Scribbling stage : a case study on strategies for teaching music composition to grade 3 students

Abstract

This research explored strategies to scaffold 3rd grade students as they learn to compose music in small groups in an elementary school in Turkey. The purpose of the study was to investigate how the teacher can use different strategies to teach composing in small groups. The research method was designed as a case study to examine a professional music teacher and 19 students working in small groups throughout four lessons. The data were collected by classroom observations, interviews with individual students, the teacher, focus groups and reflections from the teacher. Results indicated that the teacher used modeling, inquiry, connected starters to the concept of composing music, purposefully creating students groups before the tasks and remained flexible to respond to student needs that occurred during the composition tasks. The evidence suggested that other important group dynamics also occurred while students were peer scaffolding. Students who had no experience in composing in small groups had a change in mindset after the composition tasks. Student reflections further revealed how composing music in small groups helped them to improve their musical and cooperative skills.