Preparing
Undergraduate Music Majors to Teach Beginning Instrumentalists:
The
Effects of Three Instructional Approaches on Teacher Behaviors and Pupil
Responses
Leigh-Ann
M. Lethco, PhD
University
of Wisconsin Oshkosh
ABSTRACT
The purpose of
this study was to investigate the effects of three approaches to training
preservice instrumental music teachers (N = 22) for initial teaching
experiences involving beginning instrumentalists (N = 22). The three approaches--one
involving intensive self-evaluation activities, a second focusing on
observation of experienced instrumental music teachers, and a third evidencing
a performance orientation--were administered as a four-week treatment phase in
an undergraduate brass techniques course. Primarily, this study was designed to
answer the question: Did instructional approach differentially affect teacher
behavior across two private lessons?
Teacher (subject)
and pupil behaviors were documented and categorized according to various
aspects of subject/pupil activity, subject verbalizations,
successful/unsuccessful performance trials, and subjects' secondary instrument
(trumpet or trombone) performance competency. In addition, subject and pupil
post-treatment attitudes were assessed.
Following the
treatment phase, subjects taught two lessons to beginning band pupils.
Forty-four lessons (totaling more than 1,000 minutes and averaging roughly 24
minutes) were videotaped and analyzed.
Certain lesson
activities were timed using the behavioral observation computer application,
SCRIBE. Results indicated that the self-evaluation group engaged their pupils
in performance activity 44.76% of the time, which was significantly more than
the teacher observation and performance orientation groups.
Using verbatim
transcripts of lessons, subject verbalizations were labeled as academic
information, direction-giving, information-gathering, or off-task remarks.
Pupil responses were categorized as successful, unsuccessful, or no response.
Overall subjects used academic verbalizations three times more than they used
direction verbalizations. When pupil responses were preceded by subject
verbalizations that were, subject matter rich, pupils were more likely to
respond successfully than when verbalizations were subject matter neutral, as
in direction-giving (p < .0001). There were no treatment group differences
with regard to subject verbalization and pupil responses.
Dr. Leigh-Ann M. Lethco
University of Wisconsin Oshkosh
Department of Music
800 Algoma Blvd.
Oshkosh, WI 54901
(920) 424-7007