Multicultural music education in Singapore primary schools: an analysis of the applications of a specialist professional development in practical music teaching

Abstract

Multicultural music education is often approached simply through the exposure of students to different world musics. This “cultural supermarket” approach to teaching diversity in the classrooms is re-examined in this study by drawing attention to the need for a broader curriculum reform. Using the Singapore primary school music teachers as cases, this article examines the following: (1) the reported innovative changes brought about by the Advanced Diploma for music generalists that provided the much needed training on incorporating diversity in the music classrooms; (2) the quality of teaching of world music with the aim of assessing what constitutes a successful pedagogical approach in order to achieve an effective multicultural learning in music education; and (3) the teacher perceptions and understandings of multicultural education through the teaching of world music. The study concludes by advocating the importance of teachers in implementing change in the classrooms and the call for policy makers to put in place continual provisions for the necessary training needed, for example, in multi-musical literacy. Through this kind of advocacy a truly multicultural music education can take place inside the classrooms where students are encouraged to be proactive in their communities on issues of equity and justice.