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Lecture:
Introduction
What is literacy?
Literacy may be generally understood as simply as the ability to read
and write, or to describe an educated or learned person, but these are
manifestations of literacy, not the origins or foundations.
To be literate is to be able to find and communicate
meaning. This is the key to continuous, life-long learning.
In other words, how does a person become educated, and how
would that person continue to become more educated?
For example, those
unable to find meaning in the hieroglyphics or runes below
are illiterate, at least within the context of those codes,
or in that content.
However, the ability to decode meaning and to communicate
meaning to others is of profound benefit. Literacy, in its
many forms, is fundamental to the process of learning. For
example, a very young child learning to read will look at a
shape, and learn it is a “C.” The shape has a name, a bit
of meaning. The child will subsequently learn that the “C”
has a sound (more meaning) and is combined with other shapes
(letters) to form words (more meaning).
The word, CAT, is code for , which
finally has concrete meaning for the child.
So, to decode is to take something out of coded form. To
encode is to put something into coded form.
DECODE |
ENCODE |
Take out of code
|
Put into code |
|
CAT |
Put into a form for understanding
|
Put into a form for transmission |
Visual/concrete
|
Representative |
Find meaning
|
Communicate meaning |
Literacy: to find and communicate meaning
But meaning is different than just knowledge. Remember
Bloom's Revised Taxonomy?
Meaning can be found and expressed in all of the levels of
learning.
What is content area literacy?
Well, if we use the previous definition of literacy, "to
find and communicate meaning," then content area literacy is
finding and communicating meaning in a specific content
area; in this case, music. In other words, what we do to
learn (find meaning) and share (communicate meaning) music content.
What do we do?
Here are some ways that we find and
communicate meaning about music, and what we need to be able
to do these things:
Find
meaning |
Communicate Meaning |
Knowledge/Skills Needed |
Read about music
Textbooks, song
descriptions, program notes, research papers,
biographies |
|
Language vocabulary
Music
vocabulary
Reading fluency
Reading comprehension |
|
Write about music
Program notes,
school assignments, journal entries, written
discussions |
Language vocabulary
Music
vocabulary
Writing proficiency
Editing/proofreading skills |
Read music notation
Band, choir,
orchestra pieces, elementary songs, private
music lessons |
|
Music
theory knowledge
Audiation skill
Tracking skill |
|
Write music notation
Learning music
notation, composition, transcription, arranging |
Music
theory knowledge
Notation software knowledge and access |
Listen to others talk about music
Elementary music
class, secondary ensembles, YouTube videos |
|
Language vocabulary
Music
vocabulary
Listening comprehension |
|
Talk about music
Class discussions,
presentations, exchanges with other musicians,
friends |
Language vocabulary
Music
vocabulary
Verbal communication skills |
Listen to music
Exposure to new
styles, preparing for new
performance pieces, just for enjoyment |
|
Listening skills
Knowledge of music elements to identify |
|
Perform music
Experiencing the
level of performance, interpreting existing
pieces, improvising |
Listening skills
Knowledge of performance practice |
Study scores
Identifying
contrast and repetition, memorization aids,
performance practice information, identify style |
|
Music
theory knowledge
Audiation skills
Knowledge of performance practice
Knowledge of styles |
|
Lead groups
Conducting,
teaching, private instruction, leading groups |
Conducting skills
Error
detection skills
Audiation skills |
|
|
|
This is how we decode (find meaning) and
encode (communicate meaning) in the area of music.
Why do we care?
Content Area Reading courses are a requirement for teacher
certification in many states, including Texas. The Texas
Administrative Code (Title 19, Part 7, Chapter 228) requires
educators to "provide instruction that improves students'
content-area literacy" (Edmondson, 1999).
Why would that need to be mandated??
Well, students were struggling to read and understand
textbooks, which was keeping them from learning new content
outside of the Reading or English class. The mandate was to
encourage teachers of all subjects to teach literacy that
would apply across all subject areas.
You are future teachers, and I can just imagine what you are
thinking right now . . .
|
I'm not even
sure what
content
area
literacy is. |
|
I won't have time
to do that. |
I
don't know how
to
teach that. |
|
|
That's the
Reading/English
teacher's job. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
If you want to be a good teacher, you
will want to teach students how to learn and how to keep
learning, not just how to
play/sing a piece of music.
Preparing for literacy
Students will not find meaning if they are not engaged, so
some groundwork is necessary to prepare for learning. This
is not specific to literacy learning, but psychological
safety is the first step to set up a classroom for
success. Amy Edmondson, a Harvard Business School professor
coined the term, which she describes as “a belief that one
will not be punished or humiliated for speaking up with
ideas, questions, concerns or mistakes."
Here is an example of how one teacher set
up her classroom for success:
"A
few weeks ago, I started the 'I need' box in my
class, a way for my students to ask for help without
having to come directly to me. They write their
needs on a card and leave it in the box.
The first week, two boys
let me know about a bullying situation. We got it
taken care of. The next week, I changed the format a
little and started having EVERY student put a card
in the box every day. They didn’t have to write on
it, but every student visits the box daily.
Since then, I’ve had a
plethora of 'needs' submitted. They range from
specific supply needs, seat changes, special
handshakes when entering class, after-school help,
bullying situations, and even hugs.
What’s even better
is students are starting to come to me directly with
issues/challenges they are having bypassing the box
completely. I’ve been teaching middle school for 15
years, and I can honestly say this is the best thing
I’ve ever done to reach my kids this early in the
school year."
|
Vocabulary
literacy
decode
encode
psychological safety
self-regulation
content
area literacy
music
literacy
music
content area literacy
Bloom's
Revised taxonomy
taxonomy
domain
|
2-minute applications
Elementary
music classroom
-
Show and Tell: bring the real object to
teach a word
-
Familiar words to rhythms: huckleberry
-
Simon Says with new vocabulary
-
Articulate musical thoughts/feelings
-
Assign pictures to composers
Secondary
ensemble/classroom
-
Play topical music while students enter
classroom; identify composer, genre,
title, etc.
-
Composers in context: what else was
happening at this time?
-
Show video of dance that inspired the
musical piece
-
Word of the day
Individual/private instruction
|
Topics for discussion
-
How does
a person learn?
-
How does
a person become educated?
-
What
codes do you use?
-
What
literacy problems can you imagine in a music
classroom?
-
How do
you find meaning in music?
-
How can a
teacher ensure psychological safety in a
classroom?
|
Edmondson, A., Psychological
safety and learning behavior in
work teams, Administrative Science Quarterly,
June 1999, 44: 350-383.
Created and maintained by Vicky V. Johnson
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