SO UN D I N G T H E T E A CH IN G
2
Exposition
CASE 3
1 ST VIDEO
The group played with sticks.
One boy took the lead and
tried to direct the action and
rhythm of the others but had
trouble being understood.
He switched the sticks around
and the two next to him
followed.
One of the girls reminded him
of the given rhythm.
The boy suggested another
strategy upon realising that
the group didn’t understand
him or couldn’t do what he
had in mind.
2 ND VIDEO
The two other girls made
suggestions.
The boy suggested something
complicated.
The quiet boy next to him
suggested an idea by playing
another rhythm.
3 RD VIDEO
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EX A MI NI NG MU SI C LEA R NI NG EX P ER I ENC ES
The two girls played the given
rhythm.
The boy tried a counter-
rhythm.
The quiet boy left to practise
on his own as he had some
issues working with the
group. (He might also have
felt that his suggestions
were not heard.)
The teacher stepped in to
help them work together.
CONCLUSION
4 TH VIDEO (FINAL PERFORMANCE)
The students performed two
rhythms with their sticks and
with choreography.
The quiet boy performed
next to the group but was
noticeably seated outside
the circle.
What Was
Observed
One of the boys took
the lead and tried
to communicate his
suggestions to his peers
by explaining and/or
demonstrating. However,
the group had difficulty
understanding him as
he perhaps lacked the
vocabulary to explain.
Mostly, the group tried to
copy his demonstration
instead.
Certain group members
offered suggestions
when the members failed
to understand or follow
the leader.
There was active listening
to one another’s ideas and
then trying the rhythm out.
STUDENTS’ COMMUNICATIONS
AND DISCUSSIONS
Most of the students’ group
improvisatory processes were
non-verbal, which might work better than
verbal communication.
Non-verbal communication worked for
the group work as there was rapport
between the students.
Students were able to compose/
improvise quite spontaneously and were
trading ideas through music.
While there might be a leader who
initiated or kept the process going, each
student had an equal part to play in the
musical interactions within the group in
the improvisation process.
Creative improvisatory work or problem
solving can be affected by the positive/
negative moods of the students and their
ability to work together.
IMPLICATIONS
FOR TEACHERS
Exploratory space is necessary for
improvisation to take place.
To make thinking visible, one might
have to focus on getting students to
verbalise what they are thinking and
learning, but music learning and critical
thinking in music can also be observed
through students’ musical behaviours,
such as through demonstrating,
listening, watching and imitating. There
is, therefore, value in the non-verbal
processes of music communication,
which can lead to student learning.
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