Literacy is “the ability to read and write”[1] or, at least, that's what many of us think literacy is. While that definition is not wrong when we think of literacy in the traditional sense, the modern definition of literacy has undergone some updates. Today, there are many types of recognized literacies that a student can develop.[2] Computer literacy refers to one’s ability to use a computer and associated software and applications. Information literacy denotes the skills necessary to navigate to and assess the value of information sources as it relates to one’s needs. Finally, there is digital literacy which is the capacity to use digital technology and tools to find, assess, and synthesize information. While there are many other types of literacy besides the aforementioned, the point is that there are many forms of “literacy”.

In the music classroom, literacy does have its place in describing “the ability to read and write.” However, our definition of literacy needs to be expanded to include the abilities we develop in order to play an instrument or sing. One such way that we can do that is by treating music like language.

The Basics of Primary Language Acquisition

There is a very specific way in which we learn our primary language.[3] We listen to what those around us are saying. We begin to apply what we heard by babbling and then, eventually, speaking words. We begin putting these new words into sentences which we learn to read. Now that we know how to read, we begin to write these words leading to compositions in the form of poems, stories, and research papers.

The Challenges of Music as a Second Language (MSL)

Now, learning music as a second language is very similar to learning your primary language. However, when a student learns a new language, there are very distinct differences.[4] When we learn our first language, we are not aware of this acquisition of knowledge. When we are teaching our students, they understand that they are learning. For this reason, students will be very self-conscious. In the Krashen theory discussed on Little Kids Rock’s website[5], he identifies one of the reasons our students are so self-conscious. They think about every little thing they are doing as they begin to speak. This monitor keeps many students from fully understanding the language of music because they are so concerned with a small part of the language that they do not feel they understand it well enough to engage in it. The mental block that this creates is known as the “affective filter”. Teaching a second language class is all about overcoming this block and should be understood for all levels of music. For more on Krashen’s other Language Acquisition Theories, visit the YouTube link below. If there are any issues with the video or it has been taken down, please email me and let me know. I will gladly find a new video or other form of explanation. 

MSL in Terms of Language Acquisition

Great music educators will begin instruction by giving an example of what students should sound like. After the listening portion, students in a beginner class will begin the babbling stage of learning music. In a band classroom, we can begin playing on “little instruments”, meaning just mouthpieces or mouthpiece and neck and so on. The teacher will play something and the students will mimic it. It will take time for the student to learn how to sound like the teacher but, they will eventually create their first words on their instruments. A very important part of this step is making sure that students are respecting others’ attempts at forming “words”. In a class where it is acceptable to make fun of others for their attempts, the affective filter is reinforced which can lead a student to have a negative experience when performing for others and stop volunteering. Now that they know how to speak a few words, we begin teaching them sentences. Many method books will ask that the student learn to read at this point. However, in order to facilitate music acquisition, this step should be done without any reading materials. This is known as teaching by rote. 

MSL in Action

The teacher will perform a few notes that the students will copy. After teaching them the parts of the sentence, the teacher and student will put it all together into one long sentence. The students have now learned how to play a short piece. This can be done on a much larger scale in order to create an entire paragraph. However, a large part of the debate on rote versus note between music educators is the introduction of notes, specifically when to do so. In my opinion, students should be given the notation for each piece they learn after they have learned it. In this way, you are constantly reinforcing both the aural and visual aspects of playing music without allowing the visual to interfere with the aural. Doing this will also help when making the transition to notated music as the source of new music. For specific ways in which to implement reading skills using the rote-before-note method, please refer to Dr. Si Millican’s book Starting Out Right: Beginning Band Pedagogy. If you are interested in music as a second language, visit the link to the YouTube playlist below. Again, if there are any issues with the videos or it has been taken down, please email me and let me know. I will gladly find a new video or other form of explanation that is just as engaging. 

Examples of Music Literacy Strategies

Conclusion

As we go into our classrooms, it is important to ensure literacy in our subject. This is something that many teachers think they struggle with. However, it is important to realize that many of us are fostering literacy in our classrooms without thinking about it. We either don't know that we're doing it or don't know how to articulate that we are doing it. Either way, finding ways to articulate and use the aforementioned strategies, as well as others, is just the first step towards a more literate music classroom. The next step is doing so in a way that is purposeful and engaging for our students.