Gordon Music Learning Theory
Encyclopedia
The Gordon Music Learning Theory, often referred to as simply Music Learning Theory, is one of a number of theoretical models of music learning. Developed by Edwin E. Gordon and based on research and field testing, it is a stage specific model of how students learn music and how it should be taught. It was first presented in his 1971 The Psychology of Music Teaching and has been revised and clarified in his subsequent texts. The teaching method is sequential and uses the concept of audiation
, Gordon's term for mentally hearing and comprehending music. Music Learning Theory has many characteristics in common with rote-first methods such as those developed by Suzuki
, Dalcroze
, Kodaly
, and Orff
. Students build a foundation of aural and performing skills through singing, rhythmic movement, and tonal
and rhythm
pattern instruction before being introduced to notation
and music theory
.
process and the musical equivalent of thinking in language
. In contrast to aural
perception
, audiation takes place when music is mentally heard and understood when the physical sound is no longer present (or never has been). Although Gordon was the first to coin the term audiation in relation to music learning theory, the subjective experience of hearing in the absence of physical sound (often referred to as auditory imagery
) has long been studied by psychologists
and neuropsychologists
.
is considered to be normally distributed in the population, with relatively few people having high or low aptitude and the majority having average aptitude. Gordon devised several instruments for testing musical aptitude in children – most notably the Primary Measures of Music Audiation (PMMA) and the Intermediate Measures of Music Audiation (IMMA) and emphasises the need to develop whatever aptitude the child has from an early age:
The IMMA and PMMA aptitude tests have been frequently used in studies on the development of children's musical abilitities, including those by Peter Webster (1987) and Sam Baltzer (1990) which found no relationship between measures of music aptitude per se and measures of creative thinking
in music.
Audiation
Audiation is a high level thought process, involving mentally hearing and comprehending music, even when no physical sound is present. It is a cognitive process by which the brain gives meaning to musical sounds. In essence, audiation of music is analogous to thinking in a language. The term...
, Gordon's term for mentally hearing and comprehending music. Music Learning Theory has many characteristics in common with rote-first methods such as those developed by Suzuki
Suzuki method
The Suzuki method is a method of teaching music that emerged in the mid-20th century.-Background:The Suzuki Method was conceived in the mid-20th century by Shin'ichi Suzuki, a Japanese violinist who desired to bring beauty to the lives of children in his country after the devastation of World War II...
, Dalcroze
Eurhythmics
Dalcroze Eurhythmics, also known as the Dalcroze Method or simply Eurhythmics, is one of several developmental approaches including the Kodaly Method, Orff Schulwerk, Simply Music and Suzuki Method used to teach music education to students. Eurhythmics was developed in the early 20th century by...
, Kodaly
Kodály Method
The Kodály Method, also referred to as the Kodály Concept, is an approach to music education developed in Hungary during the mid-twentieth century by Zoltán Kodály...
, and Orff
Orff Schulwerk
The Orff Schulwerk, or simply the Orff Approach, is one of several developmental approaches including the Kodaly Method, Simply Music and Suzuki Method used to teach music education to students. It combines music, movement, drama, and speech into lessons that are similar to child's world of play...
. Students build a foundation of aural and performing skills through singing, rhythmic movement, and tonal
Pitch (music)
Pitch is an auditory perceptual property that allows the ordering of sounds on a frequency-related scale.Pitches are compared as "higher" and "lower" in the sense associated with musical melodies,...
and rhythm
Rhythm
Rhythm may be generally defined as a "movement marked by the regulated succession of strong and weak elements, or of opposite or different conditions." This general meaning of regular recurrence or pattern in time may be applied to a wide variety of cyclical natural phenomena having a periodicity or...
pattern instruction before being introduced to notation
Musical notation
Music notation or musical notation is any system that represents aurally perceived music, through the use of written symbols.-History:...
and music theory
Music theory
Music theory is the study of how music works. It examines the language and notation of music. It seeks to identify patterns and structures in composers' techniques across or within genres, styles, or historical periods...
.
