Date of Completion

Spring 4-26-2024

Thesis Advisor(s)

Cara F. Bernard

Honors Major

Music

Disciplines

Music Education

Abstract

Over the past decade, the majority of music educators in the U.S. have reported working with students with exceptionalities (VanWeelden & Whipple, 2014). However, literature suggests that many early career teachers do not feel prepared to engage with exceptional students, largely due to gaps in their undergraduate exceptionality courses. These gaps appear wider for preservice music educators as opposed to other content areas. Strategies and examples traditionally discussed in these courses are not always applicable to the wide range of classes that music educators teach, particularly ensemble classes. The purpose of this study was to explore early career teachers’ perceptions of readiness to teach students with exceptionalities, and gather the ways in which they apply salient aspects of exceptionality in their curriculum and instruction. Data was collected through focus group discussions with music educators in their first five years of teaching. Findings suggest that music educators feel more comfortable supporting students with exceptionalities in certain (non-ensemble) types of music courses; developing a language and toolkit to advocate for exceptional students is imperative for support; strategies for engaging exceptional learners in music classes may not work for all exceptional students; and that they did not feel adequately prepared by their exceptionality courses to work with exceptional populations. Participants’ commentaries on their undergraduate and in-service experiences provided perspective on how preservice music educators may more effectively be prepared to teach students with exceptionalities.

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