Music Education Approaches: Orff, Kodaly and Composition

This article explores three approaches to music education: Orff, Kodaly and Composition. It discusses how these approaches are used in schools, their benefits and provides activity plans and resources for each approach. The article also includes references for further reading.

Running head: BACHELOR IN EARLY YEARS
Bachelor in Early Years
Name of the Student
Name of the University
Author note

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1. Music through Composing
The school music education is referred to the most crucial focus of Music Australia. The
chief reason behind implementing music in the learningprocess is to enhance the elf
confidence, team work as well as self confidence of the children with the help of music. In a
good number of schools in Australia, music is being taught to the children with the help of
composition. In this approach, children are encourage to composed their own music. Apart
from that this approach involves singing, playing instruments and listening to music. In the
mentioned approach, the educators involve students to their favorite song. Unlike other
processes, this process does not involve sticking too genres that have been traditionally
associated with music lessons like baroqueor classical music.
Resource Explanation
Solfeg.io., 2018. 10 Tips For Teaching Music to
Kids More Effectively | Solfeg.io. [online]
Solfeg.io. Available at: http://solfeg.io/teaching-
kids-music/ [Accessed 5 Sep. 2018].
In this resource, the author has discussed ten
crucial tips in order to make teaching music
more effective for the children. According to
the resource the positive attitude of the teacher
is one of the most crucial part that enhances
the interest of the children in music. The
author has also stated that encouraging the
children to compose also enhances their
attraction towards music.
Miksza, P., 2013. The future of music
education: Continuing the dialogue about
curricular reform. Music Educators
Journal, 99(4), pp.45-50.
In this resource the role of educator in order to
enhance the knowledge of the children in
music with the help of the composing
approach has been discussed. This resource

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states that innovation in the mentioned
educational sector will help the educators to
develop as well as maintain the positive effect
of music education on the school children
Activity plan
Art Type Music
Title off the Activity The flashcard game
Age Level 4 to 5 years old
Focal story/ theme Each children will be shown a flash card and
will be asked to clap therhythm or play it on a
simple percussion instrument. Once child gain
confident they will be given two cards to play
longer rhythm.
Objectives
Arts Learning intentions The learning intention of this
activity is to enhance the sense of
rhythm within the children
Early childhood Learning
framework Outcomes
1st learning outcome: All the children will be
able to develop a strong sense of identity.
2nd Learning outcome: All the children will
develop the ability to connect with as well as

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contribute to the outside world (Peers 2018)
3rd learning outcome: All the children will
develop a strong sense of well being which will
in turn ensure better social as well as emotional
wellbeing.
4th learning outcome: All the children will be
able to evolve as a confident as well as
involved learners
5th learning outcome: All the children will
develop the ability to can effective
communicator.
Resources and Materials Flash cards, percussion instruments
Strategy (Teachers role) The role of the teacher is to provide
appropriate guidance to the student
and assess their development
Assessment and evolution In order to access their sense of
identity the educator will assess
their ability to understand the
rhythm.
Modification for older children For older children the number of
flash card will be increased and the
rhythm asked will be made more

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complicated.
References Peers, C. 2018. The meanings of belonging:
Revisiting the theory of ‘belonging, being and
becoming’ in the Australian Early Years
Learning Framework. Contemporary Issues in
Early Childhood, p.146394911877939.
2. Music through playing Orff approach
The Orff approach can be defined as the method that is used by the educators to teach
children about music. The mentioned approach involves engaging the mind as well as body
of the children through a mixture of dancing, acting, singing along with the usage of
percussion instruments. For examples, instruments like metallophones. Xylophones and
glockenspiels are being used frequently while using the Orff method of teaching music by the
educators. One of the major characteristics of the Orff approach includes presenting the
lesion to the student in the form of play so that each child can learn music with their own
way of understanding. This is the reason why the mentioned approach is also known as the
“Music for Children”. The Orff approach to music education was first developed by Carl
Orff. Carl Orff was a German composer as well as educator . In spite of the fact that Orff
educators often uses books as a framework, the mentioned approach does not have any
tenderized curriculum. Educators generally design their own lesson plan and adapt the same
to suit the size of the class as well as the age of the students.
Resource Explanation
Music Australia., 2018. The Orff Approach | Music In this resource, the method by which the Orff

