Music Education: Principles & Practices

Assignment 2: Essay Writing

By Chow Lap Yin (Student ID: 14683474)

Title:
2. Compare the principles and strategies used in ONE of the current Hong Kong
Music Textbook with the guidelines from the Document Arts Education: Key
Learning Area Curriculum Guide: Music Curriculum Guide

New Trend In Music Book 3, published by Excellence Publication Company Limited,

is a Music Textbook for S.3 students. This textbook states that it is designed based on
the Hong Kong Music Curriculum and thus set four learning targets: developing
creativity and imagination, developing music skills and processes, understanding
music in context and cultivating critical responses in music. As such, it created six
learning strategies, including My Concert Time, Grand Auditorium, Additional Note,
Tea Break Task, Projected Based Learning and Creative Workshop.

Referring to the Document Arts Education: Key Learning Area Curriculum Guide:
Music Curriculum Guide, this four learning principles also appearing, which proves
that the direction of New Trend In Music Book 3 is able to match with the curriculum
published by the Education Bureau. In this essay, I will discuss whether New Trend In
Music can achieve the four learning principles effectively or not by analyzing four of
the strategies used in the textbook.

(1) Developing creativity and imagination

In the Hong Kong Music Curriculum, textbook is suggested to develop music ideas
and acquire creating skills, together with performing and listening, to cultivate
creativity and imagination. Referring to the six strategies, Creative Workshop is
obviously related to this section.

The content of the textbook is divided into 3 module, regarding music describing the
beauty of nature, Cantonese and Western Opera and music conveying positive
messages. The Creative Workshop is arranged at the end of every module.

First of all, the Creative Workshop can enhance students creativity by requiring them
to compose theme song and background music. The workshop sets scenarios, such as
school anniversary and campaign regarding environment protection and asked
students to do composition in groups. By setting scenarios closely related to students
daily life, students will be more capable to think of new ideas as they can imagine the
situations. If the scenarios set are dull for students, they will rarely take part in the
workshop. Therefore, the scenarios chosen are desired for developing students
creativity. Also, doing composition in groups, students can learn from the others and
combine ideas from thoughts of various students.

Besides, the Creative Workshop creates chances for students to demonstrate their
imagination to the others as it includes composing and performing. If the workshop
only arranges the composing part, students may not have any opportunity to perform
their work. However, this textbook includes the performing section as class activities.
Then, students can achieve sense of success through performing their new works and
reduce fears from creating new ideas. Assessment section, both peer and individual, is
also included in the workshop, which allows students to make reflection one their new
work and thus polish their creativity skills.

Although the relation between the Creative Workshop and content of the three
modules is not as close as expected, it can develop students creativity and
imagination at a great degree.

(2) Developing music skills and processes

Textbook is suggested to develop students performing skills to experience and

express music, with emphasis on cultivating music imagination and musicality in
practice. In the textbook, My Concert Time is used to developing music skills and
processes.

The section My Concert Time makes lots of effort to drill students music foundation
and continuous progress. Regarding music skills, music in different genres are
provided in this section, such as folk songs, classical repertoire and pop songs. As
such, students can recognize a great variety of music. Also, it can fulfil needs of most
of the students so to reduce students negative impression of music lessons.

Apart from recognizing, the textbook also requires students to perform. For example,
some folk songs are arranged in two-part singing and some pop songs can be played
by the recorder in unison or solo. To add variety to students music experience, chords
for accompaniment are given in the textbook.

Moreover, questions are designed for every chapter of music regarding foundation of
music knowledge, including chords, cadence and mood. Also, the questions are
arranged according to level, from easy to hard. Then, it can take care of students
progress and ensure they are capable of the content.

Due to the great variety of music foundation content and effective planning of
learning progress, the section My Concert Time can develop music skills and
processes at a great degree.

(3) Understanding music in context

According to the curriculum published by the Education Bureau, the aim of this
principle is understanding the functions of music and the relationship between music
and cultures. In the textbook, the section Additional Note has close relation in
understanding music in context.

In the section Additional Note, foundations of music theory are explained in details.
For example, the usage of primary chords and secondary chords are further explained,
which can totally match the requirement: understanding the functions of music.
Although the explanations of music skills are too difficult for students who do not
learn any musical instruments, this section can fulfil the demand for students with
advanced level in music knowledge. Besides, it can encourage students to be active
when learning new stuff and do research as this section is additional and optional.

The obviously weakness of this section is that the content of relationship between
music and cultures should be strengthened. Apart from Chinese opera, it seldom
introduce culture of folk music and western music, which fails to fulfil the
requirements of the curriculum.

Although the section Additional Notes rarely introduce culture related to music, the
functions of music is comparatively more significant in this principles. As such, this
section can drill students understanding music in context in an effective manner.

(4) Cultivating critical responses in music

The textbook is advised to be comprehend, respond to and appraise music so as to

nurture aesthetic sensitivity and awareness. According to the textbook, the section
Grand Auditorium is designed to drill critical thinking skills.

The Grand Auditorium provided well-known songs or music related to the section My
Concert Time with introductions and guidance. After reading the introductions and
guidance, students are suggested to answer the questions, such as fill in the blanks and
short questions.

This section is comprehend since it covers both the content taught in the chapter and
basic music knowledge, like dynamics, texture and tempo. As such, it can always
remain students some basic and minor music skills so that they can understand all area
of music knowledge are related and none of them should be neglected. Besides,
questions in this section are straight forward but cover a great variety of music
foundations. Then, students can be trained as all-rounded music learners with critical
and sensitive response.

The Grand Auditorium, obviously, can cultivate critical responses in music in an

effective manner.

All in all, four strategies of New Trend In Music Book 3 can fulfil the four principles
stated in the Document Arts Education: Key Learning Area Curriculum Guide: Music
Curriculum Guide at a great degree. But several sections of the textbook can be
polished to reduce weakness. Regarding the Creative Workshop, it would be more
convenience for teachers if this section can be closely related to the three modules,
especially the module introducing music conveying positive messages. Besides, he
section Additional Notes is suggested to add a part introducing the relationship
between culture and western music as this part is completely omitted but can also
benefit students vision.

References

New Trend in Music Editorial Board (2012) New Trend In Music Book 3. Hong Kong:
Excellence Publication Co. Ltd, 1st ed.