Musical activities are at the centre of Music on the Lap, a Dutch approach to early childhood music education. The present study takes an in-depth look at the role of movement in these musical activities and thereby focuses on the representation of musical elements through movement. This study has among its aims the raising of more awareness for the conscious use of movement in early childhood music education. Departing from an embodied approach within an interpretative design, the premise of the current study is that movement should be considered an important form of kinaesthetic representation through which preschool children can come to understand and learn different aspects of music. The musical movement responses of children aged 18 to 36 months in a regular Music on the Lap setting were investigated. The musical movement behaviour of the children, during specific musical activities, was captured on DVD and the individual responses of 27 children were analysed. Interviews with the participating teacher provided important additional information. Through microanalysis of the children’s movements, the study arrived at a theoretical interpretation: movement responses to music can be considered enactive symbols, creating direct and indirect representations of musical characteristics. To further musical learning the movements should be firmly based in a temporal framework of aural and verbal connotations in order to stimulate purposeful movement responses. This temporal framework should be structured by the teacher through a process of appropriate movement models and verbal guidance to arrive at meaningful movement actions, which can consequently generate implicit and explicit musical kinaesthetic and musical representational knowledge. In this process the children are actively participating to construct with body and mind their own musical knowledge.

The purpose of this study was to examine the musical home environment of preschool children aged 3 to 5 years enrolled in an early childhood music class. This study also examined how the musical home environment was affected by demographic characteristics, parental musical experience, and early childhood music instruction. Parents and primary caregivers (N = 103) of preschool children enrolled in three university-based early childhood music programs in Florida, New York, and Ohio were surveyed using a researcher-constructed measure, “Parents’ Use of Music with Preschool Students” (PUMPS). The PUMPS was intended to gather data related to demographic characteristics of the sample, participants’ experiences in early childhood music programs, the personal music experience of participants and information about how music was used in the home. Participants demonstrated that they provided a rich musical home environment for preschool children, having a variety of musical interactions with their children on a weekly basis (i.e., singing, listening to music, playing instruments, moving to music, utilizing music class activities and composition) and had a variety of musical materials in their homes including music instruments, musical toys, and music listening devices. Participants reported a higher frequency of singing, listening to music, and dancing in the home and a lower frequency of playing instruments, performing music class activities, and composing or reading music. Most of the sample had participated in music during their lifetime but the vast majority of the participants did not engage in musical activities at the time of the study. They did, however, value music and attend musical events. Factor analysis of the PUMPS subsets revealed three factors for musical home environment (Music Interactions, Musical Materials, and Child Attendance at Musical Events), two factors related to parental music experience (Music Participation and Value of Music), and one factor related to Early Childhood Music Experiences. Several independent variables significantly predicted musical home environment factors. Musical Interactions were related to adult gender, child age, ethnicity, and parent valuing music. Musical materials in the home were related to parental musical participation and ethnicity, while no significant predictors were found for child attendance at musical events. Ethnicity, child age, parental musical participation, and musical materials accounted for 37.8% of the variance in composite musical home environment scores, yielding a medium effect size.

No description available.

