This fourth edition of Learning to Teach Music in the Secondary School has been thoroughly revised to reflect the latest changes, initiatives, research and scholarship in music education. By focusing on overarching principles, it aims to develop reflective practitioners who will creatively and critically examine their own and others’ ideas about music education.

The new edition seeks to prioritise understandings of young people’s musical lives – including their cultural experiences, digital competencies and individual needs – as the context in which to reflect on teaching and learning within and beyond the music classroom. Providing an overview of contemporary issues in music teaching and learning from a range of perspectives, this book focuses on teaching music musically, and enables the reader to:

• place music education in its historical and social context;
• consider the nature of musical knowledge and how teachers can facilitate their students to learn musically;
• critically analyse the frameworks within which music teachers work;
• develop an understanding of composing, performing and responding to music, as well as key issues such as creativity, individual needs and assessment;
• examine aspects of music beyond the classroom and how effective links can be made between curriculum music and music outside of school.

Including a range of case studies, tasks and reflections to help integrate the theory and practice of music education effectively, this new edition will provide valuable support, guidance and challenges for teachers at all stages of their careers, as well as being a useful resource for teacher educators in a wide range of settings.