Good day fellow bloggers

When working through study unit 5 →

I learnt of strategies that is being used when planning music lessons – This helped me to get an idea of how to complete Assignment 4 as well as how to plan one day for my own class. This gave me a browder spectrum – like to never play music without a specific aim. I learned that any music that is listened to in the class must contribute towards reaching the lesson aims.

One of the rules that stood out for me was to play music not onlu at the beginning or during a lesson but also to play music at the end of the lesson as well that concludes the lesson.

What could the possible reasons be that assessment is neglected in Performing Arts and Music in the Foundation Phase?

• Firstly- lack of time
• Lack of resources 
• Teachers are not educated to teach performing arts and music
• Most schools spend more time on other subjects that is more likely to raise scores on standardized tests.
• While there are learners that love these subjects, some learners find it “boring” or loses interests fast while teachers are teaching the subject.

Please explain how you would advocate for and heighten awareness about the importance of assessment when speaking with your HOD about your concerns in this regard.

• I would do research – so that I am prepared for any questions they might have.
• I will show my own ideas of how music can be integrated with other subjects as well, and how learning outcomes can be achieved.
• I will show them where the curriculum states that performing arts and music is compulsory.

Thank you

Hello fellow student

*What is your opinion about the value of the content of this study unit for your teaching practice ?

This study unit have thought me really things that I didn't really think of before.

*Some people might say that arts integration is a waste of time in Foundation Phase education. Please explain how you would respond to such a statement by explaining your view on arts integration in the Foundation Phase.

Before this module I thought that arts were just to keep the children busy and to give them a sense of creativity but after this past months I realized that arts are so much more it is proof that children get more fine motor skills and it imporves so much more than we think, it has even showed that it improves maths and langauge.

Which aspects of study unit 4 did you find the most interesting and challenging?  Please use the following prompts to reflect on your experience:

*What did you find interesting? Please explain why.

The fact that arts interacts with so much more subjects for instance maths and language.

*What did you find challenging? Please explain why.

Study unit 4 is not that difficult, this was easy for me to understand and I have a clear view around this unit.

Thank you

Enjoy your week 

Hello fellow students,

What possibly made some learners uncomfortable during these activities? / Why were some learners uncomfortable?

• Self-esteem and confidence- Dance is social and visual. This is where I as teacher must be able to sing and dance in front of children this is not difficult for me because I know they won't judge or look at me in a strange way.
• If the song is not familiar with the kids, they may struggle.
• You will never know about their cultural background (may be against their cultural beliefs).
• Not everyone likes dancing and singing it is not fun for some children.

Can you think of ways to address these issues in future? What will you change?

• Children who do not like do dance can have other roles. In a concert or play these learners can be used as props like trees or flowers. Also - instead of dancing they can rather use an instrument for background music. It is important not to exclude others.
• It would be advised to use music learners are familiar with.
• The activity should always be age appropriate.
• Teachers must be aware of learners’ cultural beliefs and respect them.

How can we accommodate diverse learner profiles in our classrooms? What must we beware of ?

•  In a case of diverse learners, learners must always be accommodated by participating in activities that fits to their beliefs where everyone is involved.
• Always compromise.
• Try to use songs that are familiar.
• Don't let learners feel ashamed or ashamed.

Thank you 

Enjoy your week !

Hello fellow bloggers!

This week feels like too much for me because of all our tasks and tests that are due this week, but I will continue to be positive and give my best.

Unit 2: The basic elements of music: (This helped me to understand my assignment better)

-duration (including music concepts of beat, meter, rhythm as well as tempo)

-pitch 

-intensity

and quality texture

Concepts such as beat, accent, note values, meter, rhythm and tempo involved durations.

Individual reflection

1. As a Foundation Phase teacher you have to choose between utilizing indigenous African music, Western Art music or contemporary commercial music (including popular music and film music) in your classes. Which would you choose? Please motivate your answer.

