EP. 43 - from Penang, Malaysia: Dalcroze, Strings & Play-based learning in Early Years & Primary w/ Asta Hodgson

Asta Hodgson is the Head of Music at Prince of Wales Island International School in Penang, Malaysia.

Beginning with her formal music training as a cellist, and subsequent music teacher training focusing on Dalcroze, Asta then completed a dissertation looking at how entrainment interventions impact prosocial behaviours in early years children. This is such a cool study! Asta has so many practical and strategic ideas for how to integrate Dalcroze, strings and play-based music learning together.

In this episode, we explore:

• what it's like to live and work in Penang, Malaysia.
• some powerful approaches to fostering creativity through play-based music learning in early years and primary music settings. 
• the role of the 'teacher as facilitator' in play-based music education.
• the Dalcroze approach and why this might be a useful pedagogy to explore.
• a range of resources and strategies that teachers can take into the classroom tomorrow!
• who is "Steve the mouse" and why we have to keep him safe (yep, random...but you'll have to watch the episode to find out more.

A massive thanks to Asta for sharing her insights and providing some valuable challenges and inspo for the community. Get in touch with Asta or grab some links to resources mentioned in the episode below.

Get in touch with Asta:

• Email: asta.hodgson1985@gmail.com
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/asta-hodgson-a59225258/

Links and resources from this episode:

Teaching Resources:

• Improvisation: Sketching at the Keyboard series by Laura Campbell
• Singing games (EY, Middle School): National Youth Choir of Scotland Singing Games & Rhymes series 
• Abracadabra Strings Beginners Series (Collins Music)

Dalcroze Societies:

• Dalcroze UK: https://dalcroze.org.uk/
• Annie Lennox patron of Dalcroze UK: https://dalcroze.org.uk/annie-lennox-announced-as-patron-of-dalcroze-uk/
• Dalcroze Malaysia Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1541412036100123/
• Dalcroze Society of America: https://dalcrozeusa.org/ (and a link to an article Asta wrote for them last year about Plastique Anime: https://dalcrozeusa.org/blog/plastique-animee-the-importance-of-the-embodiment-of-musical-expression-and-communication/)

Further Reading:

• Primary Music Magazine: https://musiceducationsolutions.co.uk/primary-music-magazine/(Asta's article about musical play coming soon!)
• Campbell, P . S., (2010). Songs in their heads: Music and its meaning in children's lives (2nd ed.). Oxford Universit