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Education 129 (Principles and Methods of Teaching )

MODULE 1 (WEEK 1) EDUC 105Ma

Welcome to module 1!

This whole course will cover important things that every music teacher and future music teachers
like you should understand. Educ 105Ma centers on Music Teaching Methodologies for Elementary
classroom. We will look into the fundamentals of music and present specific and practical
suggestions for teaching music to children in elementary school.

Share some experiences you had in your music class when you were in elementary. Can you recall a
positive or negative experience? What can you remember about the teaching methods of your
music teacher?
(this will be done (class recitation with points) during our synchronous class)

The term teaching method refers to the general principles, pedagogy and management

strategies used for classroom instruction. Your choice of teaching method depends on what
fits you — your teaching philosophy, classroom demographic, subject area(s) and school
mission statement.

(Source: dynamicmusicroom.com)The methods of teaching music can be broken down into

the 5 most popular ones and 3 other notable ones each with their own goals and tools: 

 Orff-Schulwerk
 Kodaly-Inspired Teaching
 Dalcroze Eurhythmics
 Suzuki Method
 Carabo-Cone
 Music Learning Theory (Gordon)
 World Music Pedagogy
 Conversational Solfege
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Common Elements of All Methods

Despite their differences, there are some common elements each of the methods shares with one
another that show they’re not so different at the end of the day. 

Here are some common tools and goals you may find across all the methods: 

 Focus on building independent musicianship

 Sequence of activities moving from simple to complex
 Inclusion of movement as part of the teaching process
 Sound before symbol 
 Instruments used as an extra tool for learning
 Rhythm syllables
 Authentic music from different cultures is important
 Solfege systems
 Solfege/Curwen hand signs
 Folk dancing/structured movement
 Building positive musical experiences
 Fostering personal expression
With this small list of commonalities (I know they’re many more you could name), it’s easy to see
that every method has its heart in the right place. It may be the different methods are more fitting the
type of teacher you are or the students you have. 

Often, many of these methods can be used in combination with each other.

We will get started with the first methodology which is the Orff-Schulwerk

Orff-Schulwerk
In Orff Schulwerk classrooms, children begin with what they do instinctively: play!
Imitation, experimentation, and personal expression occur naturally as students
become confident, life-long musicians and creative problem solvers.

History 
Carl Orff, music composer, and Gunild Keetman, movement instructor, developed an
approach to build full musicianship of all students by combining the following elements:
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 Music
 Movement
 Speech 
 Drama 

Tools
Orff teachers want to provide their students a positive experience in music and means for
personal expression. Orff teachers typically place more emphasis on improvisation and
creativity than literacy, but this is not exclusively the case. 

Teaching tools include: 

 Play, imitate, experiment, and create steps

 Use of instruments and part-work to create deeper sounds
 Project-based learning
 Language-rhythm connections
 Movement, movement, movement
 Folk dancing
Note: The Orff process is best known for its use of classroom xylophones and non-pitched
percussion. However, this is a simple stereotype; the process involves much more than
that. 

This is only the introduction, read more about Orff through the given links below. The
methods, and applications to be used when using this teaching methodology.

Write and give a situational example of how you will teach music if you are in a
classroom set up using the Orff method.

https://prodigies.com/what-is-the-orff-method-and-how-is-it-taught/

https://www.liveabout.com/the-orff-approach-2456422

https://www.thedomesticmusician.com/ways-teach-orff/
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https://musicaustralia.org.au/discover/music-education/music-education-methodologies-
approaches/the-orff-approach/

Welcome to module 2!

Kodaly Method
(https://www.masterclass.com/articles/kodaly-method-guide#:~:text=The%20Kod%C3%A1ly%20method
%20is%20an,lessons%2C%20particularly%20for%20young%20children.)

The Kodály method is an approach to music education rooted in the idea that
music should be a social and cultural experience. The Kodály approach to teaching music asserts
that musical concepts, creativity, and collaboration are best taught in group music lessons,
particularly for young children. According to the method, music teachers should emphasize musical
material that is connected to their students' culture and heritage.

A Brief History of the Kodály Method

Zoltán Kodály (1882-1967) developed the Kodály method in Hungary in the first half of the
twentieth century.

