Methods of music instruction in selected early childhood contexts in Ghana – A case study of two schools

Methods of music instruction in selected early childhood contexts in Ghana – A case study of two schools

Wisdom Taylor , Samuel Agbenyo , Kow Arkhust & Emmanuel Osei Owusu

Issue: Vol.6 September 2026 Issue Article 1 pp. 1-14
DOI: https://doi.org/10.38159/ejomur.2026611 | Published online 28th September 2026
© 2025 The Author(s). This is an open access article under the CCBY license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/).

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ABSTRACT

Music instruction in kindergarten is imperative for its value in helping pupils to attain a holistic education. However, music instruction in Ghana’s kindergarten shifts from experiential learning to crowd control, limiting activities to whole-group singing where more engaging, hands-on musical activities are logistically impossible or ignored. A comparative study of two schools in different contexts was conducted to determine how music instruction in kindergarten contributes to pupils’ holistic education. The teaching methods and instrumental resources used in the schools were investigated to reveal how they imbue holistic music education in pupils. The study employed Gardner’s Multiple Intelligences theory, with a qualitative research paradigm and a case study design. Fourteen (14) participants were sampled purposively for the study. Interviews and observations were employed for data collection. The findings of the study revealed that the number of pupils in a kindergarten class makes music instruction effective. It was revealed that there were a lot of miniature musical instruments in the music classroom of Lincoln Community School, where students could have hands-on experience. The teaching method used in both schools was the learner-centered method, but Lincoln Community School uses the Carolff and Kodaly approaches for instrumental instruction. The study corroborates earlier findings that effective Music instruction develops pupils holistically. It is therefore recommended that teachers in Emmanuel Presbyterian School use instructional materials like miniature instruments to teach the kindergarteners since children in kindergarten learn best from what they see, hear, and experience. This study adds to existing literature on the benefits of music in early childhood education in Ghana.

Keywords: Music education, instructional materials, kindergarten, miniature instruments

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AUTHOR(S)

Wisdom Taylor is a Music lecturer at Gbewaa College of Education, Pusiga, where he serves as Unit Head for the Performing Arts under the Creative Arts Department. He holds a BA and an MPhil in Music from the University of Education, Winneba. A skilled guitarist, composer, and music educationist, his research focuses on music education, music technology, using music to address societal challenges, and music for student development.

Dr. Samuel Agbenyo is a Senior Lecturer in the Department of Music Education at the University of Education, Winneba (UEW), and Graduate Programmes Co-ordinator for Arts and Culture at the Centre for Research in Culture and Creative Arts (CeRCCA), UEW. He holds a PhD in Arts and Culture from the University of Education, Winneba, and a second PhD in Music Education from the University of Mississippi, USA. His research and teaching expertise spans music pedagogy, music psychology, arts and culture, musical arts administration and supervision, and creative arts. His creative works include commissioned anthems and pieces for institutional and national events, alongside numerous research publications presented at local and international conferences. His scholarly and professional distinction has been recognized through several awards, including the Best Graduating PhD Music Education Student award from the University of Mississippi (2022) and the Vice Chancellor’s Award for Distinguished Dedicated Staff at the University of Education, Winneba (2024).

Kow Arkhurst is a Lecturer in Creative Arts Education at Abetifi Presbyterian College of Education, Ghana, where he teaches Performing Arts and Music Education to B.Ed. student-teachers. A final-year PhD candidate, his dissertation examines rhythmic idioms and aesthetic functions in the choral works of Mensah Essilfie. His research interests include music education, African choral music, choral analysis, compositional pedagogy, and Performing Arts teacher education in the Ghanaian context. He is currently authoring undergraduate textbooks in his teaching disciplines, targeting publishers such as Routledge, Oxford University Press, and Cambridge University Press.

Dr. Emmanuel Osei-Owusu is a music educator, researcher, and performing musician with over thirteen years of teaching experience and international experience in music education. He holds a PhD and MPhil in Music from the University of Ghana, Legon, and a Bachelor of Music degree from the University of Education, Winneba. His research interests include African music, orchestral music in Ghana, Pan-Africanism, musical modernity, cultural identity, and music education. His scholarly work has examined the development and indigenisation of orchestral music in Ghana, with particular attention to the Ghana National Symphony Orchestra and the Pan-African Orchestra. He currently serves as Head of Arts & Design and Music Teacher at Dwight School Seoul, South Korea.

TO CITE ARTICLE

Taylor, Wisdom; Samuel Agbenyo, Kow Arkhust, and Emmanuel Osei Owusu. “Methods of music instruction in selected Early Childhood Contexts in Ghana – A case study of two schools.” E-Journal of Music Research 6, no.6 (2026): 1-14. https://doi.org/10.38159/ejomur.2026611