Developmental Programmes

Developmental programmes help teachers to deepen their pedagogical understandings, and achieve professional renewal and gain transformation in teaching beliefs and practices.

Music-Specific Pedagogies

Music-specific pedagogies such as Orff, Kodály and Dalcroze provide ideas for student-centric approaches to engaging students in music learning. Active engagement through authentic music experiences such as listening, singing, movement, drama, improvisation, body percussion, instrumental playing and creative expression are fundamental to these pedagogies. Teachers develop a stronger grasp of the scaffolding processes for effective music lessons, and get the chance to experience how each pedagogical approach enhances classroom learning for students.

Since 2014, workshops focusing on music-specific pedagogies have been conducted to deepen the teachers' pedagogical understanding.

Kodály Approach for Student-centric Music Lessons (Primary only)

Creative Music Making with Kodály-inspired Approach

FOR: Experienced Teachers
PERIOD: At least one run per year

The Kodály approach uses a sequential method with child-developmental perspectives to develop music understanding and literacy in students. Premised on the belief that there are multiple dimensions to musicianship training, the approach advocates the use of music experiences such as listening, singing, movement and games to build up skills and knowledge of music concepts.

Working with Kodály specialist instructors, the programme is designed to introduce the Kodály approach and how it can be used to develop music skills and concepts in a student-centric approach. Teachers are also provided with opportunity to apply their understanding through micro-teaching.

Orff Approach to Music Education

FOR: Experienced Teachers
PERIOD: At least one run per year

The Orff Approach is premised upon a learner-centered environment where children learn with an element of “play” through the integration of speech, movement and music. With a focus on improvisation and composition, music concepts are acquired through active engagement in singing, chanting, dance, movement and playing of percussion instruments (e.g. xylophones, metallophones).

The programme develops teachers’ understanding of the Orff approach. It also provides opportunities for teachers to analyse, plan and apply their understanding in group micro-teaching sessions throughout the workshop.

Dalcroze Approach to Music Education

FOR: Experienced Teachers
PERIOD: At least one run per year

The Dalcroze Approach - eurhythmics, solfège and improvisation - is an effective way to develop deeper musicality and creative expression through whole body movement and space. In this approach, the teaching of music incorporates meaningful rhythmic movement in the learning experience for a deeper understanding of music concepts. With a focus on improvisation and expressions of an individual’s musical ideas through the movement of the body through space, the approach not only creates an environment where creativity and experiential learning flourish, but also allows curricular objectives like rhythm, structure, mood and tone to be explored.

The programme focuses on eurhythmics and improvisation to facilitate learning of music concepts in the student-centric classroom, and involves teachers in group micro-teaching to apply their pedagogical learning.

You could find out more about each of these music-specific pedagogies in STAR’s publication Providing a Rich Music Learning Experience Teaching Living Legends

FOR: Experienced Teachers
PERIOD: At least one run per year

Teaching Living Legends is a milestone programme designed by STAR to address the teaching of Singapore living music traditions in the context of the 21st century student-centric classroom. This programme supports teachers in their implementation of the Primary and Lower Secondary Music syllabus by developing them in music pedagogy, practice and perspective in relation to the teaching of Singapore music. Teachers explore how Singapore music traditions are kept relevant to students via the stories and narratives behind these pieces of music, thus providing engaging music experiences and raising awareness of Singapore's unique musical identity.

The workshops are conducted by our Music Master Teachers in collaboration with Singapore music practitioners, who are experts in their respective fields. The programme is run in the form of blended-learning, which includes workshops run over four full-days plus an online learning component completed on the OPAL learning portal. Find out more about the Teaching Living Legends programme in this link ↗ (opens in new tab).

Critical Inquiry Networked Learning Community (CI NLC)

FOR: SP1 & SP2 Music Teachers with at least 2 years of teaching experience
PERIOD: January to December

The Critical Inquiry Networked Learning Community (CI NLC) Programme provides a professional development opportunity through reflective inquiry based practices. It encourages critical reflection on teaching practices, broaden perspectives in Music education and develop teacher leadership.

Programme participants are required to attend introductory sessions on critical inquiry and NLC discussions, implement school-based CI projects and present in the CI NLC Mini-Symposium.

You could find out more of the CI NLC projects shared in the CI NLC Symposium as well as in STAR's publication Sounding the Teaching.

Engaging With Songs

FOR: Primary School Music Teachers (by invitation)
PERIOD: Part-time basis over 1.5 years

Engaging with Songs (EWS) is a special professional development programme designed by STAR to deepen music teachers' pedagogical understanding in leading singing in the music classroom. It also aims to build a repertoire of songs, including those of our multicultural traditions, to engender cross-cultural understanding through music. It is envisioned that the programme helps build a singing culture in classrooms in schools.

This programme provides a suite of professional learning platforms including workshops by master pedagogues, overseas learning journeys, lesson demonstrations, as well as collaborative discussions and reflection by the teachers. Teachers take away valuable lessons on how to teach singing in the classroom, and develop a greater sense of confidence in singing.

The programme culminates in an event called “Engaging with Songs Day”, where teacher participants and their students come together to experience the joy of singing in a professional concert venue. The programme not only helps to build teachers’ and students’ confidence in their voices, but also fosters a greater sense of camaraderie within the fraternity.

Find out more about the Engaging with Songs programme in the following videos. The first video shares the culmination of the first phase of Engaging with Songs in 2014, with round robins of music teaching, and singing games for students from the 7 pioneer schools in the programme. The second video presents an overview of Engaging with Songs programme in 2015, presenting the perspectives of students, teachers and school leaders who were involved. The third video features teachers' sharing how their pedagogy has developed, and how students are more engaged in their music lessons through singing.

Engaging with Songs Day 2024

Engaging with Songs 2019

Engaging with Songs 2018

Engaging with Songs Day 2018 Highlight

Engaging with Songs Day 2017 Highlights

Engaging with Songs Day 2016