Page 168 - Volk, Marina, Štemberger, Tina, Sila, Anita, Kovač, Nives. Ur. 2021. Medpredmetno povezovanje: pot do uresničevanja vzgojno-izobraževalnih ciljev. Koper: Založba Univerze na Primorskem
P. 168
na Paula Gortan-Carlin and Gordana Dobravac
troduced into the school system gradually. Specifically, in the 2019/2020 aca-
demic year only the first graders are using the new reform-based textbooks.
Although textbooks are not the only way to implement the outcomes of a
curriculum, they have a prominent role in it, as the textbook-based teach-
ing method is still the prevalent teaching method. Therefore, new reform-
based textbooks should contain elements that were not included in the pre-
vious curriculum e.g. cross-curricular themes, intercultural communication
and cross-curricular correlation.
Since songs are abundant in first-grade English textbooks, and intercul-
tural competence along with cross-curricular values development are shared
territory of the new English and Music subject curricula, the aim of the study
was to study the role of songs in supporting these concepts. Furthermore,
although extensive research has been carried out on the benefits of songs
on foreign language learning (e.g. Ludke and Weinmann, 2012), not much
research has been done on the musical aspect of those songs. Songs for
the first grade music class are naturally developmentally appropriate music.
However, the songs used in English classes, being primarily used for the lan-
guage in them, can sometimes have their musical appropriateness neglected
(Gortan-Carlin and Dobravac 2020). If children cannot sing a song, the song’s
potential in foreign language and music literacy development is prevented.
The aim of the study was to study the role of songs included in three
reform-based early English learning textbooks in helping the development
of (a) new concepts embedded in the reform (cross-curricular themes, inter-
cultural communication) and (b) music literacy.
Music and Language Learning
When we think about cross-curricular correlation, language and music of-
ten seem to fit together naturally. This connection is so deeply rooted that
the child’s very first experiences of communication i.e. ‘motherese,’ nursery
rhymes and lullabies, are experiences were music and language are interwo-
ven. Even from an evolutionary perspective of the origin of language, there
are some theories about a pre-linguistic communication system that resem-
bled music more closely than language, and this system was a precursor for
both modern language and music (Masataka 2009). Research in cognitive
neuroscience also suggests that the same cerebral network is involved in
both lexical/phonological and melodic processing (Schön et al., 2010).
Indeed, this natural link is also reflected in the new curricula. The new En-
glish Curriculum (‘Odluka o donošenju kurikuluma za nastavni predmet en-
gleski jezik za osnovne škole i gimnazije u Republici Hrvatskoj’ 2019) states
166
troduced into the school system gradually. Specifically, in the 2019/2020 aca-
demic year only the first graders are using the new reform-based textbooks.
Although textbooks are not the only way to implement the outcomes of a
curriculum, they have a prominent role in it, as the textbook-based teach-
ing method is still the prevalent teaching method. Therefore, new reform-
based textbooks should contain elements that were not included in the pre-
vious curriculum e.g. cross-curricular themes, intercultural communication
and cross-curricular correlation.
Since songs are abundant in first-grade English textbooks, and intercul-
tural competence along with cross-curricular values development are shared
territory of the new English and Music subject curricula, the aim of the study
was to study the role of songs in supporting these concepts. Furthermore,
although extensive research has been carried out on the benefits of songs
on foreign language learning (e.g. Ludke and Weinmann, 2012), not much
research has been done on the musical aspect of those songs. Songs for
the first grade music class are naturally developmentally appropriate music.
However, the songs used in English classes, being primarily used for the lan-
guage in them, can sometimes have their musical appropriateness neglected
(Gortan-Carlin and Dobravac 2020). If children cannot sing a song, the song’s
potential in foreign language and music literacy development is prevented.
The aim of the study was to study the role of songs included in three
reform-based early English learning textbooks in helping the development
of (a) new concepts embedded in the reform (cross-curricular themes, inter-
cultural communication) and (b) music literacy.
Music and Language Learning
When we think about cross-curricular correlation, language and music of-
ten seem to fit together naturally. This connection is so deeply rooted that
the child’s very first experiences of communication i.e. ‘motherese,’ nursery
rhymes and lullabies, are experiences were music and language are interwo-
ven. Even from an evolutionary perspective of the origin of language, there
are some theories about a pre-linguistic communication system that resem-
bled music more closely than language, and this system was a precursor for
both modern language and music (Masataka 2009). Research in cognitive
neuroscience also suggests that the same cerebral network is involved in
both lexical/phonological and melodic processing (Schön et al., 2010).
Indeed, this natural link is also reflected in the new curricula. The new En-
glish Curriculum (‘Odluka o donošenju kurikuluma za nastavni predmet en-
gleski jezik za osnovne škole i gimnazije u Republici Hrvatskoj’ 2019) states
166