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Australia. [online] Music Australia. Available at:
https://musicaustralia.org.au/discover/music-
education/music-education-methodologies-
approaches/the-orff-approach/ [Accessed 5 Sep.
2018].
approach is used in Australia to provide music
education to the students have been discussed.
Firstly, in this resource the Orff method o
learning have been designed. Secondly. The
instruments used during the learning process
and the approaches taken by the researcher have
been discussed.
Colwell, C.M., Edwards, R., Hernandez, E. and
Brees, K., 2013. Impact of music therapy
interventions (listening, composition, Orff-based)
on the physiological and psychosocial behaviors of
hospitalized children: a feasibility study. Journal
of Pediatric Nursing, 28(3), pp.249-257.
In this resource, the impact of org therapy on
children who are being hospitalized for vital
diseases have been discussed. The purpose of
the study is to compare as well as contrast three
music therapy strategies that includes music
listening, Orff based active engagement and
music composition on the physiological a well
as physiological behavior of hospitalized
children
Activity plan
Art Type Music
Title of the Activity Musical Play
Age Level 3 to 6 years
Focal story/ theme The theme of the play involves how a
thirsty crow was able to drink water with
the help of his intelligence. The musical

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play involves 5 children one of who will
play the crow, one will be the narrator and
the others the children will act as
background dancers. 5 of the children will
be singing the song while performing.
Objectives: The objective of the activity is to develop the musical sense of the children
along with their interpersonal skills.
Arts Learning intentions
Early childhood Learning framework
Outcomes
1st learning outcome: All the children will
be able to develop a strong sense of
identity.
2nd Learning outcome: All the children will
develop the ability to connect with as well
as contribute to the outside world.
3rd learning outcome: All the children will
develop a strong sense of well being which
will in turn ensure better social as well as
emotional wellbeing.
4th learning outcome: All the children will
be able to evolve as a confident as well as
involved learners (Peers2018)
5th learning outcome: All the children will
develop the ability to can effective

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communicator.
Resources and Materials The resources and material involves card
board pots, trees and other props and 3
music al instruments like guitar, percussion
and drums.
Strategy (Teachers role) The role of the teacher will be to provide
effective guidance towards each student
and access the performance of the same.
Assessment and evolution In order to monitor the sense of identity
and communicative skill of the children the
speech delivery by each child will be
assessed. The team work demonstrated by
each child will help the assessor to access
their ability to connect with the outside
world
Modification for older children In order to enhance the difficulty of the
mentioned play, the script will be made
more complicated.
References Peers, C. 2018. The meanings of
belonging: Revisiting the theory of
‘belonging, being and becoming’ in the
Australian Early Years Learning
Framework. Contemporary Issues in Early

8BACHELOR IN EARLY YEARS
Childhood, pp.146394911877939.
3. Music through singing kodaly approach
The Kodaly approach of music education is basically based on teaching . understanding
as well as learning music through the experiences of singing. The mentioned approach
permits children with the permission to access to the world of music without suffering from
any technical obstacle that may takes place due to the usage of instruments. According to the
mentioned approach, the most potential musical material that can effectively enhance the
love of the children towards music includes the country’s own song materials along with the
finest art music. Thus it can be said that the Kodaly approach is a child centered music
education and with the help of this approach the children are taught music in a logical and
sequential manner. This approach lacks series of instruction or guidelines. Apart from that,
no musical instruments are used by the educator while teaching the students with the help of
the Kodaly approach. The only tools used while teaching music with the help o this approach
includes Rhythm names, relative solfa and hand signs. According to researchers, the
mentioned approach is one of the most suitable ones for children since it enhance the
learning speed of the children. Along with music, this approach also help the children to
learn their mother tongue effectively.
Resource Explanation
Academy, D., 2018. THE BRITISH KODÁLY ACADEMY :
The Kodály approach. [online] Britishkodalyacademy.org.
Available at:
http://www.britishkodalyacademy.org/kodaly_approach.ht
In this resource, the Kodaly approach
has been explained in detail. Apart
from defining the mentioned approach,
in this resource,, the importance of