The purpose of this qualitative research was to understand the process of co-constructing music in a Reggio-inspired preschool. Although both adults and children facilitate musical processes in co-constructed settings, in this study I focused on processes that emerged from children. One question guided this study: In this preschool, what processes do children use to make their music learning visible and audible? From September 16 to December 16, 2014, I visited Project P.L.A.Y. School--a play- and relationship-based, Reggio-inspired preschool--once weekly for one and a half hours during the children's free play time. The participants were 13 children between the ages of two and a half and five years old, as well as six adults. During my visits, I acted as a musical play partner with the children, following the children's leads. Data emerged from child and adult musickers as musical interactions, which I documented using Reggio-inspired documentation techniques--audio recording, video recording, and photographing during musical interactions as long as the interaction lasted. In addition, I kept a researcher's journal consisting of same-day reflections after each visit. The documentation resulted in five hours and 42 minutes of video and audio recordings, 115 photographs, and an 80 page researcher's journal. Because my data collection were modeled on Reggio-inspired documentation techniques, I did not run continuous video but only recorded during musical interactions as long as the interaction lasted. Thus, the audio and video recordings were in 215 separate files, ranging from four seconds to 19 minutes in duration. I interpreted the data using qualitative strategies, coding data from documentation and my journal. Codes gave rise to categories which became salient themes. I labeled those themes processes, and employed narrative tenets to present the findings, restorying experiences into vignettes and using photographs and notation to support the themes. At Project P.L.A.Y. School, children made their music learning audible and visible by engaging in seven music processes: vocal exploration, singing, instrument exploration, expressive movement, notation exploration, staging shows, and musical conversations. These processes emerged as part of larger social processes, such as discussion and social play. Some processes emerged within others, as children sang during their musical conversations and danced while they staged shows. Thus, co-constructed musicking was part of the whole experiences of the children. Musickers at Project P.L.A.Y. School made their learning audible and visible through musical processes that were fundamentally social and creative. The co-constructed musicking was social and creative, as adults and children developed musical thinking and skills through listening and responding to one another. Through the emergent social and musical process, adults were able to scaffold and extend children's musicking. Through these processes, musickers developed skills that may help them become thoughtful, independent, and intentional musicians. Due to the rich musicking that emerged in this context, I recommend that music teachers and early childhood teachers embrace the role of musical play partner; dedicate time to music exploration and play; design children's musicking spaces in a way that emphasizes agency and accessibility; and provide opportunities for musical choice in all music education settings. I conclude by recommending that future researchers consider studying co-constructed musicking in other environments, as well as musical project work, as projects are important to the emergent curriculum of the Reggio approach. / Music Education

O presente estudo delineou-se dentro de uma abordagem qualitativa, caracterizando-se como estudo de caso participante. O tema nasceu da observação da carência de formação musical entre os profissionais que trabalham nos berçários, creches e Centros de Educação infantil. Teve por objetivo compreender os aspectos envolvidos no processo de formação musical do professor generalista que trabalha com bebês e crianças pequenas, a partir de um curso básico de música, elaborado dentro dos pressupostos da Teoria da Aprendizagem Musical de Edwin Gordon, por entender que esta teoria apresenta informações e traz orientações claras quanto o desenvolvimento musical da criança, facilitando a organização de possíveis propostas metodológicas. Logo após o curso, durante um ano letivo, realizou-se o acompanhamento reflexivo e suporte pedagógico musical junto a uma das professoras participantes do curso inicial. O referencial teórico debruçou-se sobre estudos oriundos da Sociologia da Infância quanto à concepção de infância, dentre os autores estão Corsaro (s/d) e Qvortrup (2010; 2011) no sentido de conceituar a criança adotada nessa pesquisa; sobre estudos que tratam da formação do professor generalista, como os de Kishimoto (2005; 2008), Gatti e Barreto (2009), dentre outros, e formação de professores de arte no Brasil, como Fonterrada (2008), Barbosa (1989; 2002a; 2002b; 2003); sobre estudos relacionados às origens da música e sua importância, dentre outros, para as relações sociais do Homem, como os de Brown et al (2000); Levitin (2006); Sandra Trehub (2002; 2003); sobre os estudos das interações iniciais dos bebês a partir das concepções de Colwin Trevarthen (1996;1999; 2000) e Daniel Stern (1992) e da descrição minuciosa da Music Learning Theory de Edwin Gordon. Encontram-se nas análises dos dados as contribuições deste modelo de ação para a formação musical inicial dos professores, que neste caso eram alunos de um curso de pedagogia que já atuavam na educação Infantil, e seus reflexos no contexto da creche. Os resultados mostraram-se efetivos quanto à abordagem teórica musical adotada. Houve um crescimento musical significativo durante o processo estabelecido no curso, dada à inexperiência musical das participantes. Posteriormente, no acompanhamento da prática da professora, observou-se um reflexo expressivo no desenvolvimento musical dos bebês através de inúmeras respostas musicais, de movimento corporal, além de ricas interações entre a professora e os bebês, bem como entre os bebês e seus pares, corroborando com a literatura estudada. / This study outlined in a qualitative approach, characterized as participant case study. The issue arose from the observation of the lack of musical education among professionals who work in nurseries, kindergartens and Child Education Centers. Aimed to understand the issues involved in the musical formation process of class teachers working with babies and toddlers, from a basic course in music, elaborated within the assumptions of the theory of Musical Learning Edwin Gordon, understanding that this theory displays information and provides clear guidance on the musical development of the child, facilitating the organization of possible methodological proposals. Soon after the course, during a school year, there was reflective accompaniment and musical pedagogical support by one of the participating teachers of the initial course. The theoretical bent over coming studies of Sociology of Childhood on the design of childhood, among the authors are Corsaro (s/d) and Qvortrup (2010; 2011) to conceptualize the child adopted in this research; on studies dealing with the training of class teachers, like those of Kishimoto (2005; 2008), Gatti and Barreto (2009), among others, and training of art teachers in Brazil, as Fonterrada (2008), Barbosa (1989; 2002a; 2002b; 2003); on studies related to the origins of music and its importance, among others, for social relations of man, such as Brown et al (2000); Levitin (2006); Sandra Trehub (2002; 2003); On the studies of early interactions babies from the conceptions of Colwin Trevarthen (1996; 1999; 2000) and Daniel Stern (1992); and detailed description of Music Learning Theory of Edwin Gordon. Are the analysis of the data contributions from this model of action for the initial musical training of teachers, which in this case were students of a pedagogy course already working in Early Childhood Education, and its effects in the context of the nursery. The results were effective as the musical theoretical approach adopted. There was a significant musical growth during the process established in the course given to musical inexperience of the participants. Subsequently, in monitoring the practice of teacher, there was a significant reflection in the musical development of babies through numerous musical responses, body movement, and rich interactions between the teacher and the babies and between babies and their peers, corroborating the literature studied.

