Interplay

Publisher: Common Ground Publishing

ISSN: 1833-1882

Source: The International Journal of Interdisciplinary Social Sciences: Annual Review, Vol.3, Iss.10, 2009-01, pp. : 103-110

Disclaimer: Any content in publications that violate the sovereignty, the constitution or regulations of the PRC is not accepted or approved by CNPIEC.

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Abstract

Music is one form of the Arts that has always been an integral component of education and enjoyment in society. However belief in the ability to teach music is formulated within a social context and the effects of social influences need to be considered in the development of teacher education programs. Music is one strand of the Arts that is often taught in primary (elementary) schools by generalist classroom teachers. However, research has indicated that many in-service and pre-service teachers express a lack of belief in their ability to teach music and it is therefore not being taught consistently or well. This weak level of teaching efficacy can have long lasting effects on learning in the Arts for young children and, in later life, on their social engagement with Music in broader societal contexts. This paper will focus on the discourse that was developed through a series of in-depth interviews within a longitudinal study of pre-service teachers focused on their teaching self-efficacy in Music. It will analyse the societal influences on the initial formation of Music Teaching Self-Efficacy and changes that occurred over time within a teacher education program. The paper will link to the conference theme of ‘Social meanings: language, linguistics, discourse, text’ through highlighting the social connections and consequences revealed through focused discourse related to the outcomes of the investigation.