Future Teachers’ Musicality and Their Competence in Integrating Music into the Classroom

The study aims to determine the interrelationship between future primary school teachers’ confidence in their musicality and the competence to integrate types of musical activity into other subjects. The study included 78 (n=78) part-time students enrolled in the professional bachelor study programme offered by the University of Latvia. The study was based on a quantitative research design in which measurements were made according to three research scales: (1) musicality, (2) self-expression skills using types of musical activity and (3) competence in integrating musical activity types into other subjects. The SPSS 22.0 program was used for data processing, and the results were produced according to the research questions raised in the study. The study revealed that future primary school teachers are confident about their emotional response to music and sense of rhythm. The students are confident in their skills to chant and perform rhythm exercises with and without sound gestures. Confidence in musicality and self-expression skills using different musical activity types are not related to age and teaching experience. Confidence in skills to express oneself using types of musical activity is connected with the competence to integrate them into other subjects. Future primary school teachers are more competent in integrating musical games and listening to music into other subjects than playing musical instruments. The study findings can be used to improve the professional training of future primary school teachers.