Orff-Schulwerk as a pedagogical tool for the effective teaching of Italian to upper primary students in Western Australia.

Paolino, Annamaria ; Lummis, Geoffrey W.

ABSTRACT

The use of songs and music in the Languages classroom is common practice. Research literature contains positive statements about music as a cognitive, linguistic and affective enhancer. Music and Languages risk becoming marginalised in the Western Australian curriculum due to curriculum pressures. Reduction of time in these learning areas could lead to students being denied the opportunity to develop many social, cognitive, educational and neurological benefits that they provide. Therefore, there is a need for teachers to become 'interdisciplinarians', and to consider ways to work with two or more subjects together for enhanced student learning.

The Orff-Schulwerk approach to music learning is multisensorial. The student 'feels the music' in their body and experiments with it before they use it. If Language teachers allow their students to 'feel the language' this will enhance the understanding of the relationships between speaking and reading, and between speaking and writing.

Current research provides evidence that music is a valuable tool in the learning of a second language. The concern is that music may only be used as a program supplement. This study investigates whether songs and music are being used as pedagogical tools in the teaching of Italian in Western Australia's primary schools. The study introduced primary teachers of Italian to the Orff-Schulwerk approach and asked them to pilot the approach for eight weeks in one of their upper primary Italian classrooms. Teachers were asked to consider its potential for the teaching of Italian in the upper primary context.

This is a qualitative study, using questionnaires, interviews and focus groups to provide multiple sources of data, involving schools, teachers of Italian and students learning Italian in Western Australian classrooms.

KEY WORDS

Orff-Schulwerk, music and languages education, integrated music and language teaching

INTRODUCTION

Time constraints and curriculum pressures associated with a crowded curriculum and education reform frustrate the current educational climate in Western Australia. Pragmatism sees a need for teachers becoming more interdisciplinary in their approach if they are to accommodate all learning areas. An interdisciplinary approach to teaching allows teachers to assist students to develop deep understandings across all learning areas and increase their capacity to make cross-curricular connections. Wiggins (2001) believes this approach is more akin to real-life learning, explaining 'an interdisciplinary curriculum reflects a multiplicity of disciplines.' In addition, it is believed that understanding requires substantial interdisciplinary cooperation (Hauser, Chomsky and Techumsch Fitch, 2002). This type of teaching approach can only support the curriculum for the 21st century, as it will reflect an understanding and acknowledgement of the changing nature of young people as learners and the challenges and demands that will continue to shape their learning in the future. Young people will need a wide and adaptive set of skills to meet the changing expectations of society and to contribute to the creation of a more productive, sustainable and just society (ACARA, 2009 p.4).

It is the intention of the researcher to inform the practice of Italian language teachers in Western Australian primary schools by demonstrating how music can be a valuable teaching tool. Currently, common practice is to use songs in the classroom to support second language acquisition (Medina, 1993). Literature abounds with positive statements concerning music as a vehicle for language acquisition, demonstrating that music benefits memorisation and retention (see, for example, McElhinney & Annett, 1996; Morrongiello & Roes, 1990). However, there is a lack of empirical support for music as a vehicle for second language acquisition (Medina, 1993, Salcedo, 2002). In particular there is a concern that music may simply be a supplementary activity with little instructional value. Language teachers commonly use songs in the classroom but 'all too often, it has been relegated to recreation and entertainment status' (Falioni, 1993, p.98). If music is to be beneficial to second language learning it must be meaningful and activities must actively engage the whole student (Asher, 1993, cited in Lake, 2002). It is anticipated that the research reported here will raise teacher awareness of the value of music as a pedagogical tool, which when used effectively in the classroom can promote language learning, enhance musical skills, and instil a love of music and languages. By triggering self-reflection among teachers it is hoped that they reconsider how they use music in the classroom to help their students learn. The researcher aimed to create baseline data on teacher awareness of the connection between language learning and music.

