Delivering Music Education Training for Non-Specialist Teachers through Effective Partnership: A Kodály-Inspired Intervention to Improve Young Children’s Development Outcomes

Lindsay Ibbotson,Beng Huat See

doi:10.3390/educsci11080433

Abstract

A priority area identified by the Department of Education (England) and the Economic Social and Research Council is the development of teachers, especially in primary music education where the limited opportunities for training offered by teacher training providers have raised concerns. This paper reports on an evaluation of a collaborative partnership training of non-specialist teachers, using a Kodály-inspired pedagogy to teach music in a classroom setting. Participants included 54 teachers (and 1492 pupils, aged 5–6), selected from 55 schools, as part of a large randomised control trial (RCT) in the north of England. This paper presents findings from a qualitative study that was conducted alongside the RCT, but which was not part of the RCT itself or the RCT’s implementation and process evaluation. Results from the study, which include a pre-post survey of teachers, focus group interviews and reflective journals, suggest promising effects on teachers’ pedagogical skills, their self-efficacy and competence, and children’s self-confidence and disposition for learning.

Highlights

This paper presents an evaluation of the professional development training of 54 non-specialist primary teachers who participated in a large randomised controlled trial (RCT) of the First Thing Music (FTM) intervention, Educ
The evaluation activities and findings presented in this paper were not part of the RCT study or its implementation and process evaluation and were not conducted with input from the EEF, but this study focuses on the group of teachers who participated in the RCT trial
The First Thing Music training was designed as part of a two-armed randomised controlled trial (RCT) where 108 teachers across 55 schools were randomised to First Thing

Summary

Introduction

The introduction of the National Curriculum and the 1988 Education Reform Act in UK has made it compulsory for music to be taught in schools This has put a huge demand on generalist teachers, who are expected to teach music, many of whom have no prior knowledge of music nor the confidence to do so. To make the most of some basic songs and that rhymes that we are This does not not pick up on things such as dynamics, (louder/quieter) or materials/recycle/build a new game. The approach developed for FTM was chosen for simplicity and accessibility, being low-cost, involving no instruments, and designed to be delivered by generalist teachers during curriculum hours It made no assumptions of previous musical knowledge, taking the trainees through the same steps that they would follow with their classes—everything to be experienced and embodied

Methods

Results

Conclusion