ECE 2018 Early Childhood Music and Drama Education

STAFFING:

RATIONALE:

It is widely acknowledged that the expressive arts are both a vehicle for the expression of human feeling, and for human thought. The visual arts, music, movement, and the dramatic arts are disciplined forms of inquiry and expression through which children and adults organise feelings and ideas about experience. Music offers children a medium through which they can come to know themselves and others, their world and their relationship to this world, more intimately and effectively. Hence, music and drama education should provide children with the understandings and skills necessary for the articulation of thoughts, ideas and feelings. In order to use the arts expressively, children have to come to know the materials and symbols of their chosen media through active employment and mindfulness. To be expressive in music, movement and drama children must have command of the materials related to the medium. This places an emphasis on the child as a `maker' which implies knowledge and control of the medium. Early childhood teachers play an important role in guiding children's learning and creativity, by assisting them in the manipulation and mastery of materials and techniques in music and drama.

SYNOPSIS:

This course focuses on music and drama in early childhood. It provides students with the skills and knowledge necessary to guide children's creative development in the early years. It will examine how music and drama can be integrated into the early childhood classroom environment to foster the development of an understanding of the elements of music and drama, and an ability to apply this understanding to singing, playing of melodic and percussive instruments, improvisation and moving.

OBJECTIVES:

On successful completion of this course students will be able to:

• discuss the role of music and drama as symbolic languages in early childhood and beyond;
• understand children's creative development in the early years;
• integrate music and drama into the early childhood classroom;
• understand the elements of music, movement and drama;
• know a repertoire of songs and drama experiences;
• improvise with the voice, the body and instruments;
• demonstrate a repertoire of movement, to accompany speech, singing and instruments;
• guide young children's musical and dramatic thinking, expression and development.

TOPICS:

TEXT and MATERIALS required to be PURCHASED or accessed:

ALL textbooks and materials are available for purchase from USQ BOOKSHOP (unless otherwise stated). Orders may be placed via secure internet, free fax 1800642453, phone 07 46312742 (within Australia), or mail. Overseas students should fax +61 7 46311743, or phone +61 7 46312742. For costs, further details, and internet ordering, use the 'Textbook Search' facility at http://bookshop.usq.edu.au click 'Semester', then enter your 'Course Code' (no spaces).

REFERENCE MATERIALS:

STUDENT WORKLOAD REQUIREMENTS:

ASSESSMENT DETAILS:

IMPORTANT ASSESSMENT INFORMATION

1. Attendance requirements:
   (b) It is the students' responsibility to attend and participate appropriately in all activities (such as lectures, tutorials, laboratories and practical work) scheduled for them, and to study all material provided to them or required to be accessed by them to maximise their chance of meeting the objectives of the course and to be informed of course-related activities and administration.
2. Requirements for students to complete each assessment item satisfactorily:
   (a) To complete each of the assessment items satisfactorily, students must obtain at least 50% of the marks available (or at least a grade of C-) for each assessment item.
3. Penalties for late submission of required work:
   (b) If students submit assignments after the due date without prior approval then a penalty of 10% of the total marks gained by the student for the assignment will apply for each working day late.
4. Requirements for student to be awarded a passing grade in the course:
   (d) To be assured of receiving a passing grade a student must submit all of the summative assessment items and achieve at least 50% of the available weighted marks for those items.
5. Method used to combine assessment results to attain final grade:
   (a) The final grades for students will be assigned on the basis of the weighted aggregate of the marks (or grades) obtained for each of the summative assessment items in the course.
6. Examination information:
   (e) There is no examination in this course.
7. Examination period when Deferred/Supplementary examinations will be held:
   (d) There will be no Deferred or Supplementary examinations in this course.
8. University Regulations:
   Students should read USQ Regulations 5.1 Definitions, 5.6. Assessment, and 5.10 Academic Misconduct for further information and to avoid actions which might contravene University Regulations. These regulations can be found at the URL http://www.usq.edu.au/corporateservices/calendar/part5.htm or in the current USQ Handbook.

ASSESSMENT NOTES