Abstract
Music educators in the U.S. do not receive sufficient preservice pedagogical training in how to teach music in a way that reaches all learners. One reason for this is that there simply is not space in the curriculum to add more courses, such as a course in accessible music education pedagogy. In the U.S., music education majors take more credits than most other students, because of state educator licensure and regional accrediting organization requirements. While most colleges offer a course related to “special learners,” that course is a study of legal history and special education regulations and does not address effective pedagogy for teaching students with disabilities. Music educators who employ accessible music education pedagogy report that they are better teachers for all of their students, not just their students with disabilities and diagnoses. To borrow a phrase from Universal Design for Learning (UDL), accessible music education practices are necessary for some, and helpful for all. It therefore behooves our music teacher preparation programs to provide students with the tools that they need to make their teaching accessible. This workshop will share some ways that key elements and practices of accessible music education pedagogy can be infused into the existing methods courses of music teacher preparation programs. These include Universal Design for Learning, Differentiated Instruction, and evidence-based strategies from Special Education. Incorporating these pedagogical approaches can help to ensure that the next generation of music educators has the tools and support that they need to make music education truly accessible.
Presenters
Rhoda BernardFounding Managing Director, Institute for Accessible Arts Education and Assistant Chair, Music Education Department, Berklee College of Music, Massachusetts, United States
Details
Presentation Type
Theme
The Arts in Social, Political, and Community Life
KEYWORDS
ACCESSIBILITY, MUSIC TEACHER EDUCATION, SPECIAL EDUCATION, DISABILITY
