Education Assignment 5 Week 5 Module 5
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
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
(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
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.
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.
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.
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.
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?
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,
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.