Analysis of interaction and learning in instrumental teaching

The object of the study was to describe and analyse instrumental teaching and learning, and increase our knowledge about how different patterns of interaction affect students' opportunities to learn. Data consisted of 5 hours of videotaped and transcribed guitar and brass teaching sessions. In order to elucidate the complex phenomenon of instrumental teaching, the study combines compatible theories for application on different theoretical levels of the empirical study. The results of the analysis show that teachers did not play much during the lessons. Teachers and students addressed music as sight-reading exercises. Music was broken down into separate notes or chords as read from the sheet. Interaction during the lessons had a strong asymmetric distribution of power. The asymmetric interaction had negative consequences for the students' opportunities to learn. The actions of the teachers and student were not primarily interpreted as results of individual choices, but as routine actions, evolved throughout the history of the institution.