Musical “learning styles” and “learning strategies” in the instrumental lesson: Some emergent findings from a pilot study
Year: 2010
Type: article
Abstract: This article considers the concepts of “learning style” and “learning strategy”. The former connotes an inbuilt trait which tends to remain fundamental to the way an individual approaches learning. The latter refers to a set of consciously-acquired and applied approaches or tactics designed to achieve a learning task. The article relates these concepts to the field of instrumental music learning, particularly the activity of learning to play by ear. In a pilot study, 15 instrumental students aged 10 to 17, covering eight different instruments, learnt to play pieces by ear. The research strategies and pedagogic methods derive from earlier studies, particularly the adaption of popular musicians’ informal learning practices in classroom contexts. Through participant observation and other qualitative methods, it is suggested that four potential aural “learning styles” emerged: the “impulsive”, the “shot-in-the-dark”, the “practical” and the “theoretical” styles. These are illustrated with qualitative data from lesson transcripts and annotations. They are then distinguished from three further aspects of learning that were apparent: pitch-sense, rhythm-sense and “learning strategies”. I suggest why further research in this area may be beneficial, and finally put forward some reasons why the identification of possible learning styles in relation to music could be of pedagogical significance.
Source: Psychology of Music
Author: Lucy Green
Institution: University of London
Language: English
Subfield: Music
Field: Arts and Humanities
Domain: Social Sciences
SDG: Quality education
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W2102243456