The purpose of this study was to examine how NASM accredited music education degree programs from public and private universities throughout the United States address reading literacy (language arts) integration within the elementary music classroom. Accordingly, the following research questions guided the study: (1) What, if any, reading course is currently included in the undergraduate music education degree program?(2) What are the attitudes and perceptions of music education professors towards music and reading integration within the music teacher preparation programs?(3) What “philosophical lens” is used to develop a reading integrated curriculum for pre-service music teachers and how is it interpreted in practice?(4) What content and experiences are included within the general music course (or course equivalent) that addresses reading and how is it implemented? A quantitative descriptive research design was implemented in three phases: conceptual analysis of degree programs curricula, survey, and interviews. A conceptual analysis of music education degree programs was used to examine the presence of reading courses within the music education degree program and under which department the courses are provided (n = 100). A cross-sectional survey was conducted in order to provide a “descriptive” analysis of instructors’ (n = 42) attitudes and perception towards reading/language arts integration within the general music methods course (or course equivalent). A chi-squared analysis determined correlations between teacher demographics and questionnaire portions of the survey. Interviews of selected instructors (n = 3) were conducted to further detail how reading content is introduced and integrated within the coursework of the general music methods course (or course equivalent), a course that is required by the NASM for music teacher certification. Results indicated that of the universities/colleges investigated (N = 100) more than half (54%) included a course(s) in reading. Additionally, instructor attitudes showed favorably towards reading integration and a majority of the instructors perceive an awareness of the national reading crisis. However, there were mixed feelings towards the belief that music education teacher training programs should be structured to prepare pre-service music students to support basic reading instruction in the music classroom and instructor confidence in teaching reading integration to pre-service music teachers. Analysis of interviews revealed consistent themes towards reading integration including preparing pre-teachers music teachers with (1) awareness of key concepts and vocabulary in reading instruction (phonemic awareness, phonics, sequencing, decoding, and comprehension) that was embedded in the course, (2) use of reading strategies, and (3) modeling how integrative strategies are implemented in which students had opportunities to imitate through assignments. Finally, the philosophical lens that guided the instructors in the inclusion of reading integration in the course was integrative in nature. .

Music for all : everyone has the potential to learn music / Markku Kaikkonen -- Twice exceptional / Alice M. Hammel -- How the Orff approach can support inclusive music teaching / Shirley Salmon -- Lessons learned from the Prism project : pedagogical viewpoints in music education for teaching students with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) / Ryan Hourigan -- Assistive technology to support students in accessing the music curriculum / Emily H. Watts, Kimberly McCord, & Deborah V. Blair -- SoundOUT : examining the role of accessible interactive music technologies within inclusive music ensembles in Cork City, Ireland / Grainne McHale -- Music activities for children with disabilities : an example from Taiwan / Liza Lee -- Behavioral issues in the music classroom : promoting the successful engagement of all students / Alice Ann Darrow and Mary Adamek -- Specified learning disabilities and music education / Kimberly McCord -- Including students with disabilities in instrumental ensembles / Christine M. Lapka -- Music for children with hearing loss / Alan Gertner and Lyn Schraer-Joiner -- Reading acquisition frameworks for music and language : layering elements of literacy for students with exceptionalities / Elaine Bernstorf -- Understanding the U.S. individualized education program model / Kimberly VanWeelden -- Special education and special music education outside of the United States / Kimberly McCord

Language Arts, Math, and Science in the Elementary Music Classroom provides a practical guide to help music teachers incorporate elementary classroom subjects into their curriculum using STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Math)-inspired strategies, with added emphasis on social studies. It includes a complete elementary music curriculum for kindergarten, first, and second grades, and has cross-referencing charts for regular elementary classroom teachers to find music activities for their classroom. Importantly, it shows teachers how to include the artistic processes of creating, performing, responding, and connecting in their lessons. These processes make up the new music standards featured in NAfME's new Core Arts Music Standards. In order to maximize comprehension, the book includes assessment tests, sheet music, work sheet templates, and brainstorming activities centered on using technology to enhance composition projects. Lesson plans are organized by the calendar year, each inspired by the seasons, American culture, and world culture. These lessons may be used as is or used to generate new curricula altogether.

The second edition of The Music and Literacy Connection expands our understanding of the links between reading and music by examining those skills and learning processes that are directly parallel for music learning and language arts literacy in the pre-K, elementary, and secondary levels. This edition includes two new chapters: one dedicated to secondary music education and teacher evaluation, and another that offers a literature review of latest literacy research in education, neuroscience, and neuropsychology. Readers will find extensive instructional examples for music and reading teachers so that they may enrich and support each other in alignment with current initiatives for twenty-first-century curricula. Instructional examples are aligned with The National Core Music Standards and the Common Core State Standards for English Language Arts and Media Arts. Readers will find an in-depth review of the benefits of music learning in the listening, viewing, speaking and writing literacy as well as comprehensive information for children with special needs. The Music and Literacy Connection is a valuable resource for professional development, college literacy courses, and curriculum administrators.

The Oxford Handbook of Preservice Music Teacher Education in the United States identifies the critical need for change in Pre-K-12 music education. Collectively, the handbook's 56 contributors argue that music education benefits all students only if educators actively work to broaden diversity in the profession and consistently include diverse learning strategies, experiences, and perspectives in the classroom. In this handbook, contributors encourage music teachers, researchers, policy makers, and music teacher educators to take up that challenge. Throughout the handbook, contributors provide a look at ways music teacher educators prepare teachers to enter the music education profession and offer suggestions for ways in which new teachers can advocate for and adapt to changes in contemporary school settings. Building upon students' available resources, contributors use research-based approaches to identify the ways in which educational methods and practices must transform in order to successfully challenge existing music education boundaries.