Allsup, R. E., & Baxter, M. (2004). Talking about music: Better questions? Better discussions! Music Educators Journal, 91(2), 29-33. In Allsup and Baxter’s article “Talking about Music: Better Questions? Better Discussions!” they explain different questions and frameworks teachers can use in classroom discussions. There are three types of questions they address: open, guided, and closed. An open question is one that has no definite answer and helps the teacher understand what the student knows musically after the listening or activity. For example, in my past class teaching I might have asked “What does this song sound like to you?” or “How would you describe this musical activity to someone who was not here?” A guided question is one that focuses on a more specific part of the music that the students may not have initially brought up. Two examples of guided questions are “What similarities or patterns did you hear throughout the song?” or “How would you describe the style of the piece?” A closed question is one where there is one that only have a single answer and is used by teachers to address an important topic the students may have missed. Examples of this are “What was your first movement in the chorus section?” and “What instruments are playing in this song?”
Allsup and Baxter also discuss three different frameworks: analytical, judicial, and creative. The analytical framework is where students can learn musical vocabulary on the spot by talking and understanding about how musical elements and feelings interact. An example question in an analytical framework is “How does the chorus fit into this song?” The judicial framework is more subjective and allows students to share their feelings and reactions. A question could be “What did you like about this song?” The creative framework is the application portion where teachers encourage students to take what they have learned and use it in a different context. An example question would be “What instrumentation would you change in this song?” Allsup and Baxter state that a good reason to use questioning in teaching rather than only direct instruction is because “discussion includes the kind of critical-thinking skills that invite students to defend or redo their work” (Allsup & Baxter, 2004). I agree with their statement and also believe that questioning allows students to discuss the topics for themselves and discover new vocabulary as they are articulating their thoughts. Questioning can be potentially problematic in teaching when the students do not feel comfortable enough in the setting to speak out and answer the questions or if there is a single student who answers the questions all the time. It can also be difficult from a time-management perspective because you can never be certain how much time they will take to discuss, especially if the conversation gets interesting and more time should be spent on it. Comments are closed.
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Davina MiawOn this page, I will present examples of my scholarship in the form of reflective essays and philosophical assignments. Archives
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