Background

A range of inspection and research evidence identifies common issues in structuring learning for musical understanding. It also describes how successful teaching finds solutions that enable positive musical learning. The main characteristics are outlined below.

Common issues

Sometimes pupils:

• do not know why they are studying a particular type of music, or how that music is similar to or different from music studied in prior learning;
• are not clear why they are undertaking practical tasks within units of work. They focus their attention on completion of teacher-defined tasks, and do not develop broader understanding of the conventions, processes and devices of a range of culturally diverse musical styles, genres and traditions;
• do not develop a musical vocabulary they can use to articulate their understanding of music;
• do not understand with sufficient clarity the details of musical elements, and cannot apply knowledge in practical work effectively;
• are unclear about the expectations of skill development and do not know how to improve specific skills.

Resolving the issues

Effective units of work:

• focus on the development of pupils’ musical understanding: an awareness of musical contexts and purposes, and how the conventions, processes and devices of given genres, styles and traditions create an overall impact;
• ensure that work across the whole key stage includes a breadth of culturally diverse styles, genres and traditions, each with a distinctive mode of musical thinking and construction;
• make explicit the conventions of music being studied within individual units, including both the overall cultural or artistic context and the technical processes and devices used;
• identify how pupils will develop their understanding of features of musical elements pertinent to the conventions required, and how they will apply that understanding in their practical work;
• identify the expectations of specific musical skills that pupils will develop in order to embed their understanding, and how pupils will be helped to improve these skills;
• make explicit the vocabulary needed for musical understanding and ensure that pupils know how to use this vocabulary;
• employ a range of musical activities to support and develop defined learning:
  ‘performing, composing and appraising activities … provide different ways of demonstrating the same aspects of musical learning. The focus . . . . should be on the musical learning that is being demonstrated through these integrated activities.’
  QCA: www.ncaction.org.uk/subjects/music/judgemnt.htm