Connie Walker

MUSE 258 Voice Techniques

Citation
Ester, Don P. “Teaching Music Literacy.” Sound Connections. 2010, 1-10.
Ester, Don P. “From Theory and Research to Practice.” Sound Connections. 2010, 11- 41.
Ester, Don P. “Tonal and Rhythm Syllable Systems.” Sound Connections. 2010, 42- 64.
Optional Summary Outline
Discussion
(Teaching Music Literacy) Music literacy not only allows musicians to perform pieces
others have written, but also opens the door for creating pieces of their own, analyzing, and truly
understanding music and all of its elements. It’s a bridge between knowledge of the past and the
creation of the future. It’s a language that can be universally and eternally understood by those
who study it. Music literacy creates an entire landscape to be explored that only grows as more
music is created. As a music educator who has just recent acquired these skills herself, I feel that
it is my duty to present my students with such a gift, a tool, that unlocks a new world to their
disposal. Without this knowledge of how to sing what is notated and notate what they hear, they
will never truly be able to collaborate with the musical world.
Since the creation of singing schools in the 1800s and the journey of those schools from
church origin to the public curriculum, there have been many forms of pedagogical ideas created
and used sparingly nationwide to teach music literacy. For the music programs that were not
performance motivated, there were several variations of tonal and rhythmic systems. The CMP
(Comprehensive Musicianship through Performance) approach and the introduction of the
National Standards for Arts Education in 1994 brought a new awareness to music educators.
Through lots of research and various studies, it was discovered that, despite many ways to teach
and engage in music literacy, there was little to be found. Music literacy grew in popularity, but
was full of inconsistencies corresponding with the various methods. And while music educators
did not agree on a method for all educators to use, they did agree that they should agree. The
Sound Connections approach explores many methods commonly practiced, but focuses mainly
on those that can most easily transition into other methods, considering a music student will most
likely experience at least one change in music literacy style.
(From Theory and Research to Practice) Understanding the learning process is extremely
important. Students rarely think about it considering they experience the learning process
differently and are preoccupied as they go through the process themselves. As a teacher, it is
important to understand how students experience this process so that teaching can be as effect as
possible. Not only will this streamline learning new material, but it will help students store and
access information. Capitalizing on the way the brain naturally absorbs information is an easy
way to avoid student frustration and satisfy their need for achievement.
Learning theories often stem from behaviorist or cognitivist. Behavioral learning, also
considered association learning, occurs when a student receives positive or negative results from
an action or behavior which creates a strong connection with the information (either negative or
positive). Chaining is when such feedback sessions are linked together in a sequence. Cognitive
learning strongly has to do with readiness for new material and how individuals perceive said
information differently.
Maturation has much to do with different levels of readiness. Piaget stated there are four
stages of cognitive development: sensorimotor (ages 0-2), preoperational (2-7), concrete
operations (7-11), and formal operations (11+). However, Bruner sates there are three modes:
enactive (similar to sensorimotor), iconic (like preoperational), and symbolic (concrete
operational). He also believed in the spiral curriculum, or the gradual introduction of material at
certain ages and repetition of previous material. Vygotsky stated that learning had strong roots in
social interactions and collaborative activities. Though current learning theories are a
combination of the three, association learning has become especially recognized for its
effectiveness. Some, like Robert Gagne, would even say that it’s a “basic” process. He also
recognizes that information must be made to be meaningful and retrievable by students, which he
calls “encoding.” Audiation became recognized by Edwin Gordon. He believed that learning
occurred through discrimination of material and inference. Of course none of this will matter if
the sensory register, working memory and log-term memory are not taken into consideration.

I understand this is not up to par and accept the grade I receive. I am not currently in a sufficient
mental space to finish this well. I will make sure to get ahead on the final reading logs so that
they are all polished, well composed and submitted on time. I apologize and am honestly
ashamed of my performance in this class. I am so much better than this, but I understand I
haven’t submitted work that makes that clear. I’m better than this. I will be better.