Date of Award

6-30-2016

Document Type

Open Access Thesis

Department

School of Music

First Advisor

Wendy Valerio

Abstract

With the intent of improving music acquisition understanding, the purpose of the study was to examine shared music interactions and shared music understandings in early childhood music classes. The guiding research questions were (a) How do three-year-old children and I, a music teacher, engage in shared music interactions and shared music understandings using a music curriculum based on Gordon’s (2013) music learning theory? (b) What teacher-initiated music activities result in observations of shared music interactions and shared music understandings? (c) What child-initiated music activities result in observations of shared music interactions and shared music understandings.

Participants included myself as a complete participant observer, 17 three-oldchildren from an intact class, six of whom I selected as information-rich cases, a lead teacher, assistant teacher, and a music development specialist. As a participant-observer, I taught six weekly music classes to those three-year-old children.

I analyzed data using coding, cultural domains, a taxonomic analysis, thematic analysis, vignettes, and componential analysis (Glesne, 2011; Spradley, 1980). Emergent themes included: (a) using spoken language aided shared music understandings that led to and increased shared music interactions, (b) individual music responses encouraged shared music interactions and shared music understandings, (c) establishing routines through repetition of songs, movement, and rhythm chants fostered shared music interactions and shared music understandings, and (d) using objects encouraged shared music interactions and shared music understandings. I provided rich, thick descriptions via vignettes and I identified similarities and differences in the adult participants’ observations of shared music interactions and shared music understandings via componential analysis.

The children in this study paired a spoken music term with their own developing music skills and understandings. Without formal instruction, they labeled their Teachers may use other spoken music terms paired with vocal demonstrations within the music classes for three-year-old children, providing opportunities for the children to acquire music vocabularies, skills, and understandings.

Early childhood music teachers should encourage social music interactions to foster shared music interactions and shared music understandings between young children and themselves. Early childhood music teachers should create a playful and safe environment for young children to create music and make music individually.

Rights

© 2016, Erika Michelle Hubbell

Download

Share

COinS