Part 5: More than initiate-respond-evaluate (IRE) In part 1 I set out the basis for an approach to oracy in the music classroom. It assumed dialogic practice in place of monologic practice. It went beyond the orthodoxy of teacher initiates talk through a question, the pupil responds and the teacher evaluates that response (IRE). While this has its place, it is insufficient to nurture the development of deeper thinking about music which I maintain dialogic practice is able to do. In Part 4 I placed emphasis on the use of talking points whether devised by teacher or pupils and how these can be i ..read more

Part 4: Talking Points (or enquiry questions) It is difficult to imagine a music classroom, unless particularly contrived, where there is no talking, no reason to talk and where the music making, the musical interthinking, and musical skill development has no counterpointing dialogue. Whenever pupils are working with others, whether in a pair, group or whole class, there will be interthinking not only through music but through talk. But how productive is this? Do pupils know how to benefit from ‘exploratory’ talk, for example? The effects of exploratory talk on individual reasoning it is maint ..read more

Part 3: Two more scenarios Before I say more about the use of talking points in the development of oracy in the music classroom, I owe my readers two more scenarios. Music teacher Josh from Birmingham has generously offered: Scenario 4: Muslim heritage and music The pupil is preparing to perform a piece of music for the class. They have brought in a daf drum. The teacher wants to know more and this leads to a discussion about the pupil’s Muslim heritage and surrounding beliefs. Responding to Josh’s suggestion we might frame this with the question ‘what is meant by the term ‘musical heritage ..read more

Part 2: Some possible scenarios In Part 1 I set out a basis for developing oracy in the music classroom. I made clear that in considering oracy, a generic curriculum category, that oracy was concerned with the act of thinking through talk and that this could have a complementary role to music education’s central focus on the making of music. I further emphasised that the perspective I was offering assumed the music classroom to be dialogic rather than monologic. What follows are five possible scenarios for thinking-talking about music. But first an important question: what can be talked about ..read more

Part I: Thinking out loud I remain slightly mystified why those concerned with ‘high quality’ music education have so little explicit interest in children and young peoples’ thinking, their thinking in the medium of music itself, and their thinking about it through the medium of language. In this series of blogs I confine myself to thinking about music and the expression of that thought through talk. In other words, the act of ‘thinking out loud’. This I believe to be the kernel of what in education is referred to as oracy. My focus is on what pupils say about music, on their developing capaci ..read more

‘It is one of the most deeply rooted superstitions of our age that the purpose of education is to benefit those who receive it. What we teach in school, what subjects we encourage in universities, and the methods of instruction, are all subject to one overarching test: what do the kids get out of it? And this test soon gives way to another, yet more pernicious in its effect, but no less persuasive in the thinking of educationalists: is it relevant? And by relevant is invariably meant ‘relevant to the interests of the kids themselves.’ [1] Thus writes Roger Scruton, philosopher of both conserva ..read more

On Wednesday this week I attended the English National Opera’s production of the Philip Glass opera Akhnaten. I am something of a devote of American minimalism. (When I introduced it to my U3A Group they weren’t impressed. They made no sense of it. what is the point of it was a very good question posed. Their habituated mode of listening didn’t work in this case so it seemed.[1]) I have seen both Philip Glass and Steve Reich in concert and a wonderful Kronos Quartet performance of Reich’s Different Trains. I recall in 1984 running a workshop making minimalist music on an Arts in the Curriculum ..read more

‘Hearing and comprehending in one’s mind the sound of music that is not or may never have been physically present.’ This is possibly Edwin Gordon’s sharpest definition of the term audiation or better in its active form, what it means to audiate. Audiation is the central concept in Gordon’s music learning theory and his notion of musical aptitude. For Gordon there are types and stages of audiation and the means of constructing sequences of learning. His book ‘Learning Sequences in Music: Skill, Content, and Patterns – A Music Learning Theory (1997) provides a comprehensive account of his theory ..read more

Say the words ‘musical knowledge’ and thought goes heavy, rushing to the ‘knowing that’ kind of knowledge, theoretical knowledge, ‘knowing that’ this is an ostinato, ostinato as fact. It is known what an ostinato is, key words, concepts, encyclopedias, dictionaries.  Thankfully, we have another kind of knowledge, ‘knowing how’ – knowing how to create an ostinato, knowing how to make effective use of an ostinato. If you like, ‘practical knowledge’. [1] ‘Practical knowledge’ – yes, still knowledge, really useful knowledge, dynamic musical knowledge. [2] The Greeks had a number of words to d ..read more

Better try over number seventy-eight before we start I suppose?’ said William, pointing to a heap of old Christmas carol books on a side table. [2] Thomas Hardy’s Under the Greenwood Tree, like much of his writing, contains references to music-making. Hardy’s interest in the social conditions of his characters is matched by interest in the social conditions of their music-making. For Hardy music is social practice. Musical meanings and musical knowledge are made here and now together and bound to the meanings made through the relationships of those participating. And all this in relationship t ..read more