Indeed i have learnt and gained a lot of knowledge from this module of which at first i never thought i would, I can now proudly say that i know what music is, how art can be integrated as well as lesson planning. I never thought that integrating arts in the classroom could have such a huge impact within the teaching and learning process. I now know how significant music is within the development of the children, how it can improve their cognitive skills, as well as how important planning a lesson is.

What did you find challenging?

Amongst all these, i can say that integrating art with other subjects was the most challenging part because even at first i never knew that it is possible to integrate art with other subjects. I found myself struggling and not even sure of whether i understood what exactly is required in that topic.

Did you find individual reflections valuable?

Yes, they indeed helped me to understand better and clear all the misunderstandings i had. They indeed brought me from confusion to a real better knowledge. I really noticed my weak points and all the parts that needed my full attention.

What would you change if you had an opportunity in future?

I would change my attitude of approaching concepts such as music, I realized how important and how broad this concept is, how strongly one needs to engage with the concept of music before they could be certain that they do understand what is expected within it.

What did you find interesting and meaningful?

Creating a music activity was very interesting and i really found it meaningful after i fully understood that music contributes a lot to the cognitive skills of the children. In that way i noticed and realized how enjoyable and importantly the activity will benefit the learning and understanding of the children.

What challenged you, and what do you still struggle to understand?

Arts intergration with other subjects was the most challenging part and still is, Creating a game that teaches learners music concepts was also difficult to engage in.

What did you not find valuable for your future teaching practice?

I believe everything i learnt throughout this module was much valuable as they really beneficial to the development of children, the best ways in which they learn and most importantly for helping the teacher in incorporating the best teaching and learning skills.

what are the most important aspects to keep in mind when planning a foundation phase lesson?

As a Foundation phase teacher there are aspects that you need to highly consider when planning your lesson. Firstly you must be able to accommodate all learners, know their interests and capabilities. Include a variety of teaching, learning and assessment activities in your lesson. This may help towards accommodating various learning styles, abilities and interests of learners. Keep a basic Introduction-teaching and learning phase conclusion structure in mind as this could benefit a teacher in planning teaching and learning activities.

The value of utilizing arts intergration in foundation phase lesson

The process of applying arts intergration in Foundation phase lesson is of a paramount importance. By utilizing arts intergration, teachers are able to foster not only social and creative thinking skills but also be able to increase learners' motivation for learning, while they also learn more about themselves. Through arts intergration, learners are encouraged to be actively engaged in the teaching and learning process by allowing them to have fun while engaging in authentic and meaningful teaching and learning activities.

Has your perception and priorities with regards to lesson planning and the inclusion of music (and the arts) throughout your teaching and learning in the foundation phase changed? Motivate your answer.

Yes, incorporating music and art into the classroom has an essential impact on the education of students. It enables students to use art in demonstrating their comprehension regarding the subject matter. 

 

 

Arts intergration is an approach to teaching in which students construct and demonstrate understanding through an Art format. Students engage in a creative process which connects an art form and another subject area and meets evolving objectives in both (Silverstein & Layne, 2010)

Arts intergration activities encourage active learning by allowing foundation phase students to internalize new knowledge and abilities through participation in actual activities with real-world applications.

Arts intergration can lead to transformative experiences for both teachers and students while fostering creative and imaginative capacities of the teachers and the learners alike.

What did you find interesting about arts intergration?

I find art intergration interesting because it promotes active engagement in teaching and learning activities, experiential learning,  authentic learning activities, collaborative, problem-solving skills and reflection.

What did you find challenging about art intergration?

Music educators often find arts intergration to be challenging because it requires a great deal of time, necessitates collaboration with other teachers and can unfortunately be biasof one subject over another. Learners find it difficult to interact with art of which is why there must be a seamless intergration of two or more subjects, experienced subjects to be exact and engage with the same time within activities.

Play is prominent in various African cultures and the general African context, where we often find elements of play when people engage in music and dancing.

Three types of Play in children's culture 

• Tradition

The importance of rules in traditional games cannot be overstated. Many classic children's games have rules that must be followed.