STUDY AIMS

The study aimed to:

* establish the extent to which specialist teachers of Italian use song/music as a pedagogical tool in Western Australian primary schools

* inform the practice of Italian language teachers in Western Australian primary schools

* provide some empirical support for song/ music as a vehicle for second language acquisition

* provide Italian/Language teachers with a strategy which enables them to increase song/music use in their senior classes as well as give them increased confidence in using song with these students

* encourage third parties to see the value and the power of music/song and the benefits that an interdisciplinary curriculum can provide.

THE USE OF MUSIC IN CURRENT SECOND LANGUAGE PRACTICE

Though music has been an important aspect of school life, its role in languages learning has not received much attention and research in this area is still in an embryonic stage. Jolly (1975) proposed that language teachers may be limiting their resources by not exploiting songs as classroom teaching aids, and that music and language both have common elements and similarities, sharing an intention to communicate and entertain. If songs are presented together with movement and attention catching, colourful visual aids then this will further enhance learning. This idea conforms with Asher's (1969) theory of 'Total Physical Response', in which he suggested that language and movement should be coordinated for an effective language teaching method.

Zola and Sandvoss (1976, cited in Willis and Mason, 1994) believe that language teachers have underestimated the value of song. They maintain that teachers have limited the use of song to simple transmission of cultural elements and reinforcement of linguistic structures. One problem identified is that teachers may lack the confidence to incorporate music into language classes, responding to criticism they themselves received as students of music.

Maybe too many of us have had the experience of being criticised by a music teacher during our school days. I have heard so many teachers tell me apologetically that they have no sense of rhythm and can't hold a tune. (Young, 2004, p.1).

However, Freeman and Freeman (1994 cited in Crookes, 1997, p.67) believe that there are other factors contributing to the way languages are taught in schools, which may contribute to teachers' unwillingness to use music. These influencing factors include: how the teachers were taught themselves, how the teachers were trained, colleagues and administration processes, exposure to new ideas, lack of available resources, expectations of students and views on learning. All of these factors may limit the languages teachers' use of songs and music in their classroom.

BENEFITS OF MUSIC IN THE SECOND LANGUAGE CLASSROOM

Teaching primary students to communicate in a second language is the primary goal of languages teaching. There is much research, however, that demonstrates that music can support languages learning. Many researchers (Shtakser, 2001; Abrate, 1983; Edwards, 1997; Falioni, 1993; Jolly, 1975; Kramer, 2001; Milovanov & Tervaniemi, 2011; Schon et al, 2007; Tsoulas, 2014) have discussed numerous benefits, including mnemonic codes in music enhancing deep memory retention; movement to music providing students with active involvement and physical benefits; music being used to draw on common experiences and to explore everyday emotions, situations and connections between home with school life; allowing for language practice both voluntary and involuntary; varying the energy and the pace of the class and therefore maintaining student attention and interest; and creating a relaxed, and non-threatening atmosphere. Furthermore, they suggest that learning is enhanced as engaging with music is usually considered an enjoyable activity when compared with tedious, repetitive exercises (Tsoulas, 2014). Prosody, semantics, syntax, syllabification and phonemic awareness are also enhanced with music (Milovanov & Tervaniemi, 2011). Music encourages student contribution, and increases confidence, and interaction (Leung, 1985, cited in Stansell, 2005; Tsoulas, 2014). Song texts are useful to introduce native and colloquial language and present cultural phenomena (Tsoulas, 2014). Music provides an entertaining context for learning, and can lead to improved pronunciation, and the learning of grammar and vocabulary (Milovanov & Tervianiemi, 2011).

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The role of music in first language acquisition is also well documented. Babies speak in 'coos' and 'babble' before learning vocabulary and these noises are the first means of communication made in a range of pitches to convey hunger, tiredness and pain. It is this 'baby language' that paves the way for phoneme and morpheme formation (Lake, 2002, p.1).

Palmer and Kelly (1992) argue that music should be used to provide a richer encoding of language. When songs and words match the stress and accent of a language the learner experiences gains in comprehension of word stress, attention span, anticipation of new text and memory. These authors add that pairing rhythm and words improves one's ability to remember.

