Activity Resource 4a: Defining a unit as a style, genre or tradition

It is important to recognise that it is how the music is used for learning – to develop closed, guided or open learning – that will determine its label as a style, genre or tradition within the planning process. However, this process of identifying a type of music as a style, genre or tradition is critical as it impacts directly on the nature of the musical thinking and learning pupils will develop when they engage with that music. This is especially so when exploring music that may display multiple characteristics: Bhangra is a style with very clear melodic and rhythmic characteristics; but it is also a genre (a medium for mass entertainment) and a tradition (a form of popular music).

When introducing such music, it will be important to explore this richness of function with pupils. When moving into detailed learning, however, it is crucial to focus on just one of the music’s characteristics – approaching it as either a style, a genre or a tradition provides a clarity of purpose that allows pupils to explore and develop a particular form of musical thinking.

Use Task 2 (Defining the focus of a unit according to style, genre or tradition) to reflect on and adapt an existing unit of work to make the focus on closed, guided or open learning more explicit.