 Kodály’s education: When Kodály came of age as a student, musicianship was frequently
taught in one-on-one instruction, emphasizing works of composers like Bach, Mozart,
Haydn, and Beethoven—all of whom were German. Yet as Kodály studied art music in
Budapest in the early 1900s, he became fascinated by traditional Hungarian folk songs—
even collaborating with Béla Bartók, the most prominent Hungarian composer of the
twentieth century.
 Development of the method: Kodály began to see the value of teaching musical skills
through the medium of folk music that students had been exposed to from an early age. He
felt he could teach musical literacy and ear training through sight-singing, solfège, and
lyrics from his students’ mother tongue. As Kodály developed his teaching methods, he
settled on a social, kinesthetic approach to music that could work in both a primary school
and a conservatory.
 Implementation: In 1945, Kodály's ideas became part of the official curriculum of
Hungarian schools, and music primary schools that taught the Kodály method spread rapidly
over the next decade. In the years since, Kodály’s approach to teaching music has gained
international recognition and won adherents around the world.

5 Principles of the Kodály Method

Proper instruction of the Kodály method involves adhering to a series of key principles.
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1. Learning by singing: According to Kodály, the human voice is the fundamental instrument,
and it should be central to musical training. Students should gain musical literacy through
sung solfège (also known as solfa), using a moveable-do system.
2. Hand signs: Solfège and sight-singing can be supplemented by hand signs, as developed by
the English pedagogue John Curwen, who was an influence on Kodály.
3. Rhythmic proficiency: The sight-reading of rhythmic patterns (including whole notes, half
notes, quarter notes, eighth notes, sixteenth notes, and various tuplets) must be taught
alongside tonal solfège.
4. Collaboration: Kodály believed that creativity and collaboration are essential to a musical
education and can be brought out in group music lessons. Music students should collaborate
with one another in exercises ranging from clapping to choral singing to instrumental
accompaniment.
5. Cultural connections: Music instructors should emphasize folk music (even pop songs) in a
student's mother tongue to create a visceral connection to music.

How Does the Kodály Method Work?

Music teachers typically use the Kodály method in classrooms, where groups of students learn core
musical elements like major scales, minor scales , and rhythmic patterns. The goal of Kodály music
education is to give students a first-hand connection to music and to never make it seem like a dry
academic exercise. Even fairly advanced topics like syncopation,  counterpoint, and improvisation
can be taught via the Kodály concept. Kodály education societies provide literature and exercises to
help music teachers design a Kodály curriculum for their own music students.

The Kodály Method vs. the Orff Method

The Kodály concept has similarities with another style of musical education developed by the
German Carl Orff in the early- to mid-twentieth century. Kodály and Orff both sought to teach
music in a social, exploratory way. Yet the Orff method emphasizes improvisation while Kodály
training still emphasizes existing pieces from the musical canon—albeit presented in a different
way than in traditional musical education. Kodály also took a notably Hungary-centric approach to
his teaching while Orff emphasized Germanic culture and heritage.
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Welcome to module 3!

We will now learn about this next teaching methodology- The Suzuki Method.

Source: http://www.suzukimusic.org.au/suzuki.htm

History of Suzuki Method

Dr Shinichi Suzuki was the founder of the worldwide music education movement known as the Suzuki
Method. Born in Nagoya, Japan in 1898, he was the son of Japan's first and largest violin manufacturer.
Although he worked in the factory as a child, he had never learnt music formally.

Inspired by a recording by Mischa Elman of Ave Maria, Suzuki began to teach himself to play the violin. Over
the next few years, he dedicated himself to the study of the instrument and then, at the age of 22, travelled to
Berlin to study with the renowned violinist, Karl Klinger. It was here in Germany that Suzuki became a friend
of Albert Einstein and through him, associated with many of the world's leading artists and thinkers. Suzuki
met and married Waltraud Prange, a concert soprano and they returned to Japan in 1928 where he began
teaching and performing with the Suzuki Quartet.

Suzuki was asked by a colleague at the Imperial Conservatory to teach his young son and
became stimulated to think about the ways in which children learn. Then with the
outbreak of World War II, Suzuki was separated from his wife as she was classed as a
foreigner. With food very scarce and conditions less than ideal, Suzuki became very ill,
taking months to recover. From this experience grew a determination to positively
influence the lives of children.

In Germany he had observed how easily the young children learnt to speak German, a
language he was struggling to master. He also realised that all Japanese children easily
learn to speak Japanese, a highly complex language. All children are able to learn their
mother tongue effortlessly through listening, imitation and repetition. He concluded that children could also
learn music this way, if taught with love and dedication.

Suzuki taught using the concept 'character first, ability second'. His goal was to embrace the whole child,
nurturing a love of music and the development of a fine character rather than just the mastering of a musical
instrument. Suzuki called his idea 'Talent Education' and soon established a school in Matsumoto.

