Overview:
All teachers should strive to meet students at their current levels, and “teach to reach” by selecting and presenting teaching materials that will reach as many students in a variety of ways. Diversity in teaching is essential in order to guide students toward their full potential. Integrating the music curriculum with other subjects can foster student learning and growth. Incorporating multicultural music education helps to build an appreciation of diversity, and addressing the needs of special learners will increase self-confidence and connect them with others.
Objectives:
Students will be able to:
- Describe the different ways to integrate the music curriculum with other subjects,
- Design integrated lessons that focus on music,
- Delineate the rationale for incorporating a multicultural approach to lesson materials,
- Identify the different ways in which multicultural music can be taught to younger students,
- Describe the four-step approach for teaching multicultural music,
- Identify the needs of special learners in the music classroom, and
- Create inclusion strategies for special learners.
What Subjects Can Be Integrated With Music?
Music can be integrated with almost any elementary subject area. The more frequently integrated areas are:
- Related Arts (Dance, visual arts)
- Language Arts
- Literature
- Math
- Science
- Social Studies
When faced with selection of any integration experience, teachers need to consider the following:
- Clarity of goals
- The value and meaningfulness of the content
- The logical sequence of the activities
- The flexibility of the content
- The time that will be spent on the topic
- The assessment process for the experience
The integration of other disciplines into the music program has the potential for enriching the lives of students and of teachers.
Integration of disciplines within the elementary school, however, does not happen automatically. Some general characteristics of successful integration experiences are the following:
- Support from the administration
- A strong and well-organized music and arts program
- Open-minded teachers who develop understanding and skills in other disciplines
- Willingness of faculty to work together in solving problems
- Planning time for teachers across disciplines
- Resistance to overemphasis on mastery tests
This resource below will assist in designing integration lesson plans.
