'World Beating' World music has an important role to play in the classroom as the experiences of Musiko Musika staff reveal Cultural diversity presents many challenges to modern society but also comes hand in hand with a wealth of opportunity to develop creative and alternative approaches to education. Organisations are tapping into this opportunity, developing workshops and resources which link world music with various areas of the primary curriculum and support the development of basic learning skills.

Music provides a gateway into another culture that is highly accessible and which leads us naturally on to a wider understanding of the differences as well as the similarities between groups of human beings. Modes of teaching and learning have close ties to other social and cultural factors that are distinctive amongst different ethnic groups. This is particularly noticeable in the pedagogy of music where, for example, Western classical music is traditionally taught in a very different manner to both the oral traditions of Latin American music and the guru-focussed teaching methods of Indian classical music. Beyond that, each of these traditions has its own methods for notating music and different understandings of the nature of rhythm and harmony. What underpins these differences is the varied roles that music and musicians have within society and how the music has developed through history, both of which are culturally and socially defined.
Bringing even a small part of that diversity into the classroom is to throw open the mind to the spectacular range of possibilities that exists in the wider world. To learn that there is more than one way to approach a task or describe an idea does not undermine previous knowledge but serves to enhance it, developing stronger and more creative thought processes.

This leads us to the most noticeable outcome of the development of the Music Links project, devised by Musiko Musika – the impact it has on pupils' basic learning skills. Analysis of the workshop plans and evaluations in the first pilot year showed that the musical and curricular work that was being taught was making very specific demands on the development of skills in listening, cooperation, self-discipline, leadership, respect for others and concentration on a particular task. These basic skills are critical not only to the successful outcome of learning goals but also to the wider development of children into the positive and balanced young citizens we need for our society as a whole.

Formed by Mauricio Venegas-Astorga and Rachel Pantin in 1998, Musiko Musika has worked to bring music and music-making into the community both in the UK and abroad through a variety of education projects.

At the heart of these are the principles of participation and collaboration. These inform the work at all levels, from the initial development of projects directly with communities and schools and through to the cultural collaboration of the musicians and the creative development of songs and compositions in workshops. Venegas-Astorga's contribution to the raising of awareness of refugee issues through his music and education work has been recognised by the United Nations as part of the 50th anniversary of the UN charter for refugees.

Through Music Links, Musiko Musika has devised and piloted a series of five-week workshops for delivery by specialist musicians working with classes from nursery to Year 6. These workshops have been adapted and modified into a set of Key Stage (KS) resources for use by non-specialist class teachers in the delivery of class lessons. Participants in projects and residencies consistently remark on the positive effects of having cultural collaboration as a role model and on the confidence and enthusiasm generated for creating music.

The range of cultural and curricular links include Early Years counting skills (linking with instruments and rhythms from various cultures), design and technology (linking with Latin American instruments and rhythms at KS1) and mathematics (linking with Indian scale patterns at KS2). The objective is for the workshops and resources to supplement and reinforce learning that is being carried out through other teaching strategies, rather than directly replacing existing programmes of study.

Feedback from teachers and pupils has been very positive, with both making clear connections between learning that takes place in the workshops and the linked curriculum areas. The Music Links resources have now been published and launched at special in-service training events in Hackney and Enfield during the autumn term. The two books of resources comprise eight sets of printed five-week lesson plans for Foundation, KS1 and KS2. These detailed plans are complemented by printed worksheets and audio CDs of musical extracts, examples and rehearsal tracks.

The quality and accessibility of the resources is a high priority as the long term success of the project depends on the work being put into practice by class teachers as much as its continued development by Musiko Musika. Pre-existing resources in the area of world music tend to emphasise the exotic cultural elements of the music and reinforce stereotypes and the aim is to counter this with an expanding range of resources that are driven by strong musical and educational values.

Over the past two years the Music Links project has been funded by the lottery through Arts Council England with additional funding from Hackney Music Services, Enfield Arts Support Service and the Foundation for Sport and the Arts. The two initial pilot schools, Colvestone and Kensal Rise Primaries, have both also provided an invaluable level of support and commitment to the project.
The UK has some of the most talented proponents of world music to be found anywhere and a number of them have been involved in the development of the workshops and resources. When approached with respect and backed up by a thorough understanding of the curriculum, world music can make a unique contribution to our ability to equip young people for the diverse musical, social and cultural environment of the 21st century.

Musiko Musika is hosting a conference on world music in education on 3 March at London 's Conway Hall. For more information or to download an application form, please visit www.musikomusika.org