9BACHELOR IN EARLY YEARS
m [Accessed 5 Sep. 2018]. singing and how the mentioned
approaches is being taught to children
in Britain have been discussed. Along
with that, the importance of teaching
music to the children and the various
issues associated with it has been
discussed in this resource.
Music Australia., 2018. The Kodály Approach | Music
Australia. [online] Music Australia. Available at:
https://musicaustralia.org.au/discover/music-education/musi
c-education-methodologies-approaches/the-kodaly-
approach/ [Accessed 5 Sep. 2018].
In this resource the process by which
the Kodaly approach is being used in
the schools of Australia have been
discussed. Along with that, this
resource also contains the age groups
of children foe whom the mentioned
approach is suitable and the various
benefits associated with the Kodaly
approach in Schools.
Activity plan
Art Type Music
Title off the Activity The magic sound
Age Level 3 to 4 years
Focal story/ theme All the children will be made to sit
in a circle and a ballwill be handed

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to one of them to pass. The
educator will then play a folk song
which will mark the start of the
game, all the children will sing the
song while passing the ball to his
adjacent per.
Objectives
Arts Learning intentions The learning intentions of this
activity is to improve musical
literacy in school and to make the
children understand the importance
of folk music along with the music
of high artistic value
Early childhood Learning
framework Outcomes
1st learning outcome: All the children will be
able to develop a strong sense of identity.
2nd Learning outcome: All the children will
develop the ability to connect with as well as
contribute to the outside world.
3rd learning outcome: All the children will
develop a strong sense of well being which will
in turn ensure better social as well as emotional
wellbeing.
4th learning outcome: All the children will be

11BACHELOR IN EARLY YEARS
able to evolve as a confident as well as
involved learners (Peers 2018)
5th learning outcome: All the children will
develop the ability to can effective
communicator.
Resources and Materials No tools of instruments have been used except
voice of the children and the educators
Strategy (Teachers role) The role of the teacher is to provide adequate
guidance to the children along with providing
them with assessing whether they are able to
achieve the outcome they needs to achieve.
Assessment and evolution The educator will be able to access the sense of
community of the children by his or her
approach to pass the ball. The sense of
identityof the children will be assessed by his
or her clear pronunciation and ability of sound
identification.
Modification for older children In order to enhance the difficulty level, the
elder children to whom the ball will ceasewill
have to sing a folk so.
References Peers, C. 2018. The meanings of
belonging: Revisiting the theory of
‘belonging, being and becoming’ in
the Australian Early Years Learning
Framework. Contemporary Issues

12BACHELOR IN EARLY YEARS
in Early Childhood,
pp.146394911877939.

13BACHELOR IN EARLY YEARS
Reference List
Academy, D., 2018. THE BRITISH KODÁLY ACADEMY : The Kodály approach. [online]
Britishkodalyacademy.org. Available at:
http://www.britishkodalyacademy.org/kodaly_approach.htm [Accessed 5 Sep. 2018].
Colwell, C.M., Edwards, R., Hernandez, E. and Brees, K., 2013. Impact of music therapy
interventions (listening, composition, Orff-based) on the physiological and psychosocial
behaviors of hospitalized children: a feasibility study. Journal of Pediatric Nursing, 28(3),
pp.249-257.
Miksza, P., 2013. The future of music education: Continuing the dialogue about curricular
reform. Music Educators Journal, 99(4), pp.45-50.
Music Australia., 2018. The Kodály Approach | Music Australia. [online] Music Australia.
Available at: https://musicaustralia.org.au/discover/music-education/music-education-
methodologies-approaches/the-kodaly-approach/ [Accessed 5 Sep. 2018].
Music Australia., 2018. The Orff Approach | Music Australia. [online] Music Australia.
Available at: https://musicaustralia.org.au/discover/music-education/music-education-
methodologies-approaches/the-orff-approach/ [Accessed 5 Sep. 2018].
Peers, C. 2018. The meanings of belonging: Revisiting the theory of ‘belonging, being and
becoming’ in the Australian Early Years Learning Framework. Contemporary Issues in Early
Childhood, pp.146394911877939.
Solfeg.io., 2018. 10 Tips For Teaching Music to Kids More Effectively | Solfeg.io. [online]
Solfeg.io. Available at: http://solfeg.io/teaching-kids-music/ [Accessed 5 Sep. 2018].