Schon, Boyer, Moreno, Besson, Peretz and Kolinsky (2007) agree that songs contribute to language acquisition by increasing attention. They believe that musical contours increase phonemic discrepancies and the consistent mapping of music and linguistic structure in song are optimal for the operation of the learning mechanism. Their findings show that adding melodic information when learning a second language facilitates segmentation and that music and language share the same modality allowing a unique overlap of spectoral and temporal information. They conclude 'learning a second language, especially in the early stages where one needs to segment new words, may benefit greatly from the motivational and structural properties of music and song' (Schon, et al, 2007, p. 982).

Amato (1996, cited in Facio, 2002) believes that music has a unifying effect that can extend across time, nations, races and individuals, suggesting it breaks down barriers and makes people feel less inhibited. O'Donnell (1999) supports this view, finding that music crosses cultural barriers, is a powerful anchor for memory, creates a positive environment, decreases stress, regulates energy, increases creativity and increases productivity.

Music is known to activate both right and left sides of the brain, therefore maximising learning, retention and processing of information, and assisting overall brain function (Milovanov & Tervaniemi, 2011; O'Donnell, 1999). Krashen (1982) describes how music allows students to relax and lower their 'affective filter', making them feel more comfortable and relaxed, and hence ready to learn.

In total, the research clearly supports the view that music can enhance language learning. When learning a language it is important that the students participate in learning that is fun, engaging, relevant and successful. By combining these understandings, and through utilising music and song, languages teachers have an opportunity to provide their students with a rich, varied and simulating curriculum.

Combining music and language learning is also a way to alleviate curriculum pressure, with two learning areas being addressed at once.

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WHAT IS ORFF-SCHULWERK?

Developed in the 1930s by German composer Carl Orff, Orff-Schulwerk is a general artistic education approach that has been one of the main trends in music education since the 1950s (Sangiorgio, 2007). It is an active and creative approach to music making. Its principal concept is the unity of music with movement and speech, having rhythm as its central point. It is a way to teach and learn music based on the things that children like doing: singing, chanting, clapping, creating, dancing and keeping beat. These natural behaviours are directed by hearing and they prepare the child for reading and writing. This learning process is the same as that employed when language is being learned (Tsoulas, 2014). Orff-Schulwerk takes place in a relaxed and non-competitive atmosphere using poems, rhymes, games, songs and dances, both traditional and original. Activities can be spoken or sung and accompanied by stamping, clapping, drums, sticks, bells as well as melodic instruments such as xylophones and metallophones. As there are no set rules, Orff-Schulwerk has endless variations and activities are used as a means to an end, not as ends in themself (Frazee, 2006). Orff-Schulwerk's multidimensional approach, combining cognitive, kinaesthetic, emotional and affective domains, intends to ensure meaningful and satisfying learning. Satisfaction arises in the learner from his/her ability to use the acquired knowledge purposefully (Steen, 1992).

ORFF-SCHULWERK IN THE LANGUAGES CLASSROOM

In order for [languages] teachers to use Orff principles in the classroom, they do not need to be musical. They need to be able to make their language come alive rhythmically; that is they need to have rhythm (Pritikin, 2005, p.4).

Orff believed that children needed multiple experiences inventing and playing with sound before being presented with musical notation. Language too is (at least for a first language) acquired by listening to and speaking it, and it is only much later that the reading and writing of language is learned. It is the orientation of hearing and making sounds and rhythms first, before learning to read and write, that can transform traditional languages classes into engaging, fun, and effective lessons (Pritikin, 2005).

The Orff techniques of singing, moving, saying, playing and creating are well suited to the language classroom. Pritikin (2005) believes that all languages classes should begin with an articulation phonetics unit. The focus should be on sound, tongue and lip positions, aspirated sounds and non-aspirated sounds, before they see the language in print. This is similar to Orff's principle that students need to 'feel' first and notation should only be introduced to the child when they are ready and have a need for it. Adams (1997, cited in Pritikin, 2005) believes that such an approach results in better word recognition, better spelling, better vocabulary and better reading comprehension.

A critical aim of language teaching is to establish sound/symbol connections. These are important for accuracy in speaking, reading and writing. Rhymes and rhythms help children identify patterns that make language predictable. The patterns help develop phonemic awareness, expand vocabulary and improve decoding skills.

