Help students realize that music can convey images, feelings and ideas. Guide students to an awareness of the characteristics of style. Encourage students to talk about their reactions to pieces of music. Students may also wish to respond to music in ways other than discussion, such as through art, dance or drama. Choose listening selections to be played each day or during each music period for the duration of a particular unit of study.
Appreciation comes, in part, from familiarity.
For each unit of study, the teacher should choose one or two musical selections with which students will have the opportunity to become familiar through repeated listening. If music is taught by a specialist, he or she could make the selections available to the classroom teachers, who can then provide a convenient time slot in the school day for this listening activity. The selections need not always be directly linked to the specific theme of the unit, but may be chosen for musical significance and relevance to the students. The students should record their reactions and observations about each selection in a journal. Have students keep music journals or portfolios Portfolios and journals are an excellent way to encourage active involvement of all students.