed to help students become comprehensive
musicians—to gain insight into the nature and structure of music, to learn how to relate and synthesize the various facets and
areas of musical experience, and to develop an awareness of the world’s music. e term comprehensive musicianship
expresses the goals of the Comprehensive Musicianship Approa: to understand music „aurally, structurally, historically, and
culturally” so that learners can “understand and enjoy music to its fullest potential” (Campbell, 1991: 20).
ree broad categories (common elements, musical functions, and educational strategies) are at the heart of the approa.
e common elements aspect refers to the idea that certain elements of music (su as melody and rhythm) are common to
any culture, tradition, or style. ese elements are experienced through performance, analysis, and composition (musical
functions). e educational strategies include a “hands-on” approa to music learning, a study of music of numerous cultures
and historical periods, and an in-depth study of music concepts.
e approa originated in the United States with the Contemporary Music Project (CMP), a project funded by the Ford
Foundation and developed throughout the 1960s and 1970s. e emphasis of the project was initially to encourage sool music
programs to expand and include creativity through composition, and new, experimental music. However, the CMP sponsored a
seminar on Comprehensive Musicianship in 1965 at Northwestern University and, as a result of that seminar, expanded its
emphasis. e Comprehensive Musicianship Approa was to include the teaing of all musical styles through performing,
listening, analyzing, composing, and improvising. rough a series of regional meetings, teaers at all levels were introduced
to these ideas and given ways to revise their curriculum to include them.
Although the Comprehensive Musicianship Approa was originally intended for college students, its main application has
been in the elementary music curriculum. Elementary students must be able to work independently and cooperatively to
benefit from the Comprehensive Musicianship Approa. e validity and the success of individual and small-group activities
hinge on the quality of planning and evaluation by teaers (and students).
e Comprehensive Musicianship Approa continues to influence music education today. Many of our elementary sool
music programs include the common elements approa to music and use the elements of music as the organizing focus for the
music curriculum.
e Eclectic Approa
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Although some teaers may use just one of the aforementioned approaes in their curriculum, most teaers incorporate and
integrate ideas and teniques from many different sources in their teaing. Since ea group of students is different, teaers
must select appropriate methods and materials for their particular teaing situation and teaing style. e individualizing of
one’s curricular approa offers students an eclectic music curriculum. is is the approa used in The Musical Classroom.
e model experiences in this text are standards-based and focus on engaging ildren in conceptual music learning—
creating, while utilizing and adapting, a variety of curricular approaes and teaing teniques to do so. e ultimate goal is
to help students deepen their understanding of music through conceptual experiences, to bring them in tou with a variety of
ways to experience music and, as a result, to increase their enjoyment of and sensitivity to music as an art.
End-of-Chapter Projects
1. Prepare a art highlighting the major components of the Dalcroze, Orff, Kodály, and Music Learning eory
Approaes. As you prepare the art, consider how Comprehensive Musicianship and the Eclectic Approa relate
to these other approaes.
2. In Section II, review the following model experiences: Models 5, 23, 27, 28, and 43. While recognizing that these
models are eclectic in their approa, determine whi other approa or approaes are evident in either the main
sequence of the lesson or in an extension.
References
Campbell, P.S. (1991). Lessons from the World. New York: Sirmer Books.
Carder, P. (1990). “Part ree: Carl Orff.” In The Eclectic Curriculum in American Music Education: Contributions of Dalcroze,
Kodaly, and Orff. 2nd ed. Polly Carder, pp. 107 160. Reston, VA: Music Educators National Conference.
Gordon, E.E. (2012). Learning Sequences in Music: Skill, Content, and Patterns: A Music Learning Theory. Chicago: GIA
Publications, Inc.
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6
Curricular Developments and Integration
∎
Integrating Music Tenology
∎
Integrating Music with Other Subjects
∎ Reaing All Learners in the Music Classroom
∎ e Prekindergarten Child and Music
e curriculum in America’s elementary sools is always expanding and anging. Tenological developments dictate ange
and offer unlimited opportunities for enhancing music learning. A thrust for a stronger curricular focus on integrating the
various subjects in the elementary curriculum requires careful instructional planning. Changing demographics, the sool
population, and various legislative updates necessitate varying learning and teaing strategies so reaing out to all learners is
critical. And the ever-emerging resear confirming the importance of early ildhood music learning requires teaers to be
grounded in “what works” in engaging very young ildren in music. ese curricular developments and approaes to
curricular integration are addressed in this apter.
Integrating Music Tenology
Every sort of tenology has made its way into the elementary classroom, the music classroom, and into the lives of ildren.
We have computers (including tablets), digital music players, MIDI, smartphones, DVDs, electronic instruments, interactive
white boards, and multimedia. Teaers have wonderful opportunities to use this tenology to enhance music learning and
increase ildren’s fascination with music. A variety of tenology-based resources, including lesson plans, are also available to
assist teaers in integrating music with other subjects in the elementary curriculum.
Information about some of this tenology, as applied in the elementary classroom, follows. Specific information about
electronic keyboards, QChords® (digital songcard guitars) and virtual instruments is included in Chapter 3 and numerous
applications of tenology are integrated throughout the model experiences in Section II.
