Hostname: page-component-7dd5485656-kp629 Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2025-10-30T04:29:05.807Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Interpersonal behaviour in one-to-one instrumental lessons: An observational analysis

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  02 April 2012

Andrea Creech
Andrea Creech*
Affiliation:
Department of Lifelong and Continuing Education, Faculty of Policy and Society, Institute of Education, University of London, 20 Bedford Way, London WC1H 0AL, UKA.Creech@ioe.ac.uk
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

This paper explores patterns of interpersonal behaviour amongst teachers and pupils during one-to-one instrumental lessons. It was hypothesised that these patterns might differ in systematic ways, according to an existing model of six interaction ‘types’ developed within a systems theory perspective and based on measures of interpersonal control and responsiveness. Eleven violin teachers and their pupils aged 10–16 were observed. Digital recordings of 23 one-to-one lessons were analysed using the overarching categories of teacher talk, teacher questioning, scaffolding, pupil talk and pupil playing. Behaviour style was found to correspond with the model of interpersonal interaction in instrumental teaching. Highly directive teachers were found to engage most often in scaffolding, while the most responsive teachers allowed space for the pupil voice to be heard and provided more feedback that was attributed to specific strategies or effort. These findings suggest that teachers and pupils may become entrenched in fixed patterns of interaction behaviour that potentially place constraints on teaching and learning outcomes. The implications for practice lie in teachers’ awareness and reflections on their own interaction behaviours. Being cognisant of fixed patterns of behaviour, teachers may choose to re-frame their style of interaction, thus effecting positive changes in teaching and learning.

Information

Type
Research Article
Information
British Journal of Music Education , Volume 29 , Issue 3 , November 2012 , pp. 387 - 407
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2012

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

Article purchase

Temporarily unavailable

References

BENSON, C. & FUNG, C. V. (2005) Comparisons of teacher and student behaviors in private piano lessons in China and the United States. International Journal of Music Education, 23, 63–72.Google Scholar
BRAND, M. (1985) Research in music teacher effectiveness Update: Applications of Research in Music Education, 3 (2), 13–16.Google Scholar
COLPRIT, E. J. (2000) Observation and analysis of Suzuki string teaching. Journal of Research in Music Education, 48, 206–221.Google Scholar
CREECH, A. (2006) Dynamics, harmony and discord: A systems analysis of teacher–pupil–parent interaction in instrumental learning. Unpublished PhD. University of London, London.Google Scholar
CREECH, A. (2009) Teacher–parent–pupil trios: a typology of interpersonal interaction in the context of learning a musical instrument. Musicae Scientiae, XIII, 163–182.Google Scholar
CREECH, A. & HALLAM, S. (2003) Parent–teacher–pupil interaction in instrumental music tuition: a literature review. British Journal of Music Education, 20, 29–44.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
DICKEY, M. R. (1991) A comparison of verbal instruction and nonverbal teacher–student modelling in instrumental ensembles. Journal of Research in Music Education, 39, 132–142.Google Scholar
DICKEY, M. R. (1992) A review of research on modelling in music teaching and learning. Bulletin of the Council for Research in Music Education, 113 (Summer), 27–40.Google Scholar
DUKE, R. A. & HENNINGER, J. C. (1998) Effects of verbal corrections on student attitude and performance. Journal of Research in Music Education, 46, 482–495.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
DUKE, R. A. & HENNINGER, J. C. (2002) Teachers’ verbal corrections and observers’ perceptions of teaching and learning. Journal of Research in Music Education, 50, 75–87.Google Scholar
DUKE, R. A. & STAMMEN, D. (2009) Scribe (Version 4.1.1): The Centre for Music Learning, University of Texas. Available at: http://cml.music.utexas.edu/scribe.htm.Google Scholar
FRYER, J. W. & ELLIOT, A. J. (2008) Self-regulation of achievement goal pursuit. In Schunk, D. H. & Zimmerman, B. J. (Eds), Motivation and Self-regulated Learning (pp. 53–76). New York: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.Google Scholar
HALLAM, S. (1998) Instrumental Teaching. Oxford: Heinemann.Google Scholar
HALLAM, S. (2006) Music Psychology in Education. London: Institute of Education, University of London.Google Scholar
KENNELL, R. (1992) Toward a theory of applied music instruction. Quarterly Journal of Music Teaching and Learning, 3 (2), 5–16.Google Scholar
KENNELL, R. (2002) Systematic research in studio instruction in music. In Colwell, T. & Richardson, C. (Eds), The New Handbook of Research on Music Teaching and Learning (pp. 243–256). New York: Oxford University Press.Google Scholar
KOSTKA, M. (1984) An investigation of reinforcements, time use, and student attentiveness in piano lessons. Journal of Research in Music Education, 32 (2), 113–122.Google Scholar
NEEDHAM, D. & FLINT, K. (2003) Uncovering the truth behind Vygotsky's cognitive apprenticeship: engaging reflective practitioners in the ‘master–apprentice’ relationship. International Journal of Learning, 10, 847–861.Google Scholar
PIANTA, R. & WALSH, D. (1996) High-risk Children in Schools. New York: Routledge.Google Scholar
PRATT, D. D. (1992) Conceptions of teaching. Adult Education Quarterly, 42 (4), 203–220.Google Scholar
ROSENSHINE, B., FROEHLICH, H. & FAKHOURI, I. (2002) Systematic instruction. In Colwell, R. & Richardson, C. (Eds), The New Handbook of Research on Music Teaching and Learning (pp. 299–314). Oxford: Oxford University Press.Google Scholar
SALZBERG, R. S. (1980) The effects of visual stimulus and instruction on intonation accuracy of string instrumentalists. Psychology of Music, 8 (2), 42–49.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
SALZBERG, R. & SALZBERG, C. (1981) Praise and corrective feedback in the remediation of incorrect left hand positions in elementary string players. Journal of Research in Music Education, 29, 125–133.Google Scholar
SAUNDERS, C. T. (1990) Teacher effectiveness in the performance classroom. Update: Applications of Research in Music Education, 8 (2), 26–29.Google Scholar
SIEBENALER, D. J. (1997) Analysis of teacher–student interactions in the piano lessons of adults and children. Journal of Research in Music Education, 45, 6–20.Google Scholar
TUBBS, S. L. (1984) A Systems Approach to Small Group Interaction (2nd Edn). New York: Random House.Google Scholar
VAN TARTWIJK, J., BREKELMANS, M. & WUBBELS, T. (1998) Students’ perceptions of teacher interpersonal style: the front of the classroom as the teacher's stage. Teaching and Teacher Education, 14, 607–617.Google Scholar
WOOD, D. J., BRUNER, J. S. & ROSS, G. (1976) The role of tutoring in problem solving. Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, 17, 89–100.Google Scholar
YARBROUGH, C. & PRICE, H. E. (1989) Sequential patterns of instruction in music. Journal of Research in Music Education, 37, 179–187.Google Scholar