In 2018, the Department for Education launched its 10-year music education strategy 2019 to 2029 aimed at ensuring all children and young people in South Australia have access to high quality music education.
The strategy includes a deliberate focus on early years and primary education; as this is where music learning has the most impact on student development.
Key areas of action include;
• upskilling non-specialist teachers to improve the delivery of general classroom music education by providing professional development
• exploring opportunities to elevate music in tertiary and pre-service training for early years and primary teachers
• providing information to help students identify career and higher music education opportunities
• providing curriculum and pedagogy resources for early years and primary schools, including a package for all primary schools, and tailored resources.
The Music Education Strategy team are excited to provide an update on the strategy during the Kodaly Conference and will present an overview of each key deliverable, which includes the development and implementation of the South Australian Quality Music Education Framework.
The framework was developed and launched in November 2020 to assist schools and preschools to deliver a world-class learning experience. It serves to support everyone involved in music education to make the best decisions for children and young people in South Australia.
The framework centres on 5 qualities of world-class music education; value, access, continuum, connections and achievement; and it provides practical guidance and case studies of best practice from within the music education system.
The Music Education Strategy team will also provide an update on the impact and implementation of other deliverable projects that demonstrate and share how;
• engagement networks are being developed and sustained to enhance existing classroom music programs and practices by upskilling generalist teachers, particularly in early years and primary years.
• in collaboration with tertiary institutions, the place and position of music education in generalist primary teaching courses is being elevated, lifting the music education capability of future early and primary years graduate teachers to ensure new generalist teachers feel confident to deliver music as part of the Australian Curriculum.
• partnerships with music education providers, creative industries and music associations are strengthened, engaging with external providers to support the delivery of professional development for early years educators and primary years teachers.
• a music education curriculum and pedagogy package has been developed, promoted and supported with appropriate training, increasing access to best practice methodology, with ongoing support and dialogue for teachers, schools and leaders to improve the delivery of music education in classrooms.