Name
371 - “Our Song”: Teaching Intercultural Understanding through New Immigrant Music in Taiwan
Date & Time
Tuesday, July 28, 2026, 10:00 AM - 10:30 AM
Description
In recent decades, Taiwan has welcomed a growing number of new immigrants—primarily from Mainland China, Vietnam, Indonesia, Hong Kong, and the Philippines, but also from other regions—whose presence has enriched society with diverse cultural practices and musical traditions (National Immigration Agency, R.O.C. [Taiwan], 2025). This diversification resonates with the General Guidelines of the 12-Year Basic Education, which emphasize cultivating students’ respect for cultural diversity, appreciation of different values, and engagement with both local and global perspectives (Ministry of Education, R.O.C. [Taiwan], 2018). Building on this foundation, the Arts Curriculum Guidelines further highlight the importance of experiencing, understanding, and exploring the diversity of arts and cultures (Ministry of Education, R.O.C. [Taiwan], 2021).The purpose of this poster is to present a high school general music curriculum that integrates new immigrant music and narratives to foster multicultural awareness, intercultural dialogue, and empathy. Framing music as a human practice and music education as culture, this project adopts a participatory and context-rich approach to multicultural learning (Elliott, 1989). Yet, international research shows that although many teachers recognize the value of multicultural music education, classroom practice often remains constrained by resources, training, and curricular traditions (Legette, 2003). To address this gap, the curriculum was designed after professional development workshops organized by the Taiwan General Senior High School Arts and Life Curriculum Center.The curriculum unfolds in three modules: Music of Hometowns—Decoding New Immigrant Proportions engages students in listening to nine songs from immigrant communities and analyzing lyrics and styles to identify their cultural origins; “Drifting No More”—Piecing Together Hometowns applies a jigsaw activity to explore songs created by immigrant women and their cultural significance; and Our Song—Cross-cultural Interviews and Singing Together involves interviewing immigrants, learning a personally meaningful homeland song, and presenting it through teaching, group singing, and classroom performance.Preliminary reflections suggest that these activities not only enhance students’ recognition of Taiwan’s immigrant diversity but also provide immigrant participants with cultural affirmation and visibility. This work exemplifies a dynamic approach to multicultural music education—bridging communities, promoting empathy, and fostering global understanding through shared musical practice (Elliott, 1989; Legette, 2003).
Location Name
210A - Poster Gallery
Session Type
Poster Presentation
Presenter(s)
Ming Yuan Pai
Poster Board
68