Developing Primary School Music Curricular Materials In Multicultural Society: The Case of Addis Ababa
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Date
2002-05
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Addis Ababauniversity
Abstract
The aim of this study was to assess whether or not the music curricular materials are
multicultural, and to show the importance of focusing on multicultural education in Addis
Ababa primary schools. To realize this descriptive survey method is employed. In this study
ten primary schools were selected randomly; and the instruments used for the data collection
were questionnaire, interviews, classroom observations and coding sheets. Many or almost
all sampled schools were found to be ethnically diversified. Implementing multiculturalism
is, therefore, justified. Even though the developed aesthetics and physical education
curriculum is integrated, teachers and educators of the respective subject areas have advocated
linear curriculum. Most teachers in the primary schools, i.e., self-contained classes are not
willing to teach music (aesthetics and physical education) in the allotted periods, but students
have expressed their interest to learn pluralist culture through music. Music education in the
multicultural society, particularly Addis Ababa, which is the focus of the study, is believed to
be an area where cultural awareness, tolerance, respect and understanding for different
cultures could be promoted. However, this study shows that music (aesthetics and physical
education) curricular materials lack these concepts, and need to be redesigned to be able
promote cultural awareness, tolerance, respect and understanding for cultures among students.
In order to design multicultural music curriculum that is appropriate to multicultural society,
curriculum experts must have notions of ethnic, gender, and cultural differences
(multiculturalism). The implementation of such curriculum also requires, teachers with music
orientation and with subject specific training.
were to do with issues of reorganisation, provision of more and/or less information.
Moreover, it was observed that quite a good number of the comments were either too general
to follow, or too strong or harsh, and did not teach or help the students to overcome their
writing difficulties. On the other hand, however, significant number of the comments seems to
have met the students' preferences to a certain extent. Based on the finding of the study, some
possible recommendations are suggested
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Keywords
Materials In Multicultural Society