Non-music specialist trainee primary school teachers’ confidence in teaching music in the classroom

Prior research has revealed that non-music specialist trainee primary school teachers lack confidence in teaching music in spite of changes to teacher training and the introduction of music in the National Curriculum in England. The current study investigated the effects on non-music specialist trainee primary teachers’ confidence to teach music in the classroom after having experienced six keyboard-based ‘blues activities’ presented in an asynchronous e-learning environment. Participants were videotaped as they worked with music technology and a ‘remote facilitator’, to play a 12-bar improvised blues with both hands together. Participants also took part in individual, semi-structured interviews before and after engaging in the ‘blues activities’. Video and interview data was analysed employing inductive, qualitative procedures. This exploratory intervention study was undertaken with three participants and is reported as three individual case studies. After the ‘blues activities’ intervention, all participants were able to play the 12-bar improvised blues with both hands together and reported improvements in their confidence to teach music in the primary school classroom. The results also revealed improvements in participant perceptions of their own musicality when compared with ‘other musicians’ and links between perceptions of their own musicality and prior musical experience. Implications for future research and music education are discussed.