Participatory Methodologies In Music Acquisition

The major thrust of this study was to investigate the participatory methodologies in music acquisition by Zimbabwean African Shona Children. Data was collected using interviews, document analysis and observation. The data was analyzed using descriptive method. The study revealed that while teachers acknowledge that pupils acquire music skills and knowledge through the participatory methods, they however, do not use the same methods in their teaching. The study also revealed that teachers were not well equipped to teach music acquisition .The implications of the study are that the traditional methods, (participatory methodologies) of music acquisition should be employed by the music teachers. Teachers should use the pupils` mother tongue when teaching music acquisition .Pupils` musical knowledge and acquired music skills should be developed using the participatory approach. Finally, the study recommended that further research be undertaken in order to establish why teachers do not use the approach and why they are not fully equipped to teach music acquisition.