LISTENING TO COLOURFUL VOICES: HOW DO CHILDREN IMAGINE THEIR MUSIC LESSONS IN SCHOOL?

Abstract

In this research, it was aimed to illustrate the voices of primary school students about how they imagine their music lessons in school and the classroom. For this purpose, a focus-group interview structure was based on children’s perspectives, ideas and imaginations about their music lessons. First, a pilot study consisting of a focus-group interview and a questionnaire was carried out with ten fourth grade primary school students who voluntarily took part in this research. The main study was carried out with nine different fourth grade students. Vernon Howard’s ‘continuum of imagination’ was used to categorise students’ statements and Vygotsky’s laws of imagination are the key role for analysing and interpreting students’ imaginative statements. Students’ imaginations about their music lessons were at first about different learning environments and instruments. The statements show the importance for children to do music activities in music rooms that are well equipped with instruments as well as outside the classroom and school. The research findings may help us to understand the problems in primary music education and provide a piece of evidence about the necessity of developing good classroom practices to promote children’s imaginative and creative thinking skills. Thus, we can develop an understanding that focuses on the creative needs of children in primary music education.

Keywords: Imaginative-creative thinking, primary music education, children’s imagination in music lessons.

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