Computers are certainly one of the most important educational tenology tools available for teaers and students. For
music teaing and learning, computers can display music notation and sound specific pites simultaneously and when
connected to electronic keyboards, with MIDI (Music Instrument Digital Interface) capability, they can become “instruments.”
When creative teaers use computer-related tenologies su as music notation soware, computer-assisted instruction
soware (CAI), electronic and virtual instruments, interactive white boards (su as Smart Boards) and the Internet, their
students will have increased options to experience the three artistic processes of creating, performing, and responding to
music.
Computers are especially good at providing individualized instruction, creative music activities, and collaborative learning
experiences. Teaers can introduce music concepts and skills in the classroom and then let students practice and expand on
them through carefully selected instructional soware. It may be effective to use an interactive white board or other projector
to demonstrate soware to the entire class, and then students can work individually or in groups of two to four with various
programs.
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Figure 6.1 Students working with Music Ace soware. Courtesy of Harmonic Vision, Inc.
Tablet computers (su as iPads or Chromebooks) introduce yet more options for adults and ildren alike. ese portable
tablets are ideal for ildren with their intuitive tou-based interface and offer not only access to the Internet, but a plethora of
applications as well. Some music applications allow students to create and compose their own music and record their work in
traditional or non-traditional notation. Che out the Apple App Store and Android Market for the many applications available.
Digital music players (DMPs) su as iPods are extraordinarily valuable because they are very small; can access the Internet;
run all kinds of applications; and store digital music, videos, and photos/pictures. For teaers, they offer a way to download
and store all music, visuals, and videos for classroom use in one place. Of course, smartphones can also access the Internet, run
applications, and take photos and videos.
Digital video discs (DVDs) offer high-quality pictures combined with sound. Many DVDs are available in music and offer
examples of music of other cultures (references are noted in some model experiences in Section II), performances of ballets,
operas, musicals, movies, and the list goes on. e multimedia feature of combining audio and visual in DVDs provides
students with the complete musical experience.
Finally, the Internet itself is an unlimited teaing/learning tool. Students and teaers alike can access (at any time of day or
night) just about any kind of information imaginable via the Internet. roughout Section I of this text, there are many
suggestions for teaers to initiate resear on specific subjects related to the elementary sool music curriculum and view
various approaes to teaing via YouTube videos. In Sections I and II of this text, there are recommendations for teaers of
where to download or stream music from for the model experiences, and suggestions for Internet projects for students as well.
Because of the quantity of Internet resources, it is crucial for teaers to be aentive to the quality of Web-based information.
is is particularly important when downloading music to use with ildren.
Evaluating Interactive Music Programs and Internet Resources
Because so many interactive music programs (soware, apps, organizations’ websites) are available, it is essential that teaers
carefully preview, evaluate, and select only those of the highest quality for use in the classroom. High-quality soware not only
offers sequenced individualized instruction but also provides opportunities for creative activities and a traing method for the
teaer to use to keep tabs on student learning. Soware programs su as Music Ace (Harmonic Vision) and the Groovy Music
series (Sibelius) are excellent examples of well-structured interactive lessons for elementary sool ildren. “Guidelines for
Evaluating Music Soware” and a Music Soware Program Evaluation Form is found on The Musical Classroom companion
website.
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Figure 6.2 Screen shot from Sibelius’s Music: Shapes. Courtesy of Musicfirst.
e number of apps for ildren continues to grow by leaps and bounds. ere are apps for playing instruments, composing,
and lots more. However, some are developmentally appropriate and others not. Again, teaers need to be vigilant that any
osen for classroom use are age appropriate. A number of symphony orestras have excellent interactive programs designed
just for ildren (see Appendix E). Take a look also at websites su as “Go Classical for Kids” and the “Canadian National Arts
Center” for a plethora of engaging musical experiences for ildren (Appendix E).
e abundance of Internet resources requires teaers to be particularly cautious about the quality of any Web-based
information they use. Anyone can publish a website and no one is evaluating the accuracy of the information presented.
Teaers should always pay close aention to who is responsible for the website and where it “lives.” Is it a reputable
government agency, university, etc.? And it always is wise to consider why this website was established and for whom. For
guidelines on evaluating Web-based resources, teaers should e out the Cornell University Library website at
hp://www.Librarycornell.edu/olinuris/ref/resear/webeval/html.
Downloading or streaming music from the Internet requires the same quality es as required of any other Web-based
resource. e advantages of being able to download (e.g., iTunes, GoogleMusic, Amazon) or stream (e.g., Spotify) musical
examples is that it can enable you to have great performances all in one place. However, there are oen many performances by
various groups and individuals available for just one piece of music. It is particularly important to oose the best one that
mates what you are teaing and the age of the ildren who will interact with the music. For example, if you want to
download a particular song for a class of first graders, it is important that the downloaded song is in an appropriate vocal range
and sung at a tempo that young ildren can actually perform. If you are selecting music of a particular culture to share with
the class, it is crucial to make sure that the performance is authentic, e.g., African drumming performed on African
instruments ideally by African performers. roughout this text, there are references for where to access the musical examples
via links or downloads/streaming.
