Unit rationale, description and aim
The co-curriculum is a vital element of a school’s Music program. It adds depth and breadth to the class curriculum, and provides active, authentic learning experiences. In order to build flourishing music departments, Music teachers need to develop the knowledge and skills to plan and lead a range of co-curricular programs to meet the needs of students across all levels of ability.
In this unit pre-service teachers will explore, perform, arrange and conduct repertoire for co-curricular music programs, with a particular focus on music for vocal and instrumental ensembles appropriate to students in lower secondary schools. Repertoire in a range of musical styles will be explored, in order to develop knowledge of a range of historical music traditions, including Australian music. Music technologies will be employed, in particular applications for musical notation, arranging and recording. Through engagement in and analysis of rehearsal pedagogies, and conducting of small groups, pre-service teachers will develop ensemble leadership skills and identify connections between co-curricular music programs and the Years 7 to 10 curriculum.
The aim of this unit is to enable pre-service teachers to design programs for and lead music ensembles that engage and challenge diverse learners.
Learning outcomes
To successfully complete this unit you will be able to demonstrate you have achieved the learning outcomes (LO) detailed in the below table.
Each outcome is informed by a number of graduate capabilities (GC) to ensure your work in this, and every unit, is part of a larger goal of graduating from ACU with the attributes of insight, empathy, imagination and impact.
Explore the graduate capabilities.
Describe a range of teaching, assessment and feedb...
Learning Outcome 01
Apply knowledge of a range of historical music tra...
Learning Outcome 02
Utilise music software safely, responsibly and eth...
Learning Outcome 03
Apply knowledge of curriculum, music ensemble peda...
Learning Outcome 04
Content
Topics will include:
- The connections between the curriculum and the co-curriculum in school Music, and the role of the co-curriculum in broadening and deepening learning opportunities for students
- Knowledge and aural discrimination of a range of historical musical styles, enabling enhanced identification of key concepts and trends
- Resources and repertoire for ensembles in the lower secondary school in a range of genre and styles and catering to diverse learner strengths and needs
- Evaluating and selecting repertoire suited to skills and needs of learners across the full range of abilities
- The importance of and strategies for providing timely and appropriate feedback to students to improve learning
- Adapting repertoire for preparing performance pieces for students with diverse learning strengths and needs
- Software programs and the use of music technology to support notating, arranging, ensemble repertoire
- Appropriate pedagogies for leading school ensembles including choirs and small ensembles
- Introductory conducting and rehearsal techniques for co-curricular groups, including verbal and nonverbal communication strategies
- Conducting rehearsals and performances to develop learners’ musical skills and conceptual understandings
- Professional music performances for schools and their associated opportunities for professional development.
Assessment strategy and rationale
A range of assessment procedures are designed to allow pre-service teachers to progressively demonstrate achievement of the unit learning outcomes and to develop graduate attributes consistent with University assessment requirements. The units in this course focus on developing understanding of, and skills across the professional knowledge, practice and engagement domains needed to meet expectations of the Australian Professional Standards for Teachers (APST): Graduate level.
Assessments are designed to engage pre-service teachers in authentic, practical co-curricular Music activities that mimic the ‘real-world’ of schools. Familiarity with music from a range of historical traditions, and the ability to work collaboratively, will be developed through evaluating a range of repertoire and resources. The ability to design and conduct co-curricular programs that connect with classroom programs, ICT skills, and the capacity to think analytically and work autonomously, will be developed through undertaking individual planning and arranging tasks. Pre-service teachers will strengthen their Music leadership skills through rehearsing and conducting small groups that mimic school ensembles.
Minimum Achievement Standards
The assessment tasks and their weighting for this unit are designed to demonstrate achievement of each learning outcome. In order to pass this unit, students are required to participate in and submit all assessment tasks and achieve a minimum overall passing grade of 50%.
Overview of assessments
Assessment Task 1: Resource Folio and Presentatio...
Assessment Task 1: Resource Folio and Presentation
Compile a folio of four to six carefully selected Music resources suitable for use with co-curricular ensembles. The folio should include repertoire and resources for learning, teaching and assessment, addressing a range of curriculum topics and skills.
Present the folio including analysis and critical evaluation of:
- Explicit links between the selected resources and relevant curriculum content, skills/practices and concepts/ideas
- Diverse musical genre and styles
- Strategies to differentiate teaching to cater to the strengths and needs of diverse learners
- A range of strategies for assessing learning in Music
- Integration of literacy and numeracy.
40%
Assessment Task 2: Music Arrangement Create (not...
Assessment Task 2: Music Arrangement
Create (notate) a music arrangement suitable for a small ensemble of lower secondary (levels 7-10) learners of varying musical abilities and skills.
The arrangement must:
- Identify specific links to relevant curriculum content, skills/practices and concepts/ideas
- Employ appropriate repertoire, providing a rationale for its selection with regard to addressing curriculum topic/s and skills/practices, and catering to the identified strengths and needs of learners
- Be adapted to cater to the identified strengths and learning needs of the ensemble members
- Use Music notation software for the accurate production of individual parts and the full ensemble score, including expected formatting and markings.
30%
Assessment Task 3: Conduct Assessment 2 Arrangeme...
Assessment Task 3: Conduct Assessment 2 Arrangement
Using a suitable ensemble, rehearse and conduct the Assessment 2 arrangement.