O presente estudo delineou-se dentro de uma abordagem qualitativa, caracterizando-se como estudo de caso participante. O tema nasceu da observação da carência de formação musical entre os profissionais que trabalham nos berçários, creches e Centros de Educação infantil. Teve por objetivo compreender os aspectos envolvidos no processo de formação musical do professor generalista que trabalha com bebês e crianças pequenas, a partir de um curso básico de música, elaborado dentro dos pressupostos da Teoria da Aprendizagem Musical de Edwin Gordon, por entender que esta teoria apresenta informações e traz orientações claras quanto o desenvolvimento musical da criança, facilitando a organização de possíveis propostas metodológicas. Logo após o curso, durante um ano letivo, realizou-se o acompanhamento reflexivo e suporte pedagógico musical junto a uma das professoras participantes do curso inicial. O referencial teórico debruçou-se sobre estudos oriundos da Sociologia da Infância quanto à concepção de infância, dentre os autores estão Corsaro (s/d) e Qvortrup (2010; 2011) no sentido de conceituar a criança adotada nessa pesquisa; sobre estudos que tratam da formação do professor generalista, como os de Kishimoto (2005; 2008), Gatti e Barreto (2009), dentre outros, e formação de professores de arte no Brasil, como Fonterrada (2008), Barbosa (1989; 2002a; 2002b; 2003); sobre estudos relacionados às origens da música e sua importância, dentre outros, para as relações sociais do Homem, como os de Brown et al (2000); Levitin (2006); Sandra Trehub (2002; 2003); sobre os estudos das interações iniciais dos bebês a partir das concepções de Colwin Trevarthen (1996;1999; 2000) e Daniel Stern (1992) e da descrição minuciosa da Music Learning Theory de Edwin Gordon. Encontram-se nas análises dos dados as contribuições deste modelo de ação para a formação musical inicial dos professores, que neste caso eram alunos de um curso de pedagogia que já atuavam na educação Infantil, e seus reflexos no contexto da creche. Os resultados mostraram-se efetivos quanto à abordagem teórica musical adotada. Houve um crescimento musical significativo durante o processo estabelecido no curso, dada à inexperiência musical das participantes. Posteriormente, no acompanhamento da prática da professora, observou-se um reflexo expressivo no desenvolvimento musical dos bebês através de inúmeras respostas musicais, de movimento corporal, além de ricas interações entre a professora e os bebês, bem como entre os bebês e seus pares, corroborando com a literatura estudada. / This study outlined in a qualitative approach, characterized as participant case study. The issue arose from the observation of the lack of musical education among professionals who work in nurseries, kindergartens and Child Education Centers. Aimed to understand the issues involved in the musical formation process of class teachers working with babies and toddlers, from a basic course in music, elaborated within the assumptions of the theory of Musical Learning Edwin Gordon, understanding that this theory displays information and provides clear guidance on the musical development of the child, facilitating the organization of possible methodological proposals. Soon after the course, during a school year, there was reflective accompaniment and musical pedagogical support by one of the participating teachers of the initial course. The theoretical bent over coming studies of Sociology of Childhood on the design of childhood, among the authors are Corsaro (s/d) and Qvortrup (2010; 2011) to conceptualize the child adopted in this research; on studies dealing with the training of class teachers, like those of Kishimoto (2005; 2008), Gatti and Barreto (2009), among others, and training of art teachers in Brazil, as Fonterrada (2008), Barbosa (1989; 2002a; 2002b; 2003); on studies related to the origins of music and its importance, among others, for social relations of man, such as Brown et al (2000); Levitin (2006); Sandra Trehub (2002; 2003); On the studies of early interactions babies from the conceptions of Colwin Trevarthen (1996; 1999; 2000) and Daniel Stern (1992); and detailed description of Music Learning Theory of Edwin Gordon. Are the analysis of the data contributions from this model of action for the initial musical training of teachers, which in this case were students of a pedagogy course already working in Early Childhood Education, and its effects in the context of the nursery. The results were effective as the musical theoretical approach adopted. There was a significant musical growth during the process established in the course given to musical inexperience of the participants. Subsequently, in monitoring the practice of teacher, there was a significant reflection in the musical development of babies through numerous musical responses, body movement, and rich interactions between the teacher and the babies and between babies and their peers, corroborating the literature studied.