Projects
1. Visit an elementary classroom and observe how tenology is used. What equipment and soware is available? Are
students actively involved in a learning task? Report your findings and compare them with those of other class
members.
2. Download a website Evaluation Form at www.lib.umd.edu/ti/guides/evaluating-e list and use to evaluate a
website of your oice. Or download the form to evaluate music soware from The Musical Classroom website and
use to evaluate one or more of the music soware selections in Appendices D and E.
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Integrating Music with Other Subjects
e elementary sool curriculum includes numerous subjects—everything from math to music and science to social studies.
Integrating and relating these subjects one to another makes learning more meaningful for ildren. e key people making this
happen are the teaers! Classroom teaers have the unique opportunity to work with the same ildren day aer day and are
responsible for instruction in most subjects. ey know their students and the curriculum and can oose the appropriate
“curricular moment” to relate and connect music, for example, to the social studies, language arts, or science curriculum. e
specialist teaers (music, visual arts, physical education, etc.) bring their specialized knowledge and skills in a particular
subject to the curricular table for sharing and collaborating with the classroom teaer. Working together they can help
ildren develop comprehensive understandings within and across the various disciplines in an integrated curriculum.
An integrated curriculum can only happen when the integrity and uniqueness of ea subject area is anowledged and
respected. When music is integrated with other subjects, instruction goals need to be established for both music and the other
subjects. For example, a start at integrating music with a social studies unit on the Revolutionary War might be to introduce the
song “Yankee Doodle.” But just singing the song is only a beginning, because if students are to learn something about music,
they must also explore the song’s elements (e.g., melody, rhythm, tempo) and the song’s use and its importance during the war.
A valid integrative experience should deepen the understanding of music as well as that of the other discipline(s) involved.
Approaes to Curriculum Integration
ere are various approaes and models for curriculum integration. e thematic approach and the parallel concepts approach
are two su organizations. e thematic or multidisciplinary approa is oen used at the elementary sool level.
The Thematic Approach
e thematic approa emphasizes how the various disciplines relate to ea other and to a common theme or topic. e
integrity of the disciplines as discrete subjects is an important component of this approa. At times, just one teaer may be
involved in approaing a particular theme, but oen more than one teaer is involved to provide the needed expertise in the
subject area and to make the necessary connections to the district or state standards. e sample thematic web below illustrates
the common theme as the core and the various subjects that can connect to that core. For example, if “Environment” were the
theme, what specific learnings would connect to that theme in the various subject areas?
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Figure 6.3 Sample thematic web.
emes su as holidays, celebrations, seasons, transportation, animals, and circus oen serve as the focus for many
integrative experiences, especially at the primary grade level. For example, the thematic approa is illustrated in Model 3 in
Section II. e focus of the lesson is on the listening selection “Parade.” is experience uses the topic of parades to help ildren
explore so and loud musical sounds. Students also discuss different kinds of parades, their importance, and relate personal
experiences. Several books about parades are shared and an in-class parade is planned. As a result, students have integrated
experiences with music, language arts, and social studies.
Oen themes explore the lifestyles, celebrations, and history of various cultures. For example, the celebration of the Chinese
New Year offers multiple ways to engage ildren in making all kinds of curricular connections. Model 29 offers su an
opportunity with “e Dragon Song” as students learn about the same and different phrases in the song, try a dragon dance,
learn about the Chinese New Year celebration and the accompanying Lantern Festival, and plan a celebration with Chinese food,
traditional clothing, etc. Or e out Model 22, focusing on the special timbre of instruments in a mariai band as well as
their importance in many different kinds of celebrations in the Mexican culture. ink of all the curricular connections that can
be made with these themes!
When oosing a theme for curriculum integration, it is important that teaers consider the following:
1. Is the theme developmentally appropriate and engaging for the grade level?
2. Is it significant enough to meet state and/or district standards?
3. Does it meaningfully connect several curricular areas?
4. Are resources available to support the theme?
5. Will the result culminate in a variety of ways for students to demonstrate learning?
Every single model experience in this text makes connections with other subjects in the sool curriculum. In the Extend
category of ea, there are specific suggestions of how to relate music to the visual arts, language arts, social studies, science,
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and other subjects. And almost all songs in Section III identify an integrative area or areas that can relate to ea song. By using
the Monthly Planners in Section II, teaers can readily see what materials are available to integrate music with the various
holidays and celebrations throughout the sool year.
The Parallel Concepts Approach
e parallel concepts approa is particularly appropriate for integrating and connecting the various art forms. e arts (music,
visual arts, dance, theatre), for example, have concepts unique to ea discipline, but concepts in common (or parallel) as well.
Common concepts include elements su as color, repetition, contrast, unity, and balance.
Music, visual arts, dance, and theatre are special languages of both ideas and feeling. Ea has unique media and symbolic
systems. Ea has formal elements that are expressed in different ways but with commonalities that can be compared and
contrasted. For example:
Music composers use elements su as melody, rhythm, form, and timbre to organize sounds.
Visual artists explore color, line, and volume in media su as wood or watercolor.
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