The ensemble must represent lower secondary (levels 7-10) learners of varying musical abilities and skills (e.g., a small group of peers from the class each playing a new instrument),
The rehearsal and conducting must demonstrate:
- Sound knowledge of the repertoire
- Advanced musical competence
- A range of appropriate pedagogies for developing learners’ musical skills and conceptual understanding
- Effective sequencing
- Appropriate conducting skills, including verbal and non-verbal communication strategies and the provision of clear directions
- Timely and appropriate feedback to improve learning.
30%
Learning and teaching strategy and rationale
This is a 10-credit point unit and has been designed to ensure that the time needed to complete the required volume of learning to the requisite standard is approximately 150 hours in total across the semester. This includes guided teaching, independent study and preparation of assessments.
The unit aims to build pre-service teachers’ knowledge and skills through active engagement in authentic co-curricular music activities. Knowledge of repertoire from a range of historical music traditions will be expanded, including Australian music, through the evaluation of music repertoire and resources. Knowledge of school curriculum and pedagogy for music ensembles will be developed, through undertaking individual planning and arranging for small ensembles comprising diverse learners. Introductory conducting skills will be developed through preparing and leading small group rehearsals and performances that mimic school co-curricular programs.
Pre-service teachers will be involved in a variety of learning and teaching strategies including:
- online lectures (synchronous and asynchronous)
- tutorials and practical workshops including classroom and off-site activities
- individual and collaborative learning opportunities
- written and practical assessment tasks.
The unit is hosted on a Learning Management System (LMS) site with resources and online links, announcements, and a discussion board to post questions and reflections that promote the connection between content and educational experiences.
Australian Professional Standards for Teachers - Graduate Level
In connection to the learning outcomes, on successful completion of this unit, pre-service teachers should have developed the following industry specific knowledge based on the Australian Professional Standards for Teachers - Graduate Level standards:
Relating toDemonstrate knowledge and understanding of strategies for differentiating teaching to meet the specific learning needs of students across the full range of abilities.
Relevant Learning OutcomeLO1, LO2, LO4
Relating toDemonstrate knowledge and understanding of the concepts, substance and structure of the content and teaching strategies of the teaching area.
Relevant Learning OutcomeLO2, LO4
Relating toOrganise content into an effective learning and teaching sequence.
Relevant Learning OutcomeLO4
Relating toUse curriculum, assessment and reporting knowledge to design learning sequences and lesson plans.
Relevant Learning OutcomeLO4
Relating toImplement teaching strategies for using ICT to expand curriculum learning opportunities for students.
Relevant Learning OutcomeLO3
Relating toSet learning goals that provide achievable challenges for students of varying abilities and characteristics.
Relevant Learning OutcomeLO1, LO2, LO4
Relating toPlan lesson sequences using knowledge of student learning, content and effective teaching strategies.
Relevant Learning OutcomeLO4
Relating toInclude a range of teaching strategies.
Relevant Learning OutcomeLO4
Relating toDemonstrate knowledge of a range of resources, including ICT, that engage students in their learning.
Relevant Learning OutcomeLO2, LO3
Relating toDemonstrate a range of verbal and non-verbal communication strategies to support student engagement.
Relevant Learning OutcomeLO4
Relating toIdentify strategies to support inclusive student participation and engagement in classroom activities.
Relevant Learning OutcomeLO1
Relating toDemonstrate the capacity to organise classroom activities and provide clear directions.
Relevant Learning OutcomeLO4
Relating toDemonstrate an understanding of the relevant issues and the strategies available to support the safe, responsible and ethical use of ICT in learning and teaching.
Relevant Learning OutcomeLO3
Relating toDemonstrate understanding of assessment strategies, including informal and formal, diagnostic, formative and summative approaches to assess student learning.
Relevant Learning OutcomeLO1
Relating toDemonstrate an understanding of the purpose of providing timely and appropriate feedback to students about their learning.
Relevant Learning OutcomeLO4
Representative texts and references
Required text(s)
Australian Curriculum https://www.australiancurriculum.edu.au/
Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority (ACARA) www.acara.edu.au
Recommended texts
Anderson, A. J., & Geake, J. (2000). The Value of itinerant instrumental teachers in regional communities. Australian Journal of Music Education, 1, 17-29.
Bertalot, J. (2014). Achieving sight-singing success. https://www.bertalot.org/choir-training/47-33-stimulating-young-choristers
Charlton, K. (2022). Experience music (6th ed.). McGraw-Hill Higher Education.
Dammers, R., & LoPresti, M. (2020). Practical music education technology. Oxford University Press USA.
Hunt, P. (2008). Voiceworks 1: A handbook for singing. Oxford University Press. (And other volumes).
Palisca, C., Grout, D., & Burkholder, P. (2019). Norton anthology of western music: Volumes 1, 2 & 3. (8th ed.). W.W. Norton & Company.
Philpott, C., & Spruce, G. (Eds). (2016). Learning to teach music in the secondary school: A companion to school experience (3rd ed.). Routledge.
Seelig, T. (2007). The perfect rehearsal: Everything you wanted to know about rehearsals. Shawnee Press.
Torbay, G. (2008). Choraltime! For primary schools. (Books 1–3). Hal Leonard.
Wardrobe, K. (2021). Music technology in education books. Midnight Music. https://midnightmusic.com.au/recommended-books/