Orff-Schulwerk in the languages classroom helps develop automaticity in speaking and reading as it develops a firm relationship between sounds and symbols of the language. Students become fluent as they can feel the rhythm of the language. Echo clapping techniques and rhythm instruments are the best way to teach the rhythm of the language as they help students learn syllabification, stress, and accents. The teacher is the model and modelled usage and imitation is important for fluency. Practice is the key for success with music and with language acquisition.

The rationale for using Orff-Schulwerk in the languages classroom is to enable students to find their 'comfort zone', to lower affective filters (Krashen, 1982), allowing them to speak, read and write fluently. The ultimate goal is to have students gain a 'feel' for the language eventually without hearing a model or using instruments. Orff-Schulwerk rhythm techniques can be effectively adapted in the languages classroom and can facilitate communicative competence. Techniques such as song, rhyme and movement can make learning and teaching more joyful and more effective.

Macarthur and Trojer (1985, cited in Stansell, 2005, p. 18) claim that because music and language share essential qualities of rhythm, pitch, timbre and dynamics, then methods for teaching them, such as the Orff --Schulwerk approach, could be effective. Their goal was a blended 'musico-linguistic' technique to help learners develop auditory memory. Intonation, rhythm, pitch, gesture, body movement and mime.

Hansen and Bernstorf (2002, cited in Pritikin, 2005, p.4) believe that 'discontinuing music education programs could deprive students of kinaesthetic, aural, oral, visual and emotional experiences that help bring texts to life.' Due to the crowded curriculum argument about insufficient time in schools to adequately address all learning areas, as well as staffing problems and other barriers, combining music and language learning provides one way to ensure students have access to both learning areas.

ORFF-SCHULWERK AND INTERCULTURAL LEARNING

Intercultural language learning promotes a view that learning occurs through social interaction, and interpersonal and Intrapersonal relationships. In an intercultural approach, there is a view that one needs to be conscious of oneself before being conscious of others (ILTLP, 2008). Orff-Schulwerk supports this notion as it uses many procedures such as oral learning, movement and improvisation to develop awareness of the self. Orff-Schulwerk is a holistic approach based on the view that as teachers we need to consider the physical, emotional, social, cultural and cognitive parts of our learners, as occurs in reflective intercultural learning.

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Sangiorgio (2007, p.2) states that ethnomusicology affirms that music is not a universal language. A certain piece of music within a certain cultural context arouses a number of feelings and meanings that may not be shared by someone not from that same context. However, music is a bridge between people. It joins people and is a dialogue among cultures. Its nonverbal structure allows us to understand and connect. This is in contrast to verbal/ linguistic communication that can deepen and establish unwanted barriers in communication.

The teacher is an active agent of culture. Teachers should consider themselves carriers of conceptions, values and initiators of cultural and human experiences through music. Sangiorgio (2007) supports the view that every learning group should be considered a cultural group as it fosters communication among people. Learning happens not only within the group but also it as every one brings their own experiences and stories with them. Music allows students to expand their experiences, understand the syntax in oral language and communication, and to build new meanings and understandings of language and others' perspectives.

Orff-Schulwerk began in Germany but due to its openness and accessibility it is used widely throughout the world. It is usual for each teacher to realise and adapt the approach according to their own context. The use of speech, rhythms, oral learning, movement, and group work make it an intercultural education experience and an ideal foundation for growing awareness of the diverse musical styles and people on earth, and for seeing the relationship between languages and cultures.

RESEARCH DESIGN

This qualitative study was approached from a post-positivist paradigm. The researcher's main objective was to provide knowledge to of musical practices that could assist in languages learning to teachers of Italian.

This epistemological stance lends itself to an emic viewpoint as the researcher wished to gain an understanding of how successful the research was from the viewpoint of those involved. This reciprocal partnership allows for two-way contribution, building a model for learning and addressing challenges, as well as assisting participants to find new ways of doing things through sharing.

This study was divided into 2 phases.

Phase 1 was action research conducted primarily by the researcher to gather responses to the following research questions:

1. Do Italian language teachers in Western Australian primary schools use songs as a pedagogical tool in their classroom?