Talent Education refers to the development of skill, knowledge and character. The word 'saino' (talent) in the
Japanese language means both ability and talent. There is no distinction between the two meanings as there can
be in English. 'Saino' can also be used to mean the development of ability and talent in a skills area such as
music and in a personal development area such as one's character.

Suzuki took a great deal of time and care developing the repertoire, which presents technical and musical
concepts in a logical sequence. Eventually other teachers heard of his work and came to Matsumoto to study.
Teaching of the method then started to spread around Japan and materials were developed for cello, flute and
piano.
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In 1958, a film of young Suzuki children performing was shown to a group of string teachers in Ohio. The film
provoked a great deal of excitement amongst the musical establishment and prompted many American teachers
to learn about the method. Suzuki took a group of Japanese students to the USA to perform at a music
educators conference in 1964 which continued to fuel the desire for knowledge about this amazing man and his
work. Since that time, the ideas of Talent Education have spread throughout the world. Many teachers have
been to Japan to study directly with Dr Suzuki.

Today there are over 8000 Suzuki teachers worldwide and more than 250 000 children learning by the Suzuki
Method.

Dr Suzuki died aged 99 in January 1998, in Matsumoto, Japan. His legacy will continue to profoundly
influence the lives of children and their families.

Suzuki in Australia

The Suzuki Method was introduced to Australia in the early 1970's. Since then it has grown to encompass
thousands of committed Suzuki families and teachers across all states and territories.

Dr Suzuki visited Australia five times to attend conferences. His presence always elicited much admiration and
enthusiasm from those who came into contact with him, not least of all the youngest children who will
remember him for the treats he kept in his pockets!

Whilst the purpose of Suzuki is not to train professional musicians, many students have gone on to successful
careers as soloists and orchestral musicians. Many more have grown up to have a love for music and treasured
memories that will stay with them all their lives.

Suzuki Philosophy

Suzuki Talent Education or Suzuki Method combines a music teaching method with a philosophy, which
embraces the total development of the child. Dr Suzuki's guiding principle was "Character first, ability
second".

The essence of his philosophy may be found in the following quotes from his many writings:

"Musical ability is not an inborn talent but an ability which can be developed. Any child who is properly
trained can develop musical ability just as all children develop the ability to speak their mother tongue. The
potential of every child is unlimited".

"Teaching music is not my main purpose. I want to make good citizens, noble human beings. If a child hears
fine music from the day of his birth, and learns to play it himself, he develops sensitivity, discipline and
endurance. He gets beautiful heart."

"Where love is deep, much will be accomplished."

"My dream is for the happiness of all children. I feel respect and friendly
feelings for everyone. In particular, I cannot help but feel respect and warm
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feelings for young children. And my heart brims over with a desire to help make all the children born upon the
earth fine human beings, happy people, people of superior ability. My whole life energies are devoted to this
end."

"Man is the son of his environment."

"I have no doubt that people are born with hereditary physiological differences, but I believe that a person's
abilities grow and develop depending on the stimulation from outside."

"I firmly believe that any child can become superior, and my confidence has never been betrayed."

"An unlimited amount of ability can develop when parent and child are having fun together."

"Music is a language that goes beyond speech and letters - a living art that is almost mystical. This is where its
emotional impact comes in. Bach, Mozart, Beethoven - without exception they live clearly and palpably in
their music, and speak forcefully to us, purifying us, refining us, and awakening in us the highest joy and
emotion."

How does Suzuki work?

Dr Suzuki called his teaching method the Mother-Tongue Approach, inspired by the fact that children so
effortlessly learn to speak their native tongue. Prompted and encouraged by the parents' love and the family
environment, the child responds and develops this most difficult of skills, that of intelligible speech. 

When a child learns to speak, the following factors are at work:

Listening
Motivation
Repetition
Step-by-stepmastery
Memory
Vocabulary
ParentalInvolvement
Love

In the Suzuki approach each of these principles is used in the learning of an instrument (piano, violin, viola,
cello, double bass, flute, guitar, voice, harp and recorder). The mother-tongue approach has successfully been
applied to other fields such as art, poetry and mathematics.

Dr Suzuki closely follows the parallel with language learning and

recommends that music should become an important part of the baby's
environment from birth (or even before). When the infant's environment
includes fine music as well as the sounds of the mother-tongue, it is
understandable that the child will develop the ability to speak and to play a
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musical instrument (with technical guidance) before being required to read in either language. Formal lessons
frequently begin as early as 3 years of age.