Music learning sequences
Music Learning Theory uses three basic learning sequences - skill learning, tonal content, and rhythm content. As a method of instruction, the learning sequences are combined in various learning sequence activities which, in turn, can be combined with classroom activities. In this method a skill level cannot be achieved except in combination with a tonal or rhythm content level.Audiation
Audiation is fundamental to Music Learning Theory, and knowledge of its role is considered basic to an understanding of the learning sequences involved. The theory proposes that audiation is a cognitiveCognition
In science, cognition refers to mental processes. These processes include attention, remembering, producing and understanding language, solving problems, and making decisions. Cognition is studied in various disciplines such as psychology, philosophy, linguistics, and computer science...
process and the musical equivalent of thinking in language
Internal monologue
Internal monologue, also known as inner voice, internal speech, or verbal stream of consciousness is thinking in words. It also refers to the semi-constant internal monologue one has with oneself at a conscious or semi-conscious level....
. In contrast to aural
Hearing (sense)
Hearing is the ability to perceive sound by detecting vibrations through an organ such as the ear. It is one of the traditional five senses...
perception
Perception
Perception is the process of attaining awareness or understanding of the environment by organizing and interpreting sensory information. All perception involves signals in the nervous system, which in turn result from physical stimulation of the sense organs...
, audiation takes place when music is mentally heard and understood when the physical sound is no longer present (or never has been). Although Gordon was the first to coin the term audiation in relation to music learning theory, the subjective experience of hearing in the absence of physical sound (often referred to as auditory imagery
Auditory imagery
In psychology and neuropsychology, auditory imagery is the subjective experience of hearing in the absence of auditory stimulation. It occurs when one mentally rehearses telephone numbers, or has a song "on the brain": the phenomenon is usually defined to be spontaneous ; it can be distressing...
) has long been studied by psychologists
Psychology
Psychology is the study of the mind and behavior. Its immediate goal is to understand individuals and groups by both establishing general principles and researching specific cases. For many, the ultimate goal of psychology is to benefit society...
and neuropsychologists
Neuropsychology
Neuropsychology studies the structure and function of the brain related to specific psychological processes and behaviors. The term neuropsychology has been applied to lesion studies in humans and animals. It has also been applied to efforts to record electrical activity from individual cells in...
.
Music aptitude
Music Learning Theory explicitly takes into account students' differing potentials for musical achievement when designing their individual learning programs. In this theory, musical aptitudeAptitude
An aptitude is an innate component of a competency to do a certain kind of work at a certain level. Aptitudes may be physical or mental...
is considered to be normally distributed in the population, with relatively few people having high or low aptitude and the majority having average aptitude. Gordon devised several instruments for testing musical aptitude in children – most notably the Primary Measures of Music Audiation (PMMA) and the Intermediate Measures of Music Audiation (IMMA) and emphasises the need to develop whatever aptitude the child has from an early age:
"The fact is, music aptitude is something we're born with; it's an innate capacity, and unless it's nurtured at an early age, by age 9 nurturing will no longer help." – Edwin Gordon
The IMMA and PMMA aptitude tests have been frequently used in studies on the development of children's musical abilitities, including those by Peter Webster (1987) and Sam Baltzer (1990) which found no relationship between measures of music aptitude per se and measures of creative thinking
Creativity
Creativity refers to the phenomenon whereby a person creates something new that has some kind of value. What counts as "new" may be in reference to the individual creator, or to the society or domain within which the novelty occurs...
in music.
Further reading
- Bluestine, Eric (2000). The Ways Children Learn Music: An Introduction and Practical Learning Guide to Music Learning Theory. Chicago: GIA Publications. ISBN 1579991084
- Gordon, Edwin E. (1971). The psychology of music teaching. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice-Hall.
- Gordon, Edwin E. (1979). Primary Measures of Music Audiation. Chicago: GIA Publications.
- Gordon, Edwin E. (1989). Learning sequences in music; Skill, content and patterns. Chicago: GIA Publications.
- Gordon, Edwin E. (1997). Learning sequences in music: Skill, content and patterns; A music learning theory (1997 ed.). Chicago: GIA Publications.
- Gordon, Edwin E. (1997). A music learning theory for newborn and young children (1997 ed.). Chicago: GIA Publications.
- Gordon, Edwin E. (2001). Jump Right In: The Music Curriculum: Reference Handbook for Using Learning Sequence Activities (3d rev. ed.). Chicago: GIA Publications.