Article of Interest
A Comparison of Instructional Strategies Used by Experienced Band and Orchestra Teachers When Teaching a First-Year Class an Unfamiliar Music Excerpt
Published in No. 185, Summer 2010
Abstract
The purpose of the study was to compare the instructional strategies used by experienced band and orchestra teachers when teaching a first-year class an unfamiliar music excerpt. Twelve teacher behaviors were identified and operationally defined: echoing technique, question and answer, verbal instruction, co-verbal instruction, modeling with instrument, modeling with instrument during student performance, modeling without instrument, modeling without instrument during student performance, conducting, student performance, pedagogical touch, and classroom management. Significant differences were found for nine out of the twelve behaviors. In general, band teachers used verbal instruction, conducting, question and answer techniques, and student performance with greater frequency than orchestra teachers, while orchestra teachers used echoing technique, co-verbal instruction, modeling, modeling with instrument during student performance, and pedagogical touch with greater frequency. No significant difference was observed between the two groups for classroom management, modeling without an instrument, and modeling without an instrument during student performance.
