I've learnt a lot about music, arts integration, and lesson planning from this session. I never expected that incorporating arts and music into the classroom would have such a big impact on students, and based on all I've studied so far in this module, I can confidently claim that I've learnt a lot about music education and how to prepare lesson plans for foundation phase students. Music is crucial in the foundation phase because it engages students in authentic and enjoyable lessons.

The importance of integrating arts into foundation phase lessons.

The practice of incorporating arts integration into foundation phase lessons is critical. Teachers can use arts integration to encourage not only social and creative thinking abilities, but also to boost students' enthusiasm to learn while learning more about themselves. Learners are encouraged to be actively engaged in the teaching and learning process through arts integration and play, which allows them to have fun while engaging in authentic, meaningful teaching and learning activities in social settings and demonstrating their understanding practically through the arts. Arts integration adds excitement to the lesson and makes it simpler for students to understand what is being taught and participate freely in the classroom.

From the beginning of the semester to the end of the semester, I compare my knowledge, skills, experiences, abilities, and attitude toward music education. In terms of knowledge, I discovered that you may pay music with your full body, that children utilize their bodies to sing a song or generate noises (body percussion), and that this enhances a child's eurhythmic and motor skills. I too participated and had a good time learning how to generate sounds with various body parts. In terms of skills, I learned how to create recycled music instruments and, finally, I learned about various music concepts, how they work, and how they differ from one another.

What exactly do you mean when you say "lesson planning"?

Lesson planning is a task that the teacher completes before to the start of the actual lesson. A lesson plan is a detailed outline of the instructional strategies and learning activities that will be implemented during the teaching/learning process. When designing a music session, you should include as many opportunities as possible for learners to actively listen to, move to, and create/perform music during the lesson.

What is the significance of lesson preparation?

Teachers who plan lessons ahead of time arrive in the classroom each day fully prepared to explain new concepts and conduct important conversations, rather than winging it. Without a lesson plan, children may lose concentration rapidly, and teachers may find themselves trying to figure out what to do next.

When organizing a music class, keep in mind that music should always be played at the beginning and finish. Include a variety of activities for students to participate in, and constantly encourage and assist them as they listen to music. When arranging a music lesson, you must keep a fundamental introduction in mind. Allow students to figure out new concepts and abilities on their own and in groups before providing answers or discussing new ideas in a lecture manner. Consider the types and techniques of assessment you'll employ for each lesson's learning activity.

There should always be music with specific aims before and after the class. Have a selection of activities to work with on hand. Always have teaching and learning tools on hand to help you organize your classroom and manage student behavior. Plan ahead of time for your lesson. Encourage all students to interact with one another. Set aside extra activities for those students who are having difficulty.

What exactly does "art integration" imply?

Art Integrated Learning (AIL) is a teaching-learning approach based on learning 'through the arts' and 'with the arts': it is a process in which art is used as a medium for teaching-learning and as a key to understanding concepts in any topic of the curriculum. Arts Integration is a teaching method in which students use an art form to create and demonstrate understanding. Students participate in a creative process that relates an art form to another subject area while also meeting changing goals in both.

What is the significance of art integration?

Arts integration engages students and allows them to construct and display understanding in a variety of ways. Teachers can use arts integration to rethink their responsibilities and connections with pupils. Teachers can use arts integration to rethink their responsibilities and connections with pupils.

Play is prevalent in many African cultures and the wider African setting, where we frequently see characteristics of play when individuals participate in music and dance activities. In children's culture, there are three forms of play: tradition, open, and unique play. Traditional play is a highly structured type of play in which children must adhere to rules. Open play is a type of improvisation that is governed by rules that can be adjusted according to the requirements of the children while they are playing. Original play is imaginative and focused on a sense of wonder. Original play is mostly a solo activity in which the player amuses himself with items, actions, and sounds.

What's noteworthy about arts integration is that it's one of the most effective methods for a diverse group of kids with diverse interests, aptitudes, learning styles, and experiences to come together and establish a community of active learners who take charge of and ownership of their own learning. It encourages students to use the arts to convey their mastery of topics and abilities while simultaneously supporting teaching and learning techniques that focus on many outputs at the same time. What I found difficult was understanding the theoretical framework for arts integration in foundation phases and its components, which can be complex and difficult to grasp.

Children can learn new words and concepts through music and movement activities such as reciting rhymes, making sounds with household items, and singing songs to learn the alphabet. Many music and movement activities incorporate group learning, which allows youngsters to improve their social skills, practice taking turns, and work together. This also aids in the development of children's ability to express emotions in a variety of ways and communicate messages through actions.

Music, when combined with activity, aids in the physical development of the individual. Children's coordination improves, which aids muscle growth. As they run, balance, stretch, crawl, and skip, they begin to learn what their bodies are capable of. Many African cultures and the wider African context value play, and we frequently notice play qualities when people participate in music and dance activities.

What could have made some students feel uneasy throughout these activities?

Some students felt uneasy during these activities since the teacher's focus was on playing the game and teaching the song to students without taking into account their cultural backgrounds, religious views, or native languages. Other students should not be taught a Zulu song because it is not their native tongue, making it difficult for them to pronounce words correctly.

They have no idea what the music is about, and it's tough for them to decipher the directions on how to perform it. They feel discriminated against since other people's native languages are preferred over theirs. Girls are particularly uneasy during these activities since they are expected to dance in front of boys, whereas things are done differently in their culture.

Play is prevalent in many African cultures and the wider African setting, where we frequently see characteristics of play when individuals participate in music and dance activities. In children's culture, there are three forms of play: tradition, open, and unique play. Traditional play is a highly structured type of play in which children must adhere to rules. Open play is a type of improvisation that is governed by rules that can be adjusted according to the requirements of the children while they are playing. Original play is imaginative and focused on a sense of wonder. Original play is mostly a solo activity in which the player amuses himself with items, actions, and sounds.

At a young age, learners must have a strong understanding of music. This aids in the overall development of their psychology. Listening to music and being able to respond to it not only puts you on a different level than someone who does not, but it also brings you into balance with the rest of the universe. Music is a tool that may be utilized to convey messages, meaning, and cognitive knowledge through sound, and it is a skill that every learner should have.

Knowledge of the various styles of music and musical elements accessible around the world is only beneficial to a learner. Many excellent teachers throughout the world taught growth through music as a new technique to educate students not only through literary information but also through musical knowledge. Music, like knowledge, has its own language that individuals must learn.

Music education is a duty that every teacher and parent should instill in their children's lives. Music fosters relationships and understanding, and only those who understand can converse, therefore you are actually a member of an exclusive club. The teaching of music through responding and understanding should be a priority for schools and should be focused on a daily basis, as this is a development that cannot be done once a week but must be done every day for the betterment of the student and the process of musical knowledge, and for this reason, I can support and say that musical knowledge is an important part of a learners academic life for development and better understanding.

The development of a child's intellectual, mental, physical, emotional, and social abilities so that they can confront the demands and obstacles of everyday life is known as holistic development
a) Piaget's cognitive developmental theory focuses on how children learn through interacting with their environment, as well as how they gain new skills based on existing knowledge
b) Erikson's psychosocial developmental theory—it describes the impact of social experiences across the lifetime, focusing on how social interaction and relationships influenced human development and growth.
c) Vygostky's developmental theory contends that cognitive capacities are socially guided and produced, and that culture plays a role in the formation and development of certain abilities such as learning, memory, attention, and problem solving.