Shifting Primary School Teachers Understanding of Songs Teaching Methods : An Action Research Study in Indonesia

Abstract

In order to teach songs properly, primary school teachers need to be equipped with various strategies in songs teaching, and develop an understanding about correct methods of songs teaching. These primary school teachers teach songs through traditional oral methods with their own voices as the role model, though they did not have a perfect pitch. This research aims at rectifying primary school teachers’ understanding of their own teaching methods in vocal teaching. This research exemplifies the results of a collaborative teamwork for critical units in order to change primary school teachers’ understanding on teaching songs to their students. The result of these units show that by providing information about the impact of teaching songs to their prospective students who sang with poor singing skills and did not have a good pitch, it is possible to change teachers’ understanding of teaching songs by using modern teaching methods. Moreover, guiding teachers to use various applications and media in teaching songs would provide new insight into them to choose supporting devices, and improve teaching literacy for vocal teaching.