Listening

Children learn to speak by listening and imitating the spoken language they hear around them. In Suzuki
teaching, much emphasis is placed on daily listening to recordings of the Suzuki repertoire, as well as music in
general. The more frequently the students listen to the recordings, the more easily they learn to play.

Constant listening to music performed with beautiful tone provides children with a role model for their
playing. In the lessons, the production of fine tone and sensitive playing is stressed from the beginning.

Parental Involvement

Parents play a crucial role in Suzuki. Learning takes place in an environment of co-operation between teacher,
parent and child. The parent's role includes attending each lesson with the student, taking notes and then
guiding them through their practice at home - they become the 'home teacher'. Parents also need to play the
recordings daily, help to create an environment of affection, support, encouragement and understanding, and
also attend workshops, concerts, group lessons, graduations and summer schools with their child.

Positive Environment

A positive, nurturing environment is created in the lesson and is also essential at home. Parents need to ensure
that all members of the family understand this. Children learn enthusiastically when they are supported with
sincere praise and encouragement. They learn to recognise one another's achievements, creating an
environment of co-operation.

Repertoire

One of Suzuki's major contributions to music education is the unique order of the repertoire. Each carefully
chosen piece becomes a building block for future learning. Technique, musicianship and style are developed
through the study and repetition of these pieces.

Each instrument has its own repertoire. This provides familiarity and hence excellent motivation to progress.
Through the common repertoire within each instrument, children have a bond with Suzuki students world-
wide.

However, the spirit of Suzuki teaching may encompass all styles and periods of music. Teachers often give
supplementary material which may help to widen the students' musical experience. 
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Reading

Reading music follows the acquisition of good aural, technical and musical skills, just as reading language
begins after a child can speak fluently. The stage at which the child begins to learn reading music varies
according to age and general development. However, it will always be after basic playing skills have been
mastered to maintain the focus on beautiful tone, accurate intonation and musical phrasing.

Integrating the music reading program with the Suzuki repertoire is vital to the child's musical development.

Individual and Group Activities

As well as their individual lessons, students participate in group lessons. The common repertoire enables them
to play together, giving them valuable ensemble experience and positive reinforcement of concepts learnt in
their individual lessons. Students also take part in performances and workshops and observe other children's
lessons. All of these things are wonderful motivational tools - children love to do what they have seen other
children doing.

Some of the group activities offered by Suzuki Music, include the annual
Festival, individual instrument workshops, the Grand Annual Concert and
several concerts. Students have several opportunities to perfoorm and learn
from a range of teachers each year. Have a look at the Calendar of
Events for a full listing of events for the year. More detailed information,
including registration forms are available on a term by term basis
from Student Events.

Suzuki Voice

In Suzuki Voice the singing voice is treated as an instrument and is encouraged to develop
naturally through the Suzuki repertoire. Relaxation and vocalisation are important features
of each lesson. The teaching method is similar to other instruments although formal
lessons can be started at a much younger age. Prenatal, babies and toddler classes are
available and these are usually held for groups of three to five children of a similar age.
When a child is about three (this age is only approximate and varies from child to child)
he or she can begin individual lessons with the parent and teacher in addition to group
lessons. This program is designed to continue teaching classical singing through to advanced repertoire and
vocal maturity.

Early Childhood Education (ECE)

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The Suzuki ECE group music class is specifically designed to prepare babies and toddlers (age 0-3) for future
Suzuki lessons. Children have the opportunity to play various tuned and untuned percussion instruments.
Nursery rhymes, action songs, finger play, story-telling and other musical activities are combined to assist the
development of various skills - social-emotional, size, pitch, rhythm, number, fine and gross motor co-
ordination, observation, listening and sequencing, vocabulary, memory and pre-literacy skills. Children are
usually quite ready to begin learning a musical instrument by the time they ‘graduate' from the ECE program at
about three years of age.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Suzuki just for preparing students for a career in music?

We aim, through the development of excellent musical skills, to develop character and sensitivity which will
stand a person in good stead no matter what their ultimate path in life.

Do Suzuki students learn to read music?

Reading is taught, but only after basic playing skills, good posture and good tone have been mastered. This
does mean that for some years the child's playing ability is ahead of reading skills; eventually the reading
ability develops to the same level. Exactly the same process is found in the language ability of primary school
children, whose fluency in spoken language is normally considerably in advance of their reading and writing
skills.

Is it musical to play in large groups?

