Effective learning objectives and outcomes

The learning objectives for music lessons should fit into one of the following five categories.

1. Acquiring and applying knowledge (learning factual information, especially about features of musical elements but also about theory or notation, performers or performance practice and historical facts)

2. Acquiring concepts (understanding the conventions, processes and procedures of different musical styles, genres and traditions)

3. Acquiring new behaviours, learning new skills (especially learning the practical skills of music: singing, performing, improvising, composing, analysing, evaluating and listening)

4. Exploring attitudes and values, perspectives on a problem and solutions to complex issues (developing understanding through empathy, caring, sensitivity towards contexts, social issues and moral issues)

5. Experiencing personal growth, developing creativity (creating, designing hypothesising and exploring alternatives).

Any one lesson should have a maximum of three learning objectives and very often a lesson will only have one or two. This enables a proper focus on the learning, rather than an attempt to deliver too much activity.

The learning outcomes should include both the notional ‘product’ as well as considerations of both quality and quantity. For instance, if you expect a composition as an outcome, it is helpful to explain what message or style it should communicate, how many sections are needed, how many parts might be playing, what technical devices must be included and whether it needs to be performed live or via ICT.

Look at Activity Resource 3a  63kb to see how one school has used these principles to establish effective learning objectives and outcomes. These are seen across a whole unit and within two lessons from the unit. Note in particular the different types of learning objectives (defined by the categories listed above) and the nature of the learning outcomes, which include references to both product and quality.

You could then:

• develop your exploration of how to use learning objectives and learning outcomes by reading more;
• look at the other two tabs within this section of the unit (recommended);
• continue with this unit by considering common challenges in lesson planning.

Structuring sequences of learning within a lesson

An effective lesson will be organised into a sequence of distinct learning episodes, each of which will have a beginning (engaging pupils in musical learning through teacher input), a middle (activities for pupils to explore and learn) and then a quick check for understanding before moving to the next episode. At the end of the lesson there might be a longer review time.

This plan for the learning might be summarised as ‘engage – learn – review’ and it provides a useful framework for all lessons.

Two important considerations in music are as follows.

1. Pupils’ direct involvement with music can – and very often should – be a key feature of each segment of learning. Music is unique. It is about sound, and is at once abstract, ephemeral and simultaneously complex. This thinking needs to be developed from the very start of the lesson, right through to the end.
2. The number and length of episodes can vary enormously. Lessons involving composing may have shorter ‘engage’ and ‘review’ sections but much longer ‘learn’ sections. By contrast, development of performing skills may require longer engagement and relatively short episodes in which pupils ‘learn’.

Study Activity Resource 3b to see how a lesson within a unit on African songs for dance has been structured to reflect these key principles.

You could then:

• develop your exploration of how to structure lessons  by reading more;
• look at the other two tabs within this section of the module (recommended);
• continue with this unit by considering common challenges in lesson planning.

Strategies that engage pupils in their learning

Teachers need a repertoire of teaching strategies to promote learning and develop understanding. They also require a wide variety of techniques to engage pupils actively.

Some strategies are most suitable for activities that rely heavily on language and discursive thinking. These will be particularly useful when the use of musical vocabulary and the ability to analyse, evaluate and justify decisions will require careful use of language.

However, music is its own language and has a distinct mode of learning. As a result, teachers need to use a wider range of strategies to enable pupils to learn effectively within the context of a practical subject based in sound.

Key strategies in music are therefore as follows.

Involving pupils in challenging, complex activities

Music operates on several levels: horizontally (passage of time) and vertically (changing textures), listening while performing, simultaneous kinaesthetic and auditory learning, and so on.

Modelling

It is essential that pupils understand not only what they are to do, but how they are to do it.

Chunking

Pupils need to be taught how to break long and potentially complex tasks into smaller, more manageable activities.

Strategic use of plenary

Pupils need regular times (especially during practical work) when they are guided collectively to review what progress has been made, identify where they need to go next, and how to move on to next steps.

Identifying appropriate time slots

Pupils need time to prepare for effective performances of compositions.

Group work and group talk

Group work and group talk are essential features of music lessons, but the teaching strategies that can make them effective are rarely used in music lessons.

Use Activity Resource 3c to help you choose and use one of these strategies within a lesson.

You could then:

• develop your exploration of how to use a variety of teaching strategies by reading more;
• look at the other two tabs within this section of the unit (recommended);
• continue with this unit by considering common challenges in lesson planning.