スウェーデンの就学前学校のLäroplan för förskolan 98における音楽の意義 : 生涯学習を中心に

This study examines music education in Swedish preschools. Swedish preschool education is based on the concept of life-long learning. In Sweden, the pattern for life-long learning in preschool takes the form of inculcating the desire to learn among young children. The Läroplan för förskolan 98 (Lpfö98) makes the following statements with respect to music: “Creating and communicating by means of different forms of expression, such as pictures, song and music, drama, rhythm, dance and movement, and spoken and written language provide both the content and methods to be used by the preschool in promoting the development and learning of the child”; and the preschool should strive to ensure that each child “develops their creative abilities and the ability to convey impressions, thoughts, and experiences in many different forms of expression, such as play, pictures, song and music, dance, and drama.” Thus, in the Lpfö98, music is regarded as a sort of partner in certain activities to promote the development of young children. In Sweden, music is often used in a number of activities, especially in improving the language skills of children. Music is adopted in several education activities because it adds a pleasant dimension to such activities: from the perspective of life-long learning, music plays an important role in removing feelings of dislike for learning. In the process, young children also gain familiarity with music.