Accessible, equitable practices for music reading: An innovative approach through language literacyThis paper is drawn from research that sought to extend the ways in which music reading is conceptualised and approached, through investigating the extent to which theory in developing language reading fluency (Kuhn, Schwanenflugel, & Meisinger, 2010) could inform and extend theory in music reading fluency in the context of choral practice in Irish children’s choirs. It aimed to develop new ways of thinking about music reading to make music reading more accessible to all children.Language literacy draws upon theoretical understandings to inform its practical approaches to reading texts (e.g., Ehri, 2005, 2014, 2020; Castles et. a., 2018; Perfetti & Stafura, 2014; Pikulski & Chard, 2001). Music reading, in contrast, has retained a largely functional approach informed by a rich heritage of practice rather than by overarching theories (Gudmundsdottir, 2010; Hodges & Nolker, 2011).An innovative mixed methods, qualitative approach drawn upon ethnographic principles, creative research methods (Kara, 2021) and constructivist grounded theory (Charmaz, 2014) was designed to incorporate perspectives of a) researcher as research instrument investigating theories and ideas from language reading literature with a group of children in a ‘choirlab’ context, b) expert practitioner choral director participants in three in-depth interviews, and indirectly, c) the children who participated in the choirlab.Key concepts from language reading fluency (word recognition, decoding, fluency, and comprehension) were explored in relation to their potential for music reading, initially in the choirlab, and subsequently with the 16 choral directors of children’s choirs from four distinct Irish choral contexts: cathedral choirs, conservatoire-based choirs, community choirs and school choirs.Research findings suggest that recognition of the relevance, to music reading, of connecting to music in children’s everyday lives appears to be an under-utilised and under-valued resource for music reading when compared with how extensively language reading builds upon children’s emergent literacy skills. Additionally, children’s expressive use of their own musical vocabulary was missing or not fully recognised as supporting music reading.Implications of findings for choral conductors and educators include a) the