Hostname: page-component-586b7cd67f-r5fsc Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-27T20:44:28.268Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

The Musical Training of Primary Teachers: Old Problems, New Insights and Possible Solutions

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  18 December 2008

Edward Gifford
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

Recent national and international documents dealing with education and the arts have attributed poor teaching of music in primary schools to inadequacies in the training of primary teachers. The most frequently reported problems associated with the training of teachers in music education were students' lack of confidence and their low musical ability.

Against this background, a study was undertaken to examine further the extent to which participation in a music education course during pre-service training advanced the musical skills, music teaching ability, musical sensitivity, and attitudes towards music of students who become general primary teachers. It was hypothesised that the quality of music education was influenced by the multi-dimensional interactions of a range of factors. These included: attitude towards music and to music education; musical achievement; the classroom learning environment; students' preferred learning styles and their previous musical background. This paper reports data on these factors and the influence of preservice training on attitudes to music and to music teaching.

The investigation confirmed general primary pre-service teachers' low perception of their competence and confidence as music teachers, and established that any limited gains in music and music teaching skills were offset by their enjoying and valuing music and music education less. Causal explanations for the findings are discussed and a model of music education is proposed both as a further means of interpreting the data and a basis for the potential re-focussing of the music curriculum.

Type
Research Article
Information
British Journal of Music Education , Volume 10 , Issue 1 , March 1993 , pp. 33 - 46
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1993

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Botsman, P. B. (1985) Review of Arts Education and Training. AGPS, Canberra.Google Scholar
Briggs Myers, I. & Mccaulley, M. H. (1985) A Guide to the Development and Use of the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator. California: Consulting Psychologists Press Inc.Google Scholar
Burtenshaw, H. (1983) The Construction and Validation of a Criterion - Referenced Test to Measure the Musical Outcomes of the Upper Elementary School Pupils Instructed in the Kodaly Method in the U.S.A., Unpublished PhD Thesis, College of Music, University of Colorado.Google Scholar
Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation (1982) The Arts in Schools. Principles, Practice and Provision. London: Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation.Google Scholar
Cleave, S. & Sharp, S. (1986) The Arts, A Preparation to Teach – Initial Training for Primary Teachers. London: NFER.Google Scholar
Commonwealth Department of Education (1985) Action: Education and the Arts. Report of the Task Force on Education and the Arts to the Minister for Education and Youth Affairs. Canberra: AGPS.Google Scholar
Curriculum Development Centre (1980) Core Curriculum for Australian Schools. Canberra: Curriculum Development Centre.Google Scholar
Department of Education and Science (1985) The Curriculum from 5–16. HMI Series Curriculum Matters, No 2, also HMSO, London.Google Scholar
Department of Education, Queensland (1987) P-10 Curriculum Framework. Brisbane: Department of EducationGoogle Scholar
Department of Education, Queensland (1988) The Report by the Board of Teacher Education on the Arts in Queensland Primary Schools. Brisbane: Department of Education.Google Scholar
Fraser, B. J. (1986) Classroom Environment. London: Croom Helm Curriculum Policy and Research Series.Google Scholar
Gifford, E. (1989) The Development and Validation of a Music Attitude Questionnaire for Music Program Evaluation in Teacher Training. Unpublished M.Ed Dissertation, School of Education, Tasmanian State Institute of Technology, Launceston, Tasmania.Google Scholar
Gifford, E. (1990) The Development and Validation of a Music Attitude Questionnaire for Music Program Evaluation in Teacher Training – A Pilot Study. In The Journal of Proceedings of the Vllth National Conference of the Australian Society for Music Education, Alice Springs, NT.Google Scholar
Gifford, E. (1991) An Investigation into Factors Affecting the Quality of Music Education in Pre-service Teacher Traininga. Unpublished Ph.D Thesis, London University Institute of Education, London.Google Scholar
Hogan, R. C. & Champagne, D. W. (1980, 1983) ‘The personal style inventory’. Annual Handbook of Group Facilitators. University Associates.Google Scholar
Lett, W. (1981) A Survey and Report on the Needs and Priorities for Research in Arts Education in Australia 1980. Melbourne: La Trobe University.Google Scholar
Mills, J. (1989) ‘The generalist primary teachers of music; a problem of confidence.’ British Journal of Music Education, 6, (2), 125–138, Cambridge University Press.Google Scholar
Spss Inc. (1988) SPSS-X User's Guide. 3rd edSPXX Inc., Chicago.Google Scholar
Swanwick, K. & Tillman, J. (1986) ‘The sequence of musical development.’ British Journal of Music Education, 3, (3), 11 1986, Cambridge University Press.Google Scholar
Swanwick, K. (1983) The Arts in Education: Dreaming or Wide Awake?. Special Professorial Lecture, London University Institute of Education.Google Scholar
Swanwick, K. (1988) Music, Mind and Education. London: Routledge.Google Scholar