Teaching students with special educational needs in inclusive music classrooms: experiences of music teachers in Hong Kong primary schools

Abstract

It has been a decade since the implementation of Hong Kong’s policy of inclusion, that mainstream schools should admit students with special educational needs (SEN). This study reports on music teachers’ experiences of teaching SEN students in inclusive music classrooms. Data were derived from a qualitative multiple case study comprising10 government-funded primary school music teachers. These music teachers lack knowledge of ways to support the musical development of pupils with SEN and reported learned helplessness and effective exclusion of SEN students. The major barrier to effective inclusive music teaching evidenced is the absence of in-service training in inclusive music education.

Keywords:

• inclusion
• music teachers
• primary schools
• music education
• Hong Kong

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Funding

This work was supported by the General Research Fund of Hong Kong Research Grants Council [HKBU248911].

Notes on contributors

Marina Wong is an associate professor at the Department of Education Studies of the Hong Kong Baptist University. She obtained Ph.D. at the University of British Columbia in Canada. She is currently involved in teacher education courses with special focus on music teacher education. Her research interests include assessment in arts education, curriculum studies, inclusive music education and music teacher education.

Maria Chik is an associate professor at the Department of Education Studies of the Hong Kong Baptist University. She obtained Ph.D. at the Monash University in Australia. She is currently teaching teacher education courses and psychology courses. Her research interests include humour, play and psychological well-being, counselling and school guidance, special education and teacher education.

ORCID

Marina Wong http://orcid.org/0000-0003-2364-8435