• Open 

An improving approach known as open play. Even though there are rules in open play,they can be altered based on the needs of the children as they play. The overall structure of it's setting is of most importance.

• Original 

This is innovative and centered on the pursuit of knowledge. Creating and playing games according to general knowledge.

Importance of games in culturally diverse classrooms 

In order for the game to be successful and enjoyable, learners must work together. Learners gain a sense of belonging and have the flexibility to be whoever they choose in class. Play has a relaxing effect on people. Through play and imagination, the child can work through personal concerns. Play gives people an outlet for their emotions while also building a sense of community.

Detailed knowledge and understanding of various types of music activities suitable for foundation phase learners.

1. Singing

2. Moving to music: Responding to certain music concepts by allowing your body to move either slow or fast in order to express your feelings.

* Instrumental playing where learners will have to determine concepts of music by observing the speed or slow sound of the instrument and how high or low it is played.

* Music listening and music games.

Detailed knowledge and understanding of, and respond to, music elements through non-locomotor and locomotor

Music elements  are  the main building block of music.

Basic elements are known as:

1. Duration of tone

Length in time of the sound. Including concepts such as beat, accent,  note, values, meter rhythm and tempo.

2. Pitch of tone

How high or low the sound is. High and low tones are arranged in a linear succession. It is essential to show the direction of the pitch by using hands when children are singing.

3. Intensity of tone

Simply means how loud or soft the tone is, which are the dynamics.

4. Quality of tone

Each instrument has its own unique sound, which serves as a characteristic, that enables one to determine the instrument even if they do not see it with their eyes but only hear the sound e.g if one close their eyes and a guitar is played, they will immediately know because of its unique sound.

5. Texture

Refers to the thickness or thinness of sound. When listening a song where different instruments are playing at the same time, we say the texture is thick. When one person sing alone in their room, it is only one voice, so the texture is thin.

Appropriate teaching strategies for using non-melodic percussive instruments to perform and respond to music in the Foundation phase classroom.

Learners should experience, carl olff, Zoltan kodaly, Jingle bells, Egg shakers, Maracus, Rhythm, sticks, woodblock 

Inform learners not to play with their instrument until everyone is settled.  Grant them an opportunity to play and hear how it sound. Instruct them on when to play and when to stop. Rotate the instruments to ensure that everyone had the opportunity to play all the instruments. Involve everyone when playing instruments to ensure and include body percussion.

Ways in which movement activities contribute to the hoolistic development of Foundation phase learners 

Singing and moving gives young children a chance to listen, respond, imitate and use their body in ways that is creative and unique to them. Movement is fundamental to children's play as well as how they experience the world around them. Their movement can easily tell how they understand the musical concepts. Movement is essential in developing physical development and coordination of learners.

*Locomotor movements: movement that change location

Non-locomotor movements: movement that does not change location

The role of movement activities in the subject Life skills in the Foundation phase

Firstly listen to music pieces to identify different music elements. The use of locomotor and non-locomotor movements to show that you accurately identified every element.

1. Meter and rhythm

Move to the beat of the music and emphasize the first beat through movement. Make use of a ball to bounce certain beats and pass it to the next person.

*Body percussion (clap,stamp)

 

The following is what i have learned from study unit 1.

Hoolistic development is the  development of intellectual, mental, physical, emotional and social abilities in a child and it emphasises the capability of chilren in their daily faced demands and challenges. Hoolistic approach motivates Foundation phase learners to learn more about a certain subject elements including music.
The engagement in authenthic play-based music activities could support the hoolistic development of Foundation phase learners. However, it is important that learners experience music activities like dancing, with the aim of developing their musicianship skills and promote their hoolostic development as well.

Erikson's stage of psychological development , which focuses on the learning relationship and influence of social interaction.

Piaget's Cognitive development theory of which explains that children learn through interaction with the world and build new knowledge on existing one.

Vygotsky and the zone of proximal development theory wich argues that cognitive abilities are socially guided and constructed and that culture serve ass a mediator for the formation of specific abilities abd their development.