Hostname: page-component-cd9895bd7-mkpzs Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-12-25T18:07:13.814Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

A study of teacher confidence in teaching music within the context of the introduction of the Foundation Phase (3–7 years) statutory Education Programme in Wales

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  24 March 2014

Lara Baldwin  and
Gary Beauchamp
Lara Baldwin
Affiliation:
Sunflowers Nursery (Usk) Limited, Maryport Street, Usk NP15 1AB, [email protected]
Gary Beauchamp
Affiliation:
Cardiff Metropolitan University, School of Education, Cyncoed Campus, Cyncoed Road, Cardiff CF23 6XD, [email protected]
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

This paper examines teacher confidence in teaching music within the context of the introduction of a Foundation Phase ‘curriculum’ in Wales for pupils aged 3–7 years. This involved a move away from music as a single subject to being part of creative development. The findings are based on a small-scale study of 12 teachers from four primary schools in south Wales. The findings illustrate that teacher confidence has improved since the Foundation Phase was introduced. The language used in the new documentation was a contributory factor as teachers found it more straightforward to understand what they were expected to do, and being able to combine music with other topics made it easier and more enjoyable to teach music. As a result, music (both indoors and outdoors) is a more regular occurrence and has become liberated from its perceived single subject status with the associated confidence issues.

Type
Research Article
Information
British Journal of Music Education , Volume 31 , Issue 2 , July 2014 , pp. 195 - 208
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2014 