2. How do Italian language teachers in Western Australian primary schools use songs as a pedagogical tool in their classroom?

3. Why do Italian language teachers in Western Australian primary schools use songs as a pedagogical tool in their classroom?

During Phase 1, 255 primary schools that have Italian as their additional language and 215 teachers of Italian in primary schools across Western Australia in all educational sectors were invited to participate. Participants were asked to express further interest in the study at this phase of data collection. Data collection methods used to gather these data were mail out questionnaires to teachers, followed by interviews with teachers. Interviews were conducted either face-to-face or via telephone, depending on location and participant availability.

Phase 2 of the research used action research and intervention to gather responses to the following questions:

1. Do Italian language teachers in Western Australian primary schools consider the Orff-Schulwerk approach to be a useful pedagogical tool in their upper primary classrooms?

2. How well did the Orff-Schulwerk approach engage Western Australian upper primary students in the study of Italian as a second language?

3. How well did Italian language teachers in Western Australian primary schools rate the success of the Orff-Schulwerk approach as a pedagogical tool with their upper primary students?

This phase involved closer work with six non-music specialist Western Australian primary school teachers of Italian in seven Western Australian primary schools. Teacher participants attended a four-hour professional learning (PL) session in the basic principles of Orff-Schulwerk. The PL activities were selected on the basis that participants of any level could use them effectively in their classrooms. Participants trialled a number of activities that allowed them to discover how the principles of Orff-Schulwerk can be used to isolate language patterns in vocabulary, reinforce intonation and pronunciation, and to allow for discovery of language and creativity. Actions (gestures) were also demonstrated by the researcher and practiced by the participants to further reinforce the importance of movement when learning a language. These elements have proven to be important in other studies in the use of music to teach a second language which were conduced by Parker (1969) and Castiglione (1956). While these studies were conducted decades ago, they demonstrate that the basic principles of using music in a languages classroom still apply, in similar ways. In languages learning, we know it is important to teach students meaningful chunks of text rather than single isolated words (ILTLP, 2008). Participants were presented with strategies to help them use Orff-Schulwerk in this way.

After participating in the PL and upon returning to school, participating teachers were required to use elements of the Orff-Schulwerk approach in one of their upper primary classes for a period of eight weeks for 10 minutes of each lesson. The time span of ten minutes was decided upon as it has proven in previous studies to be effective, with, for example, Brown and Lamb (2004) finding that after exposing the students in their study to a song in a foreign language for a period of ten minutes, the students left the classroom singing a major portion of the song. For teachers in the study reported here, in the ten-minute sessions, students participated in a number of listening and echoing activities. The ten minutes did not have to be at the same part of the lesson each week. Teachers had flexibility to decide whether they wanted to conduct the intervention at the beginning or middle of the lesson. As Techmeier (1969, p.96) states, 'ten minutes a day at the beginning or middle of the lesson, when attention span is at its lowest will do a lot to perk up the students, to create a proper climate for learning and improve pronunciation.' Teachers were invited to take one small element of the Orff-Schulwerk approach that they felt comfortable with, were confident in using, and that they thought was applicable to their program, students and setting.

During the period of intervention the teacher received weekly evaluation forms via email from the researcher. It was initially thought that telephone interviews would be used, however after consulting with the teachers it was decided that email was their preferred mode of contact. Teachers were also able to ring the researcher if they needed any further assistance. The aim of the weekly contact was to provide support and guidance to the teachers during the intervention phase, to allow them to reflect on their practice and to assist the researcher to identify any themes or trends.

Prior to the commencement of the intervention teachers were asked to administer a questionnaire to all the students in their class. The purpose of the questionnaire was to allow the researcher to gauge student attitudes towards Italian using music in their language lessons. This questionnaire was re-administered at the conclusion of the intervention period so that a comparison could be made. 21 Western Australian upper primary school students (three per intervention class) were also interviewed via telephone pre and post intervention by the researcher. The purpose of these interviews was to allow the researcher to ascertain further insight into student attitudes. Fielding (2004, cited in Hopkins, 2008, p.54) discusses the advantages of using students as co-researchers, to assist analysis of data, as students have 'a different standpoint from the teacher'. Using students as 'co-researchers', the researcher hoped to increase the validity of the study through providing further insights into what had occurred in the intervention classroom. The students also provide further validation to the data from teachers' reports and evaluations.

