Adapting a Music Education Curriculum for a Bilingual Context: A Teaching Experience Report

Abstract

This study draws upon the author’s experiences as a music teacher in a bilingual (Portuguese/English) private elementary school in São Paulo, Brazil, from 2017 to 2019. It establishes interdisciplinary connections across four domains: communication, language, culture, and inclusion. These domains inform the study’s approach to observing, reflecting, investigating, analysing, and making curricular adjustments for music education within a bilingual context, characterized by partial or total English immersion for students aged 1.5 to 9 years. The objectives of the study include documenting the curriculum adaptation process by detailing the rationale behind key decisions and sharing effective pedagogical strategies and activities that can be implemented in bilingual, multicultural, and inclusive educational settings. An analytical framework is employed to elucidate the reflective and action-oriented phases of the work. This study aims to offer insights and practical approaches for teachers and educators working in bilingual and inclusive environments.