Music teaching for young children at a developmentally appropriate practice classroom in Taiwan

Abstract

This study attempts to enhance the understanding of a music curriculum that represents holistic and meaningful learning for young children at a developmentally appropriate practice (DAP) classroom in Taiwan. The study participant implementing DAP was selected through purposive sampling by the Classroom Practice Inventory and pilot study. A qualitative case study method was employed to understand the phenomenon and context. The result found that music curriculum activities included group teaching and free music play, and the music curriculum structure was built on duration and pitch learning. In group teaching, the activities were designed by the teacher and partially extracted from music behaviour at free play to provide children with music experiences and facilitate children's learning interests. Free music play provided children with opportunities to practice newly acquired skills, extend their learning from group teaching and spontaneously connect with other domains and personal experiences. Group teaching and free music play were reciprocally affected to make music learning holistic and meaningful.

Keywords:

• free music play
• developmentally appropriate practice
• group teaching
• music education for young children

Notes

1. The melodic instruments included one keyboard, one glockenspiel, one set of resonator bars, and one set of melodic bells.

2. The rhythmic instruments included three different sizes of Chinese drums, one set of cymbals, four wrist jingle bells, three sets of small brass bells, three sets of triangles, seven egg shakers, five tambourines, one set of cow bells, five guiros, five castanets, two hand drums, four maracas, and two tone blocks.

3. The number shown on the end of each datum indicates the date. For instance, 091008 means the datum was collected on 9 October 2008. ‘I’ means interviewing data, ‘C’ means data from centres, and ‘G’ means group teaching.