Music learning in an articulated regime of attendance in Portugal: results of an action research project at the Conservatory of Vale do Sousa

Abstract

This article presents the results of a research developed in the Conservatory of Vale do Sousa on the teaching of music in an articulated regime of attendance. This body of work focused on questioning the concept of "vocational" school, testing possible redefinitions of teaching music in an articulated regime of attendance and studying the advantages of reinforcing a pedagogical articulation of the specialized subsystem and the general schools. The Action Research part of the project held two work groups: one was in a specialized school (called vocational school in Portugal) and the other in a general school. The research allowed us to conclude that, in the context in study, it is not possible to tell apart, based on musical results, the population that attended a specialized school and a general school, questioning thus the concept of "vocational" schools; the type of teaching in "vocational" schools and in general schools is deep in ambiguity; the instrumental pedagogy in a group proved to be an effective method. The specialized teaching of music needs, therefore, to contemplate pedagogical and didactical strategies that allow for diversity in learning approaches, to introduce multiple music genres and to make possible for all children to learn a music instrument.