Now’s The Time


For Music Learning Theory by Joel Perry


Redwood School, West Orange jperry@woboe.org


leges and universities across the country. It is being used in Europe and Asia as well. There are certificate programs where educators can learn about the theory as well as how to put it into practice. There is an organization called GIML (Gordon Institute of Music Learn- ing) organization… “is dedicated to advancing the research in music education pioneered by Edwin E. Gordon. The purpose of the Gor- don Institute for Music Learning is to advance music understanding through audiation...” In fact, as this article is being written a new chapter of GIML is being formed in New Jersey!


E The academic education establishment is finally catching up.


New demands for core curriculum standards, curriculum develop- ment, differentiated instruction, sequencing, critical thinking, assess- ments, evaluations, “benchmark assessments” and many other catch phrases are now bandied about to assure any one concerned that in- deed teachers are teaching and students are learning. It seems that there is a need to show specifically and exactly what the students are learning, how much, and how well. Music Learning Theory makes it extremely easy to advance the study of music and simultaneously and specifically fulfill all the requirements mentioned above. The wheel does not have to be re- invented. Valuable time does not have to be taken away from in- struction or teacher preparation to create curriculum. The content, standards, curriculum, critical thinking, benchmark assessments, etc, are already embedded in the sequences and practices currently being used in Music Learning Theory Application.


Perhaps the salient feature of Music Learning Theory is its flex-


ibility. It can literally be applied to any and all situations where students are learning music. Whether the situation is preschool, el- ementary, middle school, high school or college; city, town, country; low income, middle income, high income; band orchestra, chorus, piano, guitar, or any other instrument; MLT is one size fits all! It can be applied to many styles of music: Renaissance, Baroque, Classic, Jazz, Pop, Folk, Rock, Blues, R and B, Rap music and beyond! Once the basic music learning sequence is understood, research and prac- tice can be developed to fit any situation. Since on going research in Music Learning Theory has already developed some wonderful meth- odology, the educator has a choice to either use what is already in place or to add their own ideas. This allows for the many fine prac- tices and methods of the past to be incorporated into the mix. Many fine practices of already existing methods are in complete alignment


TEMPO 40 Types Of Audiation The types of audiation are not hierarchical. Some of the types,


however, serve as readinesses for others. Type 1


Listening to


Type 2 Reading Type 3 Writing


familiar or unfamiliar music familiar or unfamiliar music


familiar or unfamiliar music from dicta- tion


Type 4 Recalling and performing familiar music from memory Type 5 Recalling and writing


familiar music from memory


Type 6 Creating and improvising unfamiliar music Type 7 Creating and improvising unfamiliar music while reading Type 8 Creating and improvising unfamiliar music while writing


MARCH 2013


dwin E. Gordon created Music Learning Theory about 40 years ago. It has been gaining momentum and ac- ceptance ever since. It is now being taught in many col-


with Music Learning Theory. Many aspects of the Kodaly, Suzuki, Orff, and Dalcroze methods can be used in conjunction with Music Learning Theory. They are founded upon the same basic principles. Music Learning Theory is the United States of America’s answer to all of the other foreign methods! Gordon has designed something that is uniquely of the United States. Music Learning Theory is a “sound before sign” approach


as is many of the methods in use today. It is also a Whole/Part/ Whole approach. The MLT sequence is used for a short amount of time (five to 10 minutes) of a music class (assuming the class meets for thirty minutes two to three times a week). This is the “part”. MLT informs the rest of the lesson (“whole”) as much as is desired by the teacher. The Goal of Music Learning Theory is to understand music


through audiation. This means to hear and understand music inside your head. To this end MLT is organized into three main parts; a Music Learning Sequence, a Tonal Content Sequence and a Rhythm Content Sequence. It is from the interaction of these main parts that comprehensive goals, sequential objectives, lesson plans, testing and assessments are created to facilitate audiation. There is creativity and flexibility for the teacher and learner built into the sequencing of these elements.


Audiation Gordon coined the word audiation and has come up with some


very specific stages and types of audiation: The following table is taken , with permission, from the Giml.


org website: Types and Stages of Audiation


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