Project

During Module 1 you undertake a project to support your study and reflective
practice.

1. Video-Recording
A typical lesson with a beginner student.
Project (1,200 1,800 words)
Discuss your priorities when teaching beginners. Describe the problems
that you may encounter as a teacher with both the student and the
students parents. How important is notation? How do you introduce the
student to the instrument? Do you use one particular tutor book? In your
answer, refer to publications that deal with this topic and, if you can,
describe how spending time on this subject has influenced the way you
are working with beginners in the time leading up to Module 2.
2. Video-Recording
A typical lesson with a student working towards Grade 3.
Project (1,200 1,800 words)
Discuss how you keep the student motivated. Describe the parts of the
lesson that the student prefers and explore the reasons why some parts
be less appealing to the student. How much time is spent on exam
preparation and how much time is spent on developing musical
understanding? In your answer, refer to publications that deal with this
topic and, if you can, describe how spending time on this subject has
influenced the way you are working with students in the time leading up to
Module 2.
3. Video-Recording
A typical lesson showing use of music technology to support teaching and
learning.
Project (1,200 1,800 words)
Discuss what music technology applications you use to support your work
as a teacher. Which software appeals most to your students? How does
music technology support learning during the lesson and after the lesson?
In your answer, refer to publications that deal with this topic and, if you
can, describe how spending time on this subject has influenced the way
you are working with your students in the time leading up to Module 2.
4. Video-Recording
A typical lesson with an adult learner
Project (1,200 1,800 words)
Discuss how you approach lessons with adults differently from teaching

Module 1

This project should be linked to the lesson that you record and we invite you to
choose one of the following seven starting points:

children. What do adults expect from their learning? Do you have a

preference for teaching adults or children? Why? In your answer, refer to
publications that deal with this topic and, if you can, describe how
spending time on this subject has influenced the way you are working with
adults in the time leading up to Module 2.

Project (1,200 1,800 words)

Discuss how, and why, you use improvisation as an important part of your
work as a teacher. How do your students respond to improvisation? Why
is being creative in lessons important? In your answer, refer to
publications that deal with this topic and, if you can, describe how
spending time on this subject has influenced the way you are using
improvisation in the time leading up to Module 2.
6. Video-Recording
A typical lesson showing how you teach pedalling
Project (1,200 1,800 words)
Discuss how you approach introducing the sustain pedal for the first time.
How do you explain its use and function to students? Can you explain its
use clearly and relate this to different musical styles? In your answer, refer
to publications that deal with this topic and, if you can, describe how
spending time on this subject has influenced the way you are teaching the
use of the sustain pedal in the time leading up to Module 2.
7. Video-Recording
A typical lesson showing work on developing sight-reading skills
Project (1,200 1,800 words)
Discuss how you teach students to sight read. Are you a good sightreader/ how can sight-reading be improved? Is sight-reading an important
skill? In your answer, refer to publications that deal with this topic and, if
you can, describe how spending time on this subject has influenced the
way you are teaching students to sight read in the time leading up to
Module 2.
Please note the following important points
You must demonstrate an ability to relate your past experience, comments from
other teachers, and some knowledge of theory and literature to your teaching
practice.
There needs to be some evidence of reading having taken place in support of the
written discussion. A book list is to be included and all works listed must have
been referred to somewhere in the text.
You are advised that simply copying from textbooks is not acceptable, and
plagiarism - paraphrasing another author's work - to make it appear as one's own
work is equally unacceptable.

Module 1

5. Video-Recording
A typical lesson showing the use of improvisation

Suggested Reading
Title

Publisher

Ed. Anthony Marks

All Together!

ABRSM

Paul Harris and

Richard Crozier

The Music Teachers

Companion

ABRSM

Barry Green
Joseph OConnor

The Inner Game

Music
Not Pulling Strings

George Odam

The Sounding Symbol

Keith Swanwick

Teaching
Musically

of Pan
Kahn & Averill
Stanley Thornes

Music Routledge

ISBN
Number
1-86096-3986
1-86096-219X
0-330-300172
0-9512155-07
0-7487-23234
0-415-199360

Guidelines for your written work

In order to assist you in developing a systematic approach to your written work
on the course, you might find the following guidelines helpful. It is important that
the written work demonstrates your ability to relate your reading and other
material directly to your teaching practice. We are, therefore, looking for a
reasonable balance between personal and professional experience, together with
evidence of reference to relevant reading material.
Written work for your project should comply broadly with the format given below:
Introduction

Topic chosen

Reason(s) for choice

Definition of topic

How you intend going about your discussion

Body of Essay
Main outline of essay
Reference to literature
Personal/professional experience in relation to the topic
Reflection - how the experience referred to was/is....
Evaluation - how the topic might be looked at in other circumstances
Where the project is mainly focused on practical work:

Audio recording or video/DVD recording evidence

Explanatory text to support the above

Reference to literature

Module 1

Author

Personal/professional experience in relation to the topic

Conclusion
Drawing threads of essay together
Next steps in terms of your learning/reading/practice, etc.
Bibliography
Literature listed in your bibliography must be referred to in your text. Take the
information from the title page and the reverse of the title page:
Family name, initial(s). Year. Title. City of publication: Publisher
For example:
Herbert, T. (2001) Music in Words London, ABRSM

Assessment of your project

As with lesson observations a degree of formality is essential here to ensure
consistency of approach. Students engage in self-evaluation of their written
project as they do with the lesson observation. This skill of reflection is to be
developed, fostered and encouraged throughout the course.
Both teachers and mentors should keep copies of completed forms to avoid any
disputes.