It depends on the learners cultural group , age and interests of the learners. If I had to choose for the Foundation Phase I would choose contemporary commercial music which include: music theatre, jazz, rock, pop, gospel, R&B, country, folk, rap and alternative.. Learners will also be more eager to participate if they know the music and they will be able to follow a beat and to sing along. I believe that using familiar will help the class to recognize the different music elements as well. Learners like songs and music they know.

2. Do you think that the examples and content offered in SU 2 are inclusive? Please motivate your answer.

Yes, I do think that the content offered by Study Unit 2 is inclusive because it included all of the needed content that we need to understand this unit. I loved how the different languages in South-Africa were included because it allows learners to learn new words in different languages. I love learning more about music and how to teach it because I want to be a successful teacher and educate our future artists.

3. What suggestions do you have for making the content more inclusive? Please provide examples of how the content and activities presented in SU 2 could be changed or adapted to be more inclusive.

Found instruments are being clearer to me because of the chat room on efundi. I was not so sure if it was being self-made instruments that can be found in the class like pencils (to tap together), or if it is instruments that you will usually find in a foundation phase class like. I hope my assignment 2 is correct and that the lecture can see my perspective and point of view regarding the music concept. I chose a song that the leaners might know because they like animations that is why I went for a Angry Birds song.

Thank you very much for your time.

I hope you have a blessed upcoming week

Hi everyone my name is Melissa.

I am from Mpumalanga and I work at Laerskool Kragbron since 2018, I love my job and can't wait to have my own class, I love the foundation phase because you help form and create their lives, this is also the most important phase in their childhood. I am passionate about my work and my own online business.

I feel good about this module and I hope this module will learn me lots of new things  and that I will enjoy this module.

I hope that I will understand all of the modules and have a open mind regarding this module, like in Isaiah 41:10 I will not fear because God is with me and will guide me as long as I do my part.

Good day fellow bloggers   

This is what I understood under study unit 1:

Erikson’s stages of psychosocial development:

the influence of social interaction and relationships on learning, children develop a sense of pride in their accomplishments and abilities through social interaction and relationships thus they strongly rely on feedback from peers, teachers and parents to feel proud and confident about their abilities and achievements. If children do not experience encouragement and praise for their successes during this stage of their development, they might consequently experience self-doubt and low self-esteem.

Piaget’s cognitive development theory:

1-Pre-operational stage

2-Concrete operational stage

Vygotsky and the zone of proximal development:

According to Vygotsky, one cannot fully understand a child’s learning needs and developmental stage without taking their social environment as well as the influence of social factors on a personal level into consideration, the zone of proximal development draws attention to the potential that a learner has to master new skills or successfully solve a problem through teacher and peer scaffolding.

Musical development in the foundation phase:

Children also develop other abilities during middle childhood. In terms of specific skills, children's sense of tonality increases, along with the ability to more accurately match pitch (Kenney, 1997).Research suggests that some musical abilities (i.e., rhythm and singing abilities) are developed to adult-like non-musician levels by ages 7 to 8 (Gembris, 2006; Reifinger, 2006).

Music and the holistic development of foundation phase learners:

1-Physical development-music activities, especially moving to music (dancing) and playing instruments promotes physical development.

2-Cognitive development-music activities where learners have to improvise, create their own body percussion patterns or make their own instruments, learners learn to solve problems and think creatively.

3-Social development-through engagement in these activities, foundation phase learners also learn about taking turns, respecting others’ opinions and feelings and how to deal with conflict while improving their communication skills and learning about socially behaviour.

4-Personal development-experience success in music education when they are able to successfully participate in music activities with peers, make their own instruments, take part in singing or dancing activities and create and perform their own body percussion patterns.

5-Emotional development-by moving freely according to how music makes them feel, they also learn to express these emotions provoked by music which in turn supports them in learning to identify and express their own emotions appropriately.