Abstract
Gibberish consists of meaningless speech sounds, i.e., without semantic meaning.
When used in theater exercises as a dialogue (see Spolin, 1985), it is possible to listen to distinct patterns of timing and exaggerated melodic narratives, such as those encountered in mother-infant communication, described as a form of communicative
musicality (Malloch & Trevarthen, 2009).
As part of a master’s in music teaching at a Portuguese university, 10 music education major students took part in a project connecting theory, research, and practice over the
course of one year using gibberish as a leitmotif.
The project was twofold: 1) in the first semester, to engage students in an exploratory study at a university research seminar, trying to answer, “What is the nature of a Gibberish conversation?”; 2) in the second semester, to support students in
implementing a research music project with their internship classes of 5th and 6th graders based on gibberish.
This approach encompasses the need to address the key elements of the research process by helping students develop research skills and providing them with a systematic way to reflect on their own practice (Conway et al., 2014). It also emphasizes
that educational practice can be transformed through the curriculum and that teachers should be able to make choices on how to deliver it (Jorgensen, 2003).
First, students recorded and analyzed gibberish dialogues according to temporality, frequency, intensity, and melodic contours using the software Praat; in their
classrooms, gibberish gave place to graphic notation, use of technology, Orff arrangements, scat singing, and addressing emotions. Musical outputs and written statements from pupils were analysed.
The project emphasised the musical nature of gibberish and how it triggered creative music-making in the classroom. Gibberish can be used as a powerful tool to promote communication, which is the essence of musical art.
When used in theater exercises as a dialogue (see Spolin, 1985), it is possible to listen to distinct patterns of timing and exaggerated melodic narratives, such as those encountered in mother-infant communication, described as a form of communicative
musicality (Malloch & Trevarthen, 2009).
As part of a master’s in music teaching at a Portuguese university, 10 music education major students took part in a project connecting theory, research, and practice over the
course of one year using gibberish as a leitmotif.
The project was twofold: 1) in the first semester, to engage students in an exploratory study at a university research seminar, trying to answer, “What is the nature of a Gibberish conversation?”; 2) in the second semester, to support students in
implementing a research music project with their internship classes of 5th and 6th graders based on gibberish.
This approach encompasses the need to address the key elements of the research process by helping students develop research skills and providing them with a systematic way to reflect on their own practice (Conway et al., 2014). It also emphasizes
that educational practice can be transformed through the curriculum and that teachers should be able to make choices on how to deliver it (Jorgensen, 2003).
First, students recorded and analyzed gibberish dialogues according to temporality, frequency, intensity, and melodic contours using the software Praat; in their
classrooms, gibberish gave place to graphic notation, use of technology, Orff arrangements, scat singing, and addressing emotions. Musical outputs and written statements from pupils were analysed.
The project emphasised the musical nature of gibberish and how it triggered creative music-making in the classroom. Gibberish can be used as a powerful tool to promote communication, which is the essence of musical art.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages | 42 |
| Number of pages | 1 |
| Publication status | Published - Jun 2024 |
| Event | 31st European Association for Music in Schools Conference: Traditions in Transformation - TU Dublin Conservatoire, Dublin , Ireland Duration: 12 Jun 2024 → 15 Jun 2024 Conference number: 31 https://eas-music.org/2024-dublin/ |
Conference
| Conference | 31st European Association for Music in Schools Conference |
|---|---|
| Abbreviated title | EAS 2024 |
| Country/Territory | Ireland |
| City | Dublin |
| Period | 12/06/24 → 15/06/24 |
| Internet address |
Keywords
- Music teacher training
- Music curriculum
- Creativity
- Gibberish
- Agency
