Preparing Music Pre Service Teachers To Enhance Language Arts Reading Skills In The Elementary Music Classroom A Degree Program And Course Content Analysis PDF Download

The purpose of this study was to examine how NASM accredited music education degree programs from public and private universities throughout the United States address reading literacy (language arts) integration within the elementary music classroom. Accordingly, the following research questions guided the study: (1) What, if any, reading course is currently included in the undergraduate music education degree program?(2) What are the attitudes and perceptions of music education professors towards music and reading integration within the music teacher preparation programs?(3) What “philosophical lens” is used to develop a reading integrated curriculum for pre-service music teachers and how is it interpreted in practice?(4) What content and experiences are included within the general music course (or course equivalent) that addresses reading and how is it implemented? A quantitative descriptive research design was implemented in three phases: conceptual analysis of degree programs curricula, survey, and interviews. A conceptual analysis of music education degree programs was used to examine the presence of reading courses within the music education degree program and under which department the courses are provided (n = 100). A cross-sectional survey was conducted in order to provide a “descriptive” analysis of instructors’ (n = 42) attitudes and perception towards reading/language arts integration within the general music methods course (or course equivalent). A chi-squared analysis determined correlations between teacher demographics and questionnaire portions of the survey. Interviews of selected instructors (n = 3) were conducted to further detail how reading content is introduced and integrated within the coursework of the general music methods course (or course equivalent), a course that is required by the NASM for music teacher certification. Results indicated that of the universities/colleges investigated (N = 100) more than half (54%) included a course(s) in reading. Additionally, instructor attitudes showed favorably towards reading integration and a majority of the instructors perceive an awareness of the national reading crisis. However, there were mixed feelings towards the belief that music education teacher training programs should be structured to prepare pre-service music students to support basic reading instruction in the music classroom and instructor confidence in teaching reading integration to pre-service music teachers. Analysis of interviews revealed consistent themes towards reading integration including preparing pre-teachers music teachers with (1) awareness of key concepts and vocabulary in reading instruction (phonemic awareness, phonics, sequencing, decoding, and comprehension) that was embedded in the course, (2) use of reading strategies, and (3) modeling how integrative strategies are implemented in which students had opportunities to imitate through assignments. Finally, the philosophical lens that guided the instructors in the inclusion of reading integration in the course was integrative in nature. .