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

BARNES, J. (2001) Creativity and composition in music. In Philpott, C. & Plummeridge, C. (Eds.), Issues in Music Teaching (pp. 92–104). London: Routledge.Google Scholar
BASIT, T.N. (2010) Conducting Research in Educational Contexts. London: Continuum.Google Scholar
BEAUCHAMP, G. (1995) National Curriculum Music (Wales): The ‘Third Language’? Welsh Journal of Education, 5, 42–54.Google Scholar
BEAUCHAMP, G. (1997) INITIAL TRAINING + INSET = Confident teachers. A formula for success? British Journal of Music Education, 14, 69–85.Google Scholar
BEAUCHAMP, G. (2003) From Hadow to Gittins: a music education framed by the people or for the people – cultural aspirations and official validation of primary school music in Wales. Journal of Educational Administration and History, 35, 127–135.Google Scholar
BEAUCHAMP, G. (2010) Musical elements and subject knowledge in primary school student teachers: lessons from a five-year longitudinal study. British Journal of Music Education, 27, 305–318.Google Scholar
BELL, J. (2010) Doing your Research Project. A Guide for First-time Researchers in Education, Health and Social Science, 5th edn.Maidenhead: Open University Press.Google Scholar
BERA (2004) Revised Ethical Guidelines for Educational Research. London: British Educational Research Association.Google Scholar
CARIFIO, J. & PERLA, R. 2008. Resolving the 50-year debate around using and misusing Likert scales. Medical Education, 42, 1150–1152.Google Scholar
CLOUGH, P. & NUTBROWN, C. (2007) A Student's Guide to Methodology, 2nd edn.London: Sage.Google Scholar
COHEN, L. & MANION, L. (1994) Research Methods in Education. London: Routledge.Google ScholarPubMed
COHEN, L., MANION, L. & MORRISON, K. (2007) Research Methods in Education, 6th edn.London: Routledge.Google Scholar
CRAWFORD, K (1998) The construction of the National Curriculum: an ideological and political analysis. Research Papers in Education, 13, 261–276.Google Scholar
DCELLS. (2006) Building the Foundation Phase: Action Plan. Cardiff: WAG.Google Scholar
DCELLS. (2008) Foundation Phase: Framework for Children's Learning for 3 to 7-year-olds in Wales. Cardiff: WAG.Google Scholar
DAUGHERTY, R. & ELFED-OWENS, P. (2003) A National Curriculum for Wales: A Case Study of Education Policy-Making in the Era of Administrative Devolution. British Journal of Educational Studies, 51, 233–253.Google Scholar
FAHNOE, P. (1987) Music education in teacher training in Denmark. British Journal of Music Education, 4, 259–262.Google Scholar
GIBSON, W. (2010) Qualitative research as a method of inquiry in education. In Hartas, D. (Ed.), Educational Research and Inquiry, Qualitative and Quantitative Approaches. London: Continuum.Google Scholar
GIFFORD, E. (1993) Teachers: old problems, new insights and possible solutions. British Journal of Music Education, 10, 33–46.Google Scholar
GLOVER, J. & WARD, S. (1998) Teaching music in the Primary School, 2nd edn.London: Cassell.Google Scholar
GENERAL TEACHING COUNCIL FOR WALES (GTCW) (2009) Annual Statistics Digest. Available online at: http://www.gtcw.org.uk/gtcw/index.php/en/teacher-statistics [Accessed 1 August 2012].Google Scholar
HALLAM, S., BURNARD, P., ROBERTSON, A., SALEH, C., DAVIES, V., ROGERS, L. & KOKATSAKI, D. (2009) Trainee primary-school teachers’ perceptions of their effectiveness in teaching music. Music Education Research, 11, 221–240.Google Scholar
HALLIDAY, J. (1999) Political liberalism and citizenship education: towards curriculum reform. British Journal of Educational Studies, 47, 43–55.Google Scholar
HENNESSY, S. (2000) Overcoming the red-feeling: the development of confidence to teach music in primary school amongst student teachers. British Journal of Music Education, 17, 183–196.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
HOLDEN, H. & BUTTON, S. (2006) The teaching of music in the primary school by the non-music specialist. British Journal of Music Education, 23, 23–38.Google Scholar
JAMIESON, S. (2004) Likert scales: how to (ab)use them. Medical Education, 38, 1217–1218.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
JEANNERET, N. (1997) Model for developing pre-service primary teachers’ confidence to teach music. Bulletin of the Council for Research in Music Education, 133, 37–44.Google Scholar
KILIÇ, I. (2009) Problems encountered by primary school teachers in the teaching of music. Inonu University Journal of The Faculty Of Education (INUJFE), 10, 123–125.Google Scholar
MILLS, J. (1989) The generalist primary teacher of music: a problem of confidence. British Journal of Music, 6, 125–138.Google Scholar
MILLS, J. (1996) Primary student teachers as musicians. Bulletin of the Council for Research in Music, 127, 122–126.Google Scholar
MUNDAY, J. & SMITH, W. (2010) Responding to the challenge: giving pre-service classroom teachers a musical language and understanding. Australian Journal of Music Education, 1, 71–77.Google Scholar
PAYNTER, J. (2002) Music in the school curriculum: why bother?’ British Journal of Music Education, 19, 215–226.Google Scholar
RAINBOW, B. WITH COX, G. (2006) Music in Educational Thought and Practice. Aberystwyth: Boethius Press.Google Scholar
ROGERS, L., HALLAM, S., CREECH, A. & PRETI, C. (2008) Learning about what constitutes effective training from a pilot programme to improve music education in primary schools. Music Education Research, 10, 485–497.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
RUSSELL-BOWIE, D. (2009) What me? Teach music to my primary class? Challenges to teaching music in primary schools in five countries. Music Education Research, 11, 23–36.Google Scholar
RUSSELL-BOWIE, D. (2010) A ten year follow-up investigation of preservice generalist primary teachers’ background and confidence in teaching music. Australian Journal of Music Education, 2, 76–86.Google Scholar
SEDDON, F. & BIASUTTI, M. (2008) Non-music specialist trainee primary school teachers’ confidence in teaching music in the classroom. Music Education Research, 10, 403–421.Google Scholar
STAKELUM, M. (2008) Primary music education: the misrepresentation of the ideals of curricula in research. Irish Educational Studies, 27, 281–293.Google Scholar
STAVROU, N. (2006) Reflecting on the curriculum: the case of the Cyprus Music Curriculum for Primary Education. Arts Education Policy Review, 107, 4, 31–38.Google Scholar
STUNELL, G. (2010) Not musical? Identity perceptions of generalist primary school teachers in relation to classroom music teaching in England. Action, Criticism & Theory for Music Education, 9, 2, 79–107.Google Scholar
SWETNAM, D. (1997) Writing your dissertation: How to Plan, Prepare and Present your Work Successfully. Oxford: How to Books.Google Scholar
WARD, S. (1998) Music in primary schools: from the National Song Book to the National Curriculum. In Glover, J. & Ward, S. (Eds.), Teaching Music in the Primary School, 2nd edn.London: Cassell.Google Scholar
WRAGG, E.C., BENNETT, S.N. & CARRÉ, C.G. (1989) Primary teachers and the national curriculum. Research Papers in Education, 4, 3, 17–37.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
WRAGG, E.C., BENNETT, S.N., CARRÉ, C.G. & CARTER, D.S.G. (1992) A longitudinal study of primary teachers’ perceived competence in, and concerns about, National Curriculum implementation. Research Papers in Education, 7, 53–78.Google Scholar
YOUNG, S. (2007) Early childhood music education in England: changes, choices, and challenges. Arts Education Policy Review, 109, 2, 19–26.Google Scholar
YOUNG, V. (2001) Teacher development in music. In Philpott, C. & Plummeridge, C. (Eds.), Issues in Music Teaching. London: Routledge.Google Scholar