Speaking the Same Language: How the Kodály Method Promotes Disciplinary Literacy

Abstract

Educators are consistently asked to show their students’ literacy levels; however, the traditional definition of literacy is typically limited to a strict interpretation of reading and writing using text rather than notation. Disciplinary literacy expands the definition of literacy, allowing music educators to teach disciplinary-specific symbology. This article describes how the Kodály concept helps students process sound into symbol, which provides students with specific literacy strategies to convert sound into developmentally appropriate visual representations.