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Musical progression skills guide for under 7s:
A pilot study towards unifying the major music education theories
Introduction
Theoretical development
Materials and method
Results
Discussion
Selection of References
Contact: Frances Turnbull, fst23@cam.ac.uk, www.musicaliti.co.uk
The primary purpose of this study was to determine whether the Dalcroze,
Orff and Kodály approaches to music education could be unified for teaching
children under seven years old. The secondary purpose was to test this in
practice by combining the above theory with child development and music
education theory. The tabular comparative review indicated that these
music approaches could be unified. Development of an initial skills guide of
musical progression was piloted between 2008-2010 in local nursery schools
and a primary school in Bolton, UK. Session feedback indicated that staff,
parents and children preferred themed sessions with consistent, age-
appropriate lesson-sequencing, and led to improved musical confidence in
staff and children.
Early childhood experience predicts later outcomes (Ainsworth and Bell
1970, Bowlby 1977) and one of the interventions considered for early
deprivation has included music (Hallam, 2010). This has attracted the
attention of government, academia and business, resulting in the relatively
new profession of early childhood music education that combines music with
play (Andress, 1986). The diversity of session types led to difficulty in
quality assessment, prompting this study to consider the Dalcroze, Kodály
and Orff approaches to teaching children’s music along with recent music
education research (Adessi 2009, Berger and Cooper 2003, Barrett 2011,
Cooper and Cardany 2011, Melville-Clark 2006, Moog 1976, Frega 1979,
Tafuri 2002, Welch 2005, Custodero 2005, Young 1992).
The Dalcroze, Kodály and Orff approaches were combined in a table and
compared for similarities (tabular comparative review), and then combined
into a table of musical activities by age, based on music education research.
These were arranged sequentially using Andress’ 1986 principles, and
presented to 5 nurseries (6 weeks - 4 years) and 1 primary group (5-7 years)
over a 2 year period. Six child-friendly themes were selected, allowing for a
1 theme per term (England) or 3 per year, over a 2-year rolling program.
Nurseries and primaries were self-selected, responding to posted
information. Sessions were presented by the same person to ensure
consistency in approach.
The Dalcroze, Kodály and Orff approaches combined well into a unified
approach to music education, as did the music education research findings,
culminating in the above table. The pilot study resulted in an average of 9.5
children attending the primary afterschool 5-7y session, where 25% came
consistently, and an average of 62.66 children attended the weekly nursery
sessions. All primary parents reported their children having improved their
musical understanding and intended to continue with music, with the lowest
score given to children enjoying singing. All primary children reported that the
best part of the sessions was meeting new friends, understanding music
better, an intention to continue with music lessons, love for dancing and
instruments, with the lowest score going to singing. All nurseries reported
looking forward to music, learning something new, were happy with the cost,
and would recommend to colleagues and friends, with the lowest score going
to observing any improvements in child interaction.
Adessi, A.R. (2009). The musical dimension of daily routines with under-four
children during diaper change, bedtime and free-play. Early Child
Development and Care, 179 (6), 747-768.
Ainsworth, M.D.S. & Bell, S.M. (1970). Attachment, Exploration, and
Separation: Illustrated by the Behavior of One-Year-Olds in a Strange
Situation. Child Development, 41 (1), 49-67.
Andress, B. (1986). Toward an integrated developmental theory for early
childhood music education. Bulletin of the Council for Research in Music
Education, 10-17.
Barrett, M.S. (2011). Musical narratives: A study of a young child’s identity
work in and through music-making. Psychology of Music, 39 (4), 403-423.
Berger, A.A. & Cooper, S. (2003). Musical Play: A Study of Preschool
Children and Parents. Journal of Research in Music Education 51(2),
151-165.
Bowlby, J. (1977). The making and breaking of affectional bonds. I. Aetiology
and psychopathology in the light of attachment theory. An expanded version
of the Fiftieth Maudsley Lecture, delivered before theRoyal College of
Psychiatrists, 19 November 1976. The British Journal of Psychiatry, 130(3),
201-210.
Custodero, L.A. (2005). Observable Indicators of Flow Experience: A
Developmental Perspective on Musical Engagement in Young Children from
Infancy to School Age. Music Education Research, 7(2), 185-209.
Moog, H. (1976). The musical experience of the pre-school child. Schott
Music.
Tafuri, J., & Villa, D. (2002). Musical elements in the vocalisations of infants
aged 2-8 months. British Journal of Music Education, 19(01), 73-88.
This study asked how historical approaches to music education could
combine to form a single technique suitable for children under seven years,
resulting in an initial unified approach to music education. It then asked what
type of music lesson framework for under-sevens was preferred (within a
small-scale pilot), answered in part through Andress (1986) and trial sessions.
Finally, this study asked how musical concepts and the music lesson
framework could be summarised and communicated most effectively,
resulting in the musical progression skills guide for under 7s. It appears that
a unified approach to music education would benefit a number of sectors,
including both general and specialist early childhood educators, while it would
help childcare providers and parents to determine quality of provision.
Although small scale, this research may be applied to the current state of
general early years educators, as confidence in music teaching and
recognition of musical behaviour seem to be lacking in current teacher-
training provision.
Musical progression skills guide for under 7s
