Hearing is a physiological process and is the first prerequisite for listening, while listening is a psychological activity, a skill which needs to be learned. In early childhood, the child perceives and learns about the sound/music environment through their own activity based on sensory and motor processes and a positive emotional attitude. Adults to whom the child is emotionally attached play an essential role in this process, by planning a stimulating sound/music environment. Planned listening activities guided by significant adults promote the development of active listening, building auditory sensitivity and attention to sound.
In this edition of B-AIR Sound and Music in Child Development, the development of hearing and listening in young children will be presented from the perspective of the public curriculum in the Slovenian kindergarten and the internationally recognised Edgar Willems pedagogical concept. Listening to music is one of the integral activities in the curricula of both concepts. With invited experts, we will shed light on the implementation aspects of the programs under discussion, highlighting the developmental aspect of listening in 3- and 4-year-olds. We will focus on different approaches to teaching music listening in relation to the child's emotional mood and the factor of significant adults.
