Qualitative Analysis of Literacy Strategies in the Instrumental Music Responsive Classroom: A Personal Exploration

Abstract

An examination of content area reading strategies reveals a notable deficit in research in the practical application of these strategies to the instrumental music classroom. This study incorporates literacy strategies that have been used successfully in most other content areas within the music classroom. All of these strategies included a graphic organizer or other graphic representation. Students used these strategies as a tool to give deeper consideration to their lesson books and sheet music as well as representing independent practice activities in a more meaningful (but still concrete) way. Students also completed a metacognitive assessment in which they assessed what strategies or elements of a strategy helped or hindered their understanding or performance. Analysis of this data was done by assessing the depth of students' responses in the graphic organizers as well as the metacognitive assessments. The impact of these strategies on students' learning and the implications and future applications of such strategies is also explored.