The limited time for music education in generalist primary and early childhood teacher education courses remains a persistent challenge in initial teacher education. An initiative for student-owned ukuleles was launched at an Australian university to enhance the skills and confidence of pre-service primary and early childhood generalist teachers…

Elementary general music focuses on the comprehensive development of skills over a wide range of musical possibilities. Even as elementary general music expands to embrace a myriad of ways of making music that do not involve traditional Western staff notation, teaching students to read staff notation still seems to be common in elementary general…

Students with disabilities (SWDs) in the United States have a right to the least restrictive learning environment as enshrined in federal law. Until recently, conceptions about educating SWDs have drawn from medical models of disability (i.e., that the student must be accommodated to interact with the environment) rather than a social model of…

The purpose of this study was to examine the sociocultural roots of folk songs from the perspective of renowned folklorist Henry Glassie. Dr. Henry Glassie holds the rank of Professor Emeritus at Indiana University, where he previously served on the faculty for the Department of Folklore and Ethnomusicology. Primary sources included Glassie's…

In elementary general music, the need for culturally responsive pedagogies and trauma-informed practices may coexist. Creating an environment and developing instruction in ways that are both culturally responsive and trauma-informed may be possible, because both approaches share common theoretical underpinnings and practices. In this article, we…

Korean folk music has been rarely included in the Western music curriculum due to limited materials for music teachers to use. This article introduces "Ganggangsullae", a prominent Korean folk tradition (called a "folk play" by Koreans) that incorporates singing and dancing, and discusses its historical background and the…

Despite its rich heritage and enduring popularity, country music has historically been marginalized in American music education, usually in favor of more "high-brow" musical practices. This article explores potential explanations for this imbalance within the context of a general overview of cultural and social considerations and…

For various reasons, instrumentalist music education majors may find themselves teaching in an elementary general music classroom. Based on research and experience, this article will discuss why the transition from instrumental to elementary general music education may occur as well as offer suggestions to support instrumentalists new to the…

Drawn from Britta Techentrup's children's book "Little Wolf's Song", the author shares music activities appropriate for preschool and children in primary grades. Children will enjoy Technentrup's tender family story, while exploring vocal and instrumental timbres, as well as reading, writing, and creating with melodic contour.

Young teachers often struggle with pacing and the ability to cover more than one or two songs and activities in a single 30-minute general music class. Included in this article are lesson activities that show it is not only possible to include many of the National Standards in a single lesson, but also possible to sing, play, and create in every…

This article presents, for the first time, descriptive research on the status of music education in Puerto Rican public elementary schools. General music education at elementary schools on the island has been part of the school offering for more than 50 years. As yet, music education at this level has not been recognized as an essential discipline…

The purpose of this study was to investigate any relationship between observed and reported use of a cappella singing in the elementary general music classroom. A secondary purpose of this study was to examine teachers' practical perspectives influencing the use of a cappella singing in the elementary general music classroom. From a total of 50…

The landscape of music education in the UK is constantly shifting and developing. This book provides a timely and unique overview of this restless sector by considering the achievements of music education, analysing its current performance and setting out aspirations for the future. "Music Education in the 21st Century in the United…

This guide contains lesson plans for music teachers and music specialists in grades K-4. The role of music education is to provide a balanced exposure to all music and musical experiences, allowing students to develop tastes and skills based upon a broad knowledge of music. The guide consists of two levels. The first half of the guide contains…

The curriculum guide provides lesson plans on the use of music and drama as a means to develop language skills in handicapped children. The approach is based on theories of music educator, C. Orff. Lesson plans list objective, materials, and procedure information along with time requirements and directions. The first section details activities…