Abstract:
Although some school systems maintain music specialists in primary schools, the reality of the situation is that a large number of generalist primary teachers in Australia, Great Britain and the United States have the responsibility for teaching music in their classrooms. A significant amount of research from these countries has supported the notion that generalist and preservice primary teachers have a negative attitude towards and lack the confidence to teach music.
This study attempted to assess whether preservice primary teachers' attitudes toward music and the teaching of music in their classrooms might be influenced by their experiences in a music fundamentals course which was a prerequisite to a methods course. Although there is some research on developing positive attitudes towards music in preservice primary teachers via music methods classes, little has focused on the role a music fundamentals course may play in the formation of these attitudes. This paper discusses the preliminary findings from a study of preservice primary teachers at the University of Arizona and the University of Newcastle and explores some of the implications that these findings have for tertiary teaching practice.
This study attempted to assess whether preservice primary teachers' attitudes toward music and the teaching of music in their classrooms might be influenced by their experiences in a music fundamentals course which was a prerequisite to a methods course. Although there is some research on developing positive attitudes towards music in preservice primary teachers via music methods classes, little has focused on the role a music fundamentals course may play in the formation of these attitudes. This paper discusses the preliminary findings from a study of preservice primary teachers at the University of Arizona and the University of Newcastle and explores some of the implications that these findings have for tertiary teaching practice.