Interdisciplinary music teaching explores music within a broader context of a various fields and disciplines. Research has shown that the use of the interdisciplinary methodology in school has positive results as it enhances students' motivation to learn and unifies different learning subjects. In this proposal, ‘Simultaneous Learning’ (SL) is used as a way to apply interdisciplinary teaching in primary school in music. ‘Simultaneous Learning’ (SL) is a practical pedagogical approach for instrumental music developed by the British music educator Paul Harris, aiming to empower music students and enable them to become complete, and creative musicians, holistically educated. SL is based on four ideas: teaching proactively, teaching through the piece’s ingredients, making connections, and empowering instead of judging. According to Mateos-Moreno & Erlanson (2024), despite the fact that the method has been used for two decades worldwide is not yet enough explored academically. In this study I provide ways of adapting SL to general music teaching in primary school using interdisciplinary activities. More specifically, the study is focused on the ways with which these activities could be drawn from one piece of music at a time as the method suggests. Lesson plans and activities are constructed as units and not as fragments of music knowledge. Singing, performing and learning are achieved through the connection of music with other disciplines and with students’ every-day experiences. Participants included a class of 20 students of a class in a primary school of Greece (grade 5). Data will be collected by semi-structured interviews and teacher’s diaries kept on a daily basis during a period of 8 weeks. Preliminary results have shown that this method affects participants’ learning experiences by strengthening and simulating their engagement to music learning. Educational implications could be considered those related to schools’ curricula, and teachers’ flexibility and confidence to transform their teaching methods.

This practice-based research examines the integration of creative disciplines—music, art, dance, and film—within Estonian general education schools, exploring how interdisciplinary teaching practices can reshape music education. Situated within the context of Estonia’s evolving educational landscape, where cross-disciplinary collaboration is increasingly emphasized, this study focuses on the Model of Integrated Learning and Teaching of Creative Subjects (2019) as a tool for transforming the learning experience. Participants include 12 educators across music, art, dance, and film who are actively engaged in interdisciplinary teaching.

The project aims to investigate how teachers combine music with other creative subjects to create dynamic, holistic learning experiences for students. By employing the integrated model, the research explores both the effectiveness and challenges of cross-disciplinary teaching from the perspective of practicing educators. The goal is to identify sustainable, adaptable teaching strategies that foster creativity and inclusivity across subjects (Remm, et al 2024).

This presentation will provide an overview of the course designed to introduce the integrated model to creative subject educators, as well as a newly developed format for recording and documenting learning units. It will also highlight specific learning units already created using this model, demonstrating its practical application and potential for wider adoption.

The long-term outcomes of the project include a repository of teacher-developed interdisciplinary learning units that have been successfully implemented in classrooms. These resources will serve as practical tools for educators worldwide, contributing to the ongoing development of music education by providing an adaptable framework for fostering creativity and collaborative learning.