ABSTRACT

Sexual difference expresses itself not only in the musical practices and tastes of boys and girls in schools, but also in teachers’ discourse about pupils’ musicality. The following article explores this discourse through interpreting the findings of some questionnaire research, which was intended to tap teachers’ common-sense and sometimes unspoken assumptions about gender, music and education. A considerable amount of both overt and implicit consensus between teachers is revealed. Questions are raised about the implications of such a consensus, both for the musical education of children, and for the musical roles of men and women. This article was originally written and published as a Research Report in the London University Institute of Education.