While Suzuki students are often observed playing from memory in large groups in unison (possible because of
the common repertoire), this does not indicate unmusical playing. After all, in orchestras, large groups of string
players play in unison without their individual musicianship being called into question. In fact, Suzuki
students, when heard singly, all have their own individuality of tone, their own understanding of the music,
their own personal expression. Frequently, a remarkable maturity of musical expression is observed in quite
young children.

Is it OK to start learning an instrument at such a young age?

Those who deal with pre-school children will know that 3 year-olds cannot be made to do something that they
do not want to do. Suzuki teaching is ideally adapted to the needs of the young child, and is particularly
concerned with motivation, understanding of child development and psychology, and with making learning
fun, while at the same time aiming for excellence.

Welcome to module 4!

We will now learn about this next teaching methodology- The Dalcroze Method.
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Sources: https://dalcrozeusa.org/about-dalcroze/what-is-dalcroze/

https://thevault.musicarts.com/what-is-the-dalcroze-method/

DALCROZE METHOD

The Dalcroze method, also known as Dalcroze Eurhythmics, is another approach music educators use
to foster music appreciation, ear-training, and improvisation while improving musical abilities. In this
method, the body is the main instrument. Students listen to the rhythm of a music piece and express
what they hear through movement. Simply put, this approach connects music, movement, mind, and
body.

Who Created This Method?

This method was developed by Emile Jaques-Dalcroze, a Swiss composer, music educator and music
theorist who studied with Gabriel Fauré, Mathis Lussy, and Anton Bruckner.

Dalcroze was born on July 6, 1865, in Vienna, Austria. He became a professor of harmony at the
Geneva Conservatory in 1892, by which time he started developing his method of teaching rhythm
through movement, known as eurhythmics. He founded a school in Hellerau, Germany (later moved
to Laxenburg) in 1910, and another school in Geneva in 1914, where students learned using his
method. Dalcroze died on July 1, 1950, in Geneva, Switzerland. Several of his students, such as ballet
teacher Dame Marie Rambert, used eurhythmics and became influential in the development of dance
and contemporary ballet during the 20th century.

What Are the Key Elements of the Dalcroze Method?

This method has 3 facets:

 Eurhythmics (Greek for "good rhythm") - Musical expression through movement;

developing musical skills through kinetic exercises. Students learn rhythm and
structure by listening to music and expressing what they hear through spontaneous
bodily movement. For example, note values and rhythms are represented by stepping
and clapping.
 Solfege (fixed-do) - Helps develop ear-training and sight-singing skills.
 Improvisation - Using instruments, movement, and voice.
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What Are the Key Concepts Learned?

The Dalcroze Method helps foster imagination, creative expression, coordination, flexibility,
concentration, inner hearing, music appreciation and understanding of musical concepts.

The Dalcroze method teaches students concepts of rhythm, structure, and musical expression through
movement. The idea is that students can develop a physical awareness and experience of music using
all of their senses, especially their kinesthetic sense. For this reason, teachers who use the Dalcroze
method in their lessons often teach students through full-body movements before teaching them to
read music. Instructors who use the Dalcroze method believe that using movement reinforces the
concepts they are teaching, with the goal of heightening the students’ awareness and association of
rhythm in the music that they’re learning to play.

History of the Dalcroze Method

The Dalcroze method was developed in the early 20th century by a Swiss musician and educator
named Émile Jaques-Dalcroze. Dalcroze was appointed the Professor of Harmony at the
Conservatoire of Geneva in 1892. He noticed while he was teaching his music lessons that students
learned music more effectively when he included a kinesthetic component. Learning to play music
through physicality was unusual at the time. Similar to the Suzuki method, which would be developed
later, Dalcroze believed that students should be exposed to music early on.

What differentiated Dalcroze’s method was the idea that students should experience music with their
minds and their bodies. Dalcroze, while developing his method, discovered that students weren’t
always coordinated enough for his lessons. For this reason, he prioritized the coordination and muscle
development of the whole body, as early as possible. Once a young student’s body was trained,
Dalcroze believed, they were able to learn music more effectively. Dalcroze’s students physical and
musical training would come to yield faster progress later on in their musical training.

Philosophy of the Dalcroze Method

The central concept in the Dalcroze method is the relationship between music and body movement.
Dalcroze believed that students who are taught to appreciate music through physicality would
develop a greater sense of rhythm, harmony, and melody. The Dalcroze method provides a multi-
dimensional approach to music learning, which is readily applicable to young students. Dalcroze
found that students, particularly younger students, responded well to a more physical music
education. Their increased engagement meant that they enjoyed learning and playing music more,
which in turn made them better musicians down the line.