At the conclusion of the intervention period the researcher conducted exit interviews via telephone with each of the teachers. A focus group meeting was also conducted to allow participants to share experiences and to discuss their thoughts and concerns further.

Currently, data gathered from this study are still being analysed. However, preliminary results are demonstrating the following trends, which the researcher hopes to investigate further and develop into themes for providing advice to teachers of languages considering a combined music and languages approach.

PHASE 1: PRELIMINARY FINDINGS

* Approximately 94 per cent of all responding teachers used song/music in some way as a pedagogical tool

* Many teachers emphasised that they used songs/music frequently in the classroom

* There is a good use of song/music in the junior and middle years, but less use of song/music in the upper primary years

* Teachers believe there to be a lack of resources (and especially alternative resources such as instruments) for teaching Italian to English-speaking Western Australian upper primary students, and many available resources don't match their teaching themes, and are often too babyish or too difficult for use with students

* It is emerging that a specific support focus was needed in the upper primary years

* Most responding teachers enjoy music in their personal lives, but 91 per cent of responding teachers don't play a musical instrument

* Teachers are not overly confident using music

* Music is mainly used for didactic purposes

* Singing is the preferred musical activity

* Students respond positively to music use in the classroom

* Music is mostly used to supplement existing knowledge, for language learning and to engage students

* 53 per cent of responding teachers had music as part of pre-service training

* Music resources, when used, are either purchased or borrowed from the resource library

* Songs and music are primarily used to: engage students, teach meaningful chunks of text, reinforce language, keep students occupied, increase involvement and interest, decrease pressure to use vocabulary drills

* The songs and music currently being used in the classroom are topic based (related to the concepts/ideas/topics being studied)

* Criteria teachers look for when selecting a song to use in the classroom are: repetitive vocabulary, catchy music, required vocabulary, simple and easy to understand

* In terms of their own professional learning, teachers stated that they wished that they had the skills to play a musical instrument and write their own music

* Teachers stated that music helps students to remember vocabulary

* When asked about similarities between music and Italian, teachers stated that they hadn't really considered the connection between the two. However, they did state that the two subject have similarities, as Italian sounds musical when spoken

PHASE 2--PRELIMINARY FINDINGS

In their exit interviews and focus group discussion, the following points were most common among the participating teachers:

* It was a positive experience for all

* There is definite potential for Orff-Schulwerk to become an effective pedagogical tool for the teaching of Italian

* Orff-Schulwerk should be introduced to the students right from junior primary by the Italian teacher, as this would ensure that senior students become used to it and it becomes part of what they do as normal learning practice

* All teachers stated that they would continue to use the Orff-Schulwerk approach and recommend it to others

* Teachers requested more PL so that they can increase confidence, ability and experience in using Orff-Schulwerk and can encourage others to attend

* Orff-Schulwerk helped the students remember language

* Teacher liked how they could use the vocabulary they were using in their classroom as the basis for the Orff-Schulwerk approach rather than having to modify their programmes to make the song fit their theme

* Orff-Schulwerk is effective in that it allows all students to participate, and it does not require and particular language ability to administer the approach

* Teachers would have liked a longer timeframe to implement the intervention

* Teachers liked that they didn't need to purchase resources and could allow students to create their own melodies and rhythms

* Students and teachers didn't feel as if they were singing

* The boys responded positively to Orff-Schulwerk activities

As stated above, these findings need to be analysed further, and explored for common and similar themes, to allow for suggestions to be provided to teachers about continuing to use music, and specifically Orff-Schulwerk, in their languages lessons. This work is ongoing.

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CONSTRAINTS OF THE STUDY

The researcher acknowledges that there were a number of constraints to the study. These included:

* Some schools not returning consent/ participation forms, meaning that teachers did not know of the study or were not given the chance to participate. There were also some instances of negative attitudes to having research conducted in the schools.

