Kimberly VanWeelden

Relationships between Perceptions of Conducting Effectiveness and Ensemble Performance

Conducting is a complex art that involves, among other things, effective nonverbal communication. While this communication includes hand and arm gestures as well as eye contact and facial expressio...

Music Educators’ Perceived Effectiveness of Inclusion:

The purpose of this research project was to examine whether music teachers’ perceptions of effectiveness of inclusion, curriculum adaptations/modifications, or student achievement had altered from previous research findings 20 years before. A survey based on that used by Gfeller, Darrow, and Hedden was sent to music educators through the United States and returned by 1,194, with all 50 states represented. Results indicate more positive responses as compared with 20 years ago, with participants generally reporting that the students were successfully integrated, their music needs were being met, and they did not hinder the progress of students without disabilities. Additionally, teachers’ responses indicated they were comfortable adapting and/or modifying their regular curriculum to meet the needs of students with special needs and that these students were graded on the same standards of music achievement as the other students in their classes.

Music Educators’ Perceptions of Preparation and Supports Available for Inclusion

The purpose of this study was to investigate music educators’ perceptions of their educational preparation and the availability of instructional supports to work with students with disabilities in their classrooms/ensembles. Music educators (N = 1,128) representing all 50 United States responded to a survey fashioned after a similar instrument used by Gfeller, Darrow, and Hedden. Results indicated slight positive increases over the past two decades in regards to types of course offerings, in-service attendance and availability, involvement in the Individualized Education Program process, placement decisions, consultation with special education experts, and provision of adequate preparation time and resource materials/adaptive devices. Results also indicated that current music education practices (e.g., music-specific coursework, workshops, and in-services) created greater feelings of preparedness to work with students with disabilities and increased attendance at additional educational opportunities. The discussion includes further results and educational implications.

Educational Supports for Students with Special Needs: Preservice Music Educators' Perceptions.

Historically, music educators have expressed concerns about inadequate preparation to work with students with special needs, specifically desiring skills related to instruction adaptation. Research has indicated that educational supports (written words, color coding, icons, echoing, buddy system, and other visual aids) can be particularly successful for teaching students with special needs. To determine if preservice music teachers can employ these supports and determine which are most beneficial in various music settings, preservice music educators (N = 47) completed a 5-week field experience in which they taught general music concepts to secondary students with special needs incorporating educational supports. Participants rated the educational supports of echoing and icons most important when leading various activities to teach concepts in general music and predicted that the educational supports of echoing and other visual aids would be most important when teaching in various ensembles settings. For implementing assessments, participants rated icons and small groups or stations most important. Implications for preservice and in-service teachers are discussed.

Accommodating the Special Learner in Secondary General Music Classes

It can be challenging to know which accommodations for special learners can be used within the various secondary general music class settings. Fortunately, there have been several recent music education and therapy articles based on special education practices that have addressed techniques for working with students with special needs in music. These articles recommend using specific educational supports (e.g., written words, icons, color coding, other visual aids, assistive and supportive technology, echoing, and peer mentoring) to help create successful learning experiences for all students. A synthesis of these educational supports and how they may transfer to secondary general music classes are defined and discussed.

Choral Mainstreaming: Tips for Success.

The surveys also reveal that mainstreamed music classes (those having students with special needs) are not limited to the elementary level but take place at the junior and senior high level as well. Because many high school choral programs spend a majority of time and energy working toward performance-related goals, the unique and oftentimes overwhelming demands of mainstreaming placed on the secondary choral music teacher can make success in these goals seem unobtainable. However, if approached from the right perspective, successful integration of special learners into choral performing ensembles can be achieved in ways that not only meet the necessary goals but also prove

Gender Associations with World Music Instruments by Secondary School Music Students from the USA.

This article investigated possible gender associations with world music instruments by secondary school-age music students from the USA. Specific questions included: (1) Do the primary instruments played by the students influence gender associations of world music instruments? (2) Does age influence possible gender associations with world music instruments? (3) Does students’ gender affect possible gender associations? (4) Do presentation modes of visual only, instrument timbre, or a combination of visual and timbre influence gender associations? (5) What variables may influence possible gender association with world music instruments? Participants (N = 455) were band and string students attending a large university-based summer music camp. Participants were randomly divided into three treatment groups: visual only, audio only, and visual/audio combination and exposed to 10 world music instruments that have specific sex-role associations in the culture of which they are a part. Participants completed a survey to indicate their perception of the extent of gender association with each instrument. Results showed that students were influenced by similar variables regarding gender associations with world music instruments as they are with traditional public school instruments typically found in the USA.

Preservice Music Teachers’ Recognition of Western Art Music Found in Popular Culture

The purpose of this study was to investigate preservice educators’ knowledge of basic information about classical repertoire found in popular culture. Specifically, preservice music teachers answered whether they (a) had heard the music before, (b) could name the titles of the music, (c) could name the composers of the music, and (d) could identify the music history periods in which the music was composed. Participants (N = 200) for this study were preservice music educators who listened to 30 classical music excerpts and answered the research questions for each piece. The majority of preservice educators (94%) reported previously hearing the music. However, many could not correctly title the music (71%), name the composer of the music (65%), or identify the period the music was composed (61%). Further results and implications are discussed within the article.

The Effect of a Peer Mentorship Program on Perceptions of Success in Choral Ensembles: Pairing Students With and Without Disabilities:

The purpose of this research was to investigate the effects of a peer mentorship program on students’ perceptions of comfort, skills obtained, and feelings of success while working with a peer with dissimilar abilities. The participants (N = 14), enrolled in choral ensemble classes, were divided into two groups: the peer mentors (n = 7), who were typically developing students, and the peer mentees (n = 7), who were students with disabilities who had an individualized education program. The researchers created a pretest–posttest survey, and all questions were measured using a 5-point Likert-type scale. Peer mentee self-perceptions of success in the choral classroom revealed slight negative changes from the beginning to the end of the program. However, while some did not want to continue in the program for music skill acquisition, they all indicated a desire to remain in their peer pair for social reasons.

Classical Music as Popular Music: Adolescents’ Recognition of Western Art Music

The purpose of this study was to determine which “popular” classical repertoire is familiar and predictable to adolescents. Specifically, the study sought to examine (1) if students had heard the music before, (2) where they had heard the music before, and (3) if they could “name that tune.” Participants (N = 668) for this study were middle school (n = 220) and high school (n = 448) students who listened to 30 classical music excerpts and answered the research questions for each piece. The majority of students (87%) reported previously hearing the music. Students also indicated the various contexts in which they had heard the repertoire, including a number of contemporary media, school music classrooms, and/or live performance situations. Even so, only 50% of the students were able to correctly identify just three of the 30 musical excerpts: Flight of the Bumblebee, Hallelujah Chorus, and Pomp and Circumstance. Further results are discussed in the article.