Cross curricular ideas
It is one of the core principles of the LCA programme that teachers work together as a team
in cross curricular planning and activity. This can be great fun and it does help to cut down
the workload!
Below is a diagram on the topics that the Arts programme including music have in common
with other LCA courses.
It is a good idea to have a meeting at the start of the year with the team of LCA teachers and
get some idea of what courses and assignments other teachers are covering. Regular meeting
throughout the year are also a good idea in this respect. Below are some ideas on how music
teachers can link in with other course teachers.

It is a good idea to liaise closely with the I.C.T. teacher for most of the music
assignments. Students need to be able to access music sites and websites for research
purposes. For example they may need to do research on Music styles or artists. They
will need to learn how to download music legally particularly backing tracks which
they will need for performance activities.
ICT skills are particularly important for the music Industry and music technology.
The Internet is a very useful resource for information on music and film and music
and advertising. Students can do research on careers and educational opportunities in
music and music related industries,
In Music and technology the ICT teacher can really help with skills on the creation of
sound and the production of a CD, Video or a short ad.

In relation to the music industry and advertisement it is useful to work with the Office
Administration& Customer Care (O.A.C.C.) and or the VPG teachers. These topics
are also covered in their courses.

I would work closely with the English & Communications teacher in relation to the
organizational, written and oral presentation skills that are required for most of the
assignments. English skills are particularly important in researching music in the local
community and in student class project presentations.
Interview techniques are of course essential for Task preparation and for interviewing
singers, musicians and others in the music industry. Interviews also form part of
assignments in VPG and OACC.
One assignment in English and Communications that fits in very well with music is a
film review. This assignment could be done in conjunction with the English and
Communications teacher giving the student two for the price of one! (See worksheet
above under classroom material).

When doing Irish Music it is useful to work with the Irish and Leisure and Recreation
/Dance Teachers. The Irish teacher can work with students on the text of songs while
you work on the melody. The Leisure and Recreation/ Dance teacher can do set
dancing or Irish step dancing while you explore the dance rhythms and history.

In Hotel and Catering students work on ethnic dishes and this can fit in well with the
study of world music in the music course. Similarly cultural diversity is part of the
Social Education course. Some schools have had an ethnic day where students have
cooked Italian, Indian or Chinese dishes, appropriate background music or musical
performance have been chosen from these traditions while students have also done an
oral or visual presentation on the culture. In this way many assignments or tasks can
be covered together and this can also form part of ‘Open Night’ activities.

There is an overlap between Music and Leisure and Recreation in Module 1 of the
latter where students learn about the Leisure industry (See excerpt from Leisure and
Recreation course descriptor). This would be an ideal area where the teachers of both
subjects could work together.

Probably the subject that has the most in common with music on the LCA programme
is Dance. As you can see from the general overview of the dance course below there
are loads of areas where teachers of each subject could work together. It is also worth
noting that it would be really worthwhile for students to do a module from both dance
and music. See also the excellent course material for Dance on this website.