This study explores the spontaneous singing of three- and four-year-old children at home, with emphasis on how young children use singing in their everyday lives. Spontaneous singing pervades the everyday lives of young children and can provide insights into a child's musical and extra-musical experience at home. Although several studies have examined spontaneous singing in educational settings, young children's musical lives at home are rarely studied in detail. The home is a difficult space to access, and data collection methods often rely on parental reporting. As a result, some types of singing have been overlooked. Located within the sociocultural theoretical tradition, this thesis draws on and develops theories of musical agency to explore how children act musically to engage with others and manage their own experience. Audio data were collected using LENA all-day recording technology supplemented by semi-structured parental interviews. Over 183 hours of audio recording were collected from 15 children (7 boys, 8 girls), aged between 3:0 and 4:10 years (average age 3:8). The children were recorded for continuous periods during their normal everyday routines. The recordings contained more than nine hours of spontaneous singing in total. The data were analysed using qualitative thematic analysis with an element of embedded numerical analysis. Interpretive analysis indicated that the children sang to act on themselves and manage social interactions. Spontaneous singing was used as a tool through which the children could realise personal and social agency and influence themselves and others. The children used different modes of singing in social and solitary contexts, demonstrating knowledge of culturally meaningful ways of singing. The home musical environment, and particularly parental singing, appeared to influence the way young children use singing in their everyday lives. This research used an innovative methodology to access young children’s singing in the home. The findings contribute to a greater understanding of young children’s musical behaviours and the home musical lives of young children. Further, the thesis provides an original contribution to the understanding of how young children use spontaneous singing as musical agents acting in and on the world around them. This research has educational implications relating to the way young children’s musicality is understood and encouraged and the importance of music in young children’s lives.

We have many developmental theories contributing to our understanding of children as they meander steadfastly toward maturation. Yet, none have reported on how young children interpret the qualitative meaning and importance of their own music-making experiences. Music created by average, not prodigious, young children is perceived by adults as “play” music rather than “real” music. But do young children take the same view as adults? When Piaget speaks of the young child’s qualitatively unique view and experience of the world (Ginsberg & Opper, 1988), can we assume that his statement encompasses young children’s predispositions related to music-making? Music is understood to occur when people act intentionally to produce and organize sound into rhythm and form. The guiding questions for this study are, What evidence is there to show that, when following an adult music leader, young children can engage in authentic music-making behavior and produce identifiable musical structures that move beyond random sounds or ‘noise’? What evidence is there to show that children's music-making behavior develops according to developmental stages? trek This qualitative field study observed and videotaped over 100 children between 2 and 7 years old who chose to engage in music-making behavior in a socially-rich school environment during structured activities guided by an adult “music leader.” The data gathered from this study suggest that young children’s motivation to make music derive from predispositions unrelated to notions of cultural and artistic expression thereby differing from adult musical needs and are instead based on more primary responses to their own developmental needs and their social environment. Functioning as “music leader,” the PI appeared to serve as an indispensable interface for assuring authenticity in the children’s music-making at all stages of development. The older children did not introduce any novel behavior specifically related to making music. However, due to the progression of cognitive and social maturity across the range of ages, new extra-musical behavior (EMB) slowly emerged at each developmental stage always seeming to enrich the experience relative to a particular group.