KIDSCAN: Music for the Challenging Classroom

Subject: Music
Level: Secondary
Age Group: 11 - 14
Order Number: 11030

Kidscan is a valuable new addition to the range of materials available to classroom music teachers. It offers lots of practical help and advice to teachers in challenging situations, together with resources that have proven to work well in such circumstances. The materials are particularly suitable for 12 to 14-year-olds, and address a number of aspects of the areas of performing, composing and appraising, working towards Key Stage 3. In certain situations, the resources may work very successfully with other age groups.

The pack contains:

• Guidelines and practical suggestions for teachers working with those pupils who may be less able or difficult to motivate.
• Helpful approaches to managing behaviour in the classroom, together with a range of useful resources focused on behaviour management.
• A series of lesson plans and other resources which will give positive learning outcomes in difficult teaching situations.

The lessons include work for very easy keyboard performing, guitar for beginners, group drumming for beginners, approaches to improvising and composing, and straightforward music classroom groupwork for tuned percussion or other classroom instruments. Also included is an approach to teaching listening skills successfully to a challenging group, with a set of 'either/or' listening worksheets, and a brief dictionary of basic terms and concepts in music.

The pack also contains a set of basic materials to support assessment, with levels of difficulty and levels of achievement linked and fully explained to ensure clarity for teacher and pupil.

All the materials and approaches presented in this pack are designed to be positive, supportive and flexible for the music teacher who is working in a challenging classroom environment. The materials are linked, and may be interchanged to meet the needs of the group.