AN ALTERNATIVE METHOD FOR TEACHING BASIC MUSICIANSHIP TO STUDENTS WITH LEARNING DISABILITIES

THE PROPOSED PROJECT WILL STUDY THE FEASIBILITY OF AN ALTERNATIVE METHOD FOR TACHING BASIC MUSICIANSHIP TO STUDENTS WITH LEARNING DISABILITIES. IT IS PROPOSED THAT BY REMOVING THE BARRIER OF A CUMBERSOME NOTATION SYSTEM, THE PRESENT CURRICULUM WILL MAKE MUSICAL EXPRESSION AVAILABLE TO MANY FOR WHOM IT HAS BEEN INACCESSIBLE. THE PROPOSED MELOZ NOTATION SYSTEM ACCOMMODATES ALL TWELVE PITCHES IN EACH OCTAVE WITHOUT ACCIDENTIALS OR KEY SIGNATURES AND CORRELATES TO A TWELVE TONE SYSTEM AS THE KEYBAORD DOES. OBJECTIVES FOCUS ON DETERMINING THE FEASIBILITY OF THE USE OF MELOZ AND ELECTRONIC KEYBOARDS IN TEACHING BASIC MUSICIANSHIP, KEYBOARD PERFORMANCE AND EAR TRAINING AND SIGHT SINGING TO STUDENTS WITH LEARNING DISABILITIES. RESEARCHERS WILL ALSO DETERMINE STUDENT AND TEACHER ATTITUDES TOWARD USE OF MELOZ IN CONJUNCTION WITH ELECTRONIC KEYBOARDS. THE PROGRAM WILL BE IMPLEMENTED WITH TWO FIFTH AND TWO EIGHTH GRADE CLASSES IN THE DENVER PUBLIC SCHOOLS AS WELL AS IN TWO CLASSROOMS IN A SCHOOL FOR LEARNING DISABLED STUDENTS. PHASE I WILL CONSIST OF DEVELOPMENT AND TESTING OF THE NEW CURRICULUM, WITH ASSESSMENT OF STUDENT PROGRESS. PROJECT PROGRESS WILL BE MONITORED THROUGH LOGS AND MONTHLY PROGRESS REPORTS. LEARNING DISABILITY TEACHERS, MUSIC TEACHERS AND ADMINISTRATORS WILL SERVE AS CURRICULUM CONSULTANTS AND ADVISORY COMMITTEE MEMBERS.