* School timetables and term planners made it difficult to find a suitable timeframe that could accommodate everyone involved. Timetables also sometimes interfered with the Italian teachers' ability to conduct weekly lessons.

* Teachers withdrawing from the study due to time constraints, school constraints, family commitments, lack of confidence or lack of interest.

* Teachers' confidence and self-esteem. Some teachers had preconceived ideas that music could not be used to teach a language, or that music would not help upper primary students learn Italian. There was, for some, an 'I can't sing' attitude, which produced resistance from many teachers. A research environment also seems to increase teacher vulnerability and many are not willing to take risks when they perceive a researcher is observing them.

* Mail out questionnaires did present a few problems, including non-response, item non-response, risk of teachers not understanding questions and the researcher having no control over teachers completing questionnaires in collaboration or honestly.

* Researcher compromised control by asking the teachers to administer the student questionnaires.

* Telephone interviews do not allow the researcher to probe and respond to the body language of the participant.

* Not knowing if or how teachers are actually administering Orff-Schulwerk intervention as the researcher was not present in the classroom.

* Student absenteeism when data was being collected and during the intervention lessons may have compromised the data.

* Students' withdrawal from Italian classes during the eight-week intervention period.

LIMITATIONS OF THE STUDY

The researcher acknowledges the following limitations to the study:

* The eight week Orff-Schulwerk intervention may have been too short.

* Small sample of teachers and schools used. Only 2.6 per cent of the total number of primary school Italian teachers and schools approached eventually participated.

* It is not known whether Orff-Schulwerk helps upper primary students learn Italian as no baseline data was gathered prior to the intervention

* It is not known whether Orff-Schulwerk increases upper primary student performance (grades) in Italian as no baseline data was gathered prior to the intervention.

AREAS FOR FUTURE STUDY

It is hoped that this study will encourage possible further investigation into, for example, whether:

* Orff-Schulwerk can be used to teach other languages in upper primary

* Orff-Schulwerk helps upper primary students learn an additional language

* Orff-Schulwerk increases upper primary students language acquisition

* Orff-Schulwerk increases upper primary student performance (grades) in an additional language.

CONCLUSION

The ongoing research aims to provide specialist teachers of Italian in Western Australian upper primary classes with:

* new information on how to use the Orff-Schulwerk approach in languages classes

* an understanding of how song/music can be a valuable teaching tool

* empirical evidence for song/music as a vehicle for enhancing second language learning

* a strategy, which enables them to increase senior student interest and participation in languages learning

* increased confidence in using song/ music with upper primary students.

The researcher hopes that the research will also encourage third parties to see the value and the power of music, intercultural learning benefits, and the benefits that an Interdisciplinary curriculum can provide.

Students will take songs outside the classroom and will go on performing or listening to them long after the lesson has finished. Unlike drills, which usually slip from the students mind as soon as they leave the classroom, songs can last a lifetime and become part of ones culture (Ianterno & Salerno, cited in Kramer 2001, p.55).

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Dr Annamaria Paolino is a sessional academic and tutor in the School of Education at Edith Cowan University. She gained her doctorate in 2013 from Edith Cowan University. Her research interests include music education, languages education, teaching children with special needs, the role of neuroscience in education, online education and interdisciplinary teaching. Annamaria teaches across both the undergraduate pre-service teacher education course and the postgraduate education courses at Edith Cowan University. She has 20 years primary teaching experience where she has taught all learning areas and across all year levels. Her various roles included primary Music and Italian specialist, Level 3 teacher and Deputy Principal. Annamaria has been awarded various study scholarships, including the Endeavour Language Teacher Fellowship and in 2013 she was awarded the WAIER Post-Graduate Research Award.

Dr Geoffrey Lummis is a Senior Lecturer in the School of Education at Edith Cowan University. He gained his doctorate from Murdoch University. His research interests include aesthetics and philosophy, the arts in education, issues in teacher education, critical theory and cross-curriculum studies. Geoffrey teaches in visual arts and science, across both undergraduate and postgraduate education courses at Edith Cowan University. He has worked in education for over 30 years, including as a primary art advisory teacher in the Ministry of Education (WA), and served on many education and arts committees.