Integrating Music in the Elementary Classroom

The integration of musical-rhythmic teaching and learning strategies in the elementary classroom supports student learning in a wide variety of ways. In particular, the cross-curricular integration of music support students’ literacy development, enhance students’ multicultural learning, along with increasing student engagement and understanding of mathematical concepts and skills. This study describes the benefits and challenges of integrating musical-rhythmic instructional strategies in daily teaching and learning activities in the elementary classroom. The discourse on the research topic is informed by qualitative interview data collected and synthesized from two elementary teachers in Toronto, Ontario. Although teachers have varying comfort levels in implementing musical-rhythmic related instructional strategies in the classroom, this study highlights how its implementation can improve students’ learning across the curriculum and beyond