Exploring the “secret garden”: Instructional communication in one-to-one instrumental lessons

Abstract

The purpose of this article is to present a discussion on the existing paradigm of instructional communication in one-to-one instrumental lessons. Some authors described individual lessons as something like a ‘secret garden’ compared with the scrutiny given to classroom behavior in schools. In such lessons, to communicate and express ideas about musical meaning has been established as one of six instrumental/vocal teacher roles. However, the overall studies reported that one-to-one instrumental teaching has mostly followed a model characterized by one-way communication from teacher to student. In addition, the literature outlined that instrumental teachers used a specific pedagogical vocabulary to explain and demonstrate a skill. Some strategies for communicating this vocabulary effectively were highlighted and discussed in this article. Regardless of the insights here discussed, the literature review presented indicated few studies focused on instructional communication in one-to-one instrumental lessons. Although this field of research is increasing, some authors claim that the research in instrumental teaching is not following up the current demand for this practice.