Musical assessment and learning
Transcript of Musical assessment and learning
Musical
assessment
and learning
© ABRSM 2015
Making music through
playing an instrument
is a unique, positive,
worthwhile and
meaningful experience
© ABRSM 2015
The opportunity to
make music and to
progress should be
available to as many
people as possible
© ABRSM 2015
The value and benefits
of this experience are
significantly enhanced
by making progress in
music-making skills
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Everything from the neck upwards!
How much of our brain is affected by music?
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Perks of learning an instrument:
Eye/hand
coordination
Fine motor control
Confidence &
communication
Cognitive skills
connect
with practical
skills
Realisation of
ideas and
imagination
Technical
skills
Performance skills
Perception &
awareness
Knowledge & understanding
Notation skills
Listening skills
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Craft skills and study skills; doing and thinking
Study:
Reading
Writing
Recognising
Composing
Craft:
Playing
Practising
Performing
Improvising
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Musical skills translate into life skills
Enhances
perceptual
and listening
skills relating
to language
Combines both
mental and physical
activities, develops
memory skills
Fosters self-
evaluation and
independent
learning
Provides
opportunities for
expression of
ideas and
emotions
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Speaking
& Listening
Reading
& Writing
Knowing &
Understanding
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Performing
& listening
to music
Reading &
writing
music
Knowing &
understanding
how music
works
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Different combinations of
these ‘primary colours’ make
available to the learner the
full spectrum of different
musical activities
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Performing
& listening
to music
Reading &
writing
music
Knowing &
understanding
how music
works
Improvising
Transposing
Playing by ear
Interpreting
from score
Talking about
music
Composing
Playing in an
ensemble
Teaching
Progress and achievement are the strongest personal motivators towards becoming a lifelong independent learner
Sustained progression and achievement in music-making are closely linked to effective assessment
© ABRSM 2015
Progress and achievement are the strongest personal motivators towards becoming a lifelong learner
Progression: linear / performance-based
Progression: organic / process-based
Dependent learner Independent learner
• Taking responsibility for one’s own learning & progression:
• Self-reliance involves self-assessment
Progression
&
Assessment
Effective teacher assessment:
Valid Reliable
Consistent Meaningful
identifies the right
things to focus on
feedback has diagnostic
value to the student
weighs up strengths and
weaknesses correctly
stays reliable from
lesson to lesson
© ABRSM 2015
• Performing skills
• Technical skills
• Reading skills
• Listening skills
• Knowing & understanding
Inter-related musical skills
Performing skills
Technical skills Reading skills Listening skills
Knowledge &
understanding
© ABRSM 2015
• I’m not enjoying it anymore
• I don’t feel like I’m getting anywhere
• I haven’t got enough time to practise
• It’s not really for me
• I need to concentrate on other things
• I don’t think I’m musical
• I’m not very good at it
Why do learners ‘give up’ ?
© ABRSM 2015
• Usually the underlying reason students ‘give up’ an instrument is that they no longer feel they are making progress - the powerful intrinsic personal motivator of feeling competent, has gone
• This is why it’s so important to ‘support the supporting skills’ - ongoing progressive development of these is necessary to keep getting better at playing music
• Music-making’s multi-dimensional benefits are because it’s a ‘holistic activity’, requiring a unique combination of involvements/skills from the participant
• Therefore, sustainable musical progress requires input from right across the range of core supporting skills
Multi dimensional benefits – and demands
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Chart of the regions; skill combinations
Playing and
Reading
Reading
without playing
Playing
Without reading
Without playing
or reading
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Remembering
Understanding
Applying
Analysing
Evaluating
Creating
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Effective feedback
provides a balanced
evaluation of
strengths and
weaknesses across
relevant core skills
• Focuses on relevant aspects of the playing
• Gives a balanced assessment of strengths & weaknesses
• Describes and evaluates control of the underlying skills
• Suggests effective ways to improve
• Gives an opportunity to put remedies into practice
• Makes clear how this can be continued at home
Aspects of effective lesson feedback:
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Pitch
Time
Tone Shape
Performance
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Music
This is what you need to do to get better
This is the particular skill you need to work on
Here’s how you can practise that effectively
Remember what you know already can help you
Teacher assessment
What do I need to do to get better?
Which particular skill do I need to work on?
How can I practise that effectively?
What do I know already that can help me?
Self assessment
Progression: non-linear / learning-based
Dependent learner Independent learner
‘My own effort is the primary reason for my progress’
‘My progress motivates me and keeps me going’
‘I have the tools to judge my own strengths and weaknesses’
‘I have the skills, knowledge & understanding to find solutions for myself’
Self-reflective
Assessment
Intrinsic
Motivation
Self-reflective
Assessment
© ABRSM 2015
Effective feedback
promotes the
self-evaluation skills
necessary for
independent learning
Virtuous Circle