Question 2.

 Discuss someways that I can use my art to enhance student acquiring English literacy skills.

This is not an easy question as an international student. this is because, at first, I had to know what the English literacy skills are and how student can acquire English literacy skills. However, I believe that English literacy skills are same as Korean literacy skills. Also, to enhance students acquiring English literacy skills as a music educator, I should notice what music education's problem is.

MUSIC is familiar to every one. A baby already has a sense of feeling by the baby's mother before a boy or a girl is born. Right after the baby's birth, the baby begins to develop the sense of hearing and feeling abilities. Because of these abilities, the baby can become to discern, understand and express their thought. So, everybody can sing even children at the age of 2~3 years can sing. Even though they can learn the songs or the music by themselves, why do educators teach the songs in schools? 

About 2000 years ago, Greek believed the importance of music for people was to be adapted to the ideal politic system or social, and in the medieval period, the importance of music was considered to be important for people's religion. For the seventeen century philosophies, music was needed to maintain people's morality. In the 18 century, Singing School movement began to increase the quality of the church music in the USA. In 1838 when the USA government allowed to teach at public schools as a regular subject, people believed that music is helpful mentally, morally, and physically for human beings. And then, the interest of music educators became focused on just singing until the 1920's. From 1930's to 1950's, music was widely extended to music activity such as to singing the songs, playing the instruments, creating music and listening to the music. Since 1960's, music has been treated in the various way much more than before in schools.

As time went on, people have had the different concept of the importance of music in each era. 

In modern era, the most important thing for educator is to have the right direction to teach in school's classrooms. Educators should notice what kinds music and what kinds intention will be used for student to experience in the music classroom. They should have educational strategies. If students are provided limited music education like just singing or just listening to the music, they cannot have the variety of experience. It is obvious that the singing is the one of important actives, but their experience through music is much more broader. Moreover, if students are offered just the singing class or just the listening to music, they can have different experience depend on what educator have the intension. 

In conclusion, the most important role of music for students is to provide an opportunity that student have their own thought. It means that students can have experience to analyze, judge and criticize through the process of music,the music practice.  I think this is related with Elliot saying, "the original meaning for the art had much more to do with the process than with the product"  So, music educators should help students to have various experience, feel dynamic emotion and represent their great ideas by music or through music. As a result, music educators will be able to help to enhance students acquiring English literacy skills.