Improvisation in the Dalcroze Method

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Another central concept of the Dalcroze method is improvisation. Unlike other popular musical
methods, students in programs based on the Dalcroze method are encouraged to improvise, based on
their intuitive knowledge of rhythm. Improvisation is thought to bring together all of the elements of
a child’s understanding and experience of music. Improvisation is especially important for children,
as it is meant to be closer to the nature of childhood play. Improvisation allows a child to interact
directly and spontaneously to music within a range of musical knowledge. Improvisation helps
children to internalize complex elements of music, such as rhythm, pitch, and tone without having to
read a musical score. Children enjoy the improvisational element of the Dalcroze method as it
encourages them to find their way to enjoy and express themselves through music. This increased
enjoyment, especially for younger children, enhances their engagement with their musical education.

How Does the Dalcroze Method Compare to Other Musical Methods?

Because Émile Jaques-Dalcroze did not actually like his approach to be labeled as a method, there is
no set curriculum for music programs based on eurythmics. Many teachers are taught principles and
techniques developed by Dalcroze, but they are free to adapt their programs to the individual needs of
their students. This lack of structure, combined with the emphasis on physicality sets the Dalcroze
method apart from other popular musical methods. For young students, the Dalcroze method is often
effective at engaging them and encouraging them to enjoy the process of learning and playing music.

The Dalcroze method is also different from other contemporary musical methods because of the
emphasis on improvisation. Again, because improvisation encourages children to play with the music
that they are learning, it often increases a student’s enjoyment and development.

Benefits of Dalcroze Education

The Dalcroze approach can provide benefits for:

 Performers
 Teachers
 Dancers
 Actors
 Young children
 Seniors
 People with disabilities or special needs
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Dalcroze Education is a key part of the curriculum at leading institutions, K-12 to collegiate,

around the world. It is so intuitive, from an early age children in Dalcroze classes develop critical
listening, motor, and social skills without even know they’re learning. Yet it can also inspire
musicians to reach for higher levels of performance in their professional development.
No matter what level of training you bring to Dalcroze, you can deepen your musical
understanding and improve your body awareness. 
For musicians:

 Develop a stronger sense of rhythm and harmony

 Unlock easier, more expressive performance
 Heighten listening skills and intuition
 Understand music through the body

For dancers:

 Refine non-verbal expression

 Learn essential musical concepts
 Encourage aesthetic development

For seniors:

 Improve coordination and balance

 Enhance cognitive skills
 Strengthen memory function

Experience musical concepts in a playful manner and use your entire body as a musical
instrument. When paired with private music lessons, Dalcroze Education promotes deep learning
in all musicians.
Scientific research supports many of the benefits experienced by participants. The Dalcroze
method has even been applied to many diverse fields, including music therapy, team building, and
in mitigating the negative effects of aging.

Dalcroze is joyful and purposeful. Participants develop connections with those around them.
A Dalcroze Eurhythmics Class
In a Dalcroze Eurhythmics class, students are moving in some way: in traveling around the room,
or in gestures with hands, arms, heads, or upper bodies. Their movements are responsive to the
music in the room. The teacher is probably improvising this music at the piano or on another
instrument. (Sometimes recorded or composed music is used.)
The task is typically to move in space using certain guidelines, specific to the musical piece. For
example, the teacher may ask the students to walk around the room, stepping the beat. Then, when
the students hear a specific cue, they should clap the beat instead. The game continues, with the
students challenged to find new ways to express the beat with their body.
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The teacher shapes the music not only to the rules of the task, but to what they observe the
students doing. The students, in turn, shape their accomplishment of the task to the nature of the
music – its tempo, dynamics, texture, phrase structure, and style. Change is a constant in each
lesson.

Dalcroze call on us to use expressive gestures to give shape to music.

In a Dalcroze class, the instructor combines these elements through rhythm games, songs, gesture,
and movement.
Certified Dalcroze teachers work in conservatories, universities, public and private schools, early
childhood programs, and private studios. Due to the intensive training process and the many
sophisticated skills required to be a Dalcroze educator, the number of certified teachers remains
small but their impact on music education is significant.
No Dalcroze educator is alike and no class is like any other. The Dalcroze approach allows for
incredible variety in teaching styles and methods. There are many different and unique ways that
Dalcroze educators have used this approach to lead students to discover how they can embody
music.
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