Socio-culturally Diverse Music Learning and Teaching: Implications and Ways Forward for Classroom Practice

Abstract

Understanding how music is learnt and taught in different contexts has significant implications for music education practices. Music classrooms feature students from diverse social and cultural backgrounds and therefore may have experienced different music practices in their own communities. Unfortunately, evidence suggests that music education approaches in schools still tend to be west-centric with the teacher as controller of knowledge. Findings from investigations of three diverse socio-cultural music learning and teaching contexts have highlighted how modes of transmission and acquisition differ within these contexts. This means that music educators should take into account how teachers’ own learning experiences, modes of communication and socio-cultural aspects can influence ways in which to teach music. Understanding how certain modes are privileged over others as well as how this might impact on curriculum and assessment could improve culturally-appropriate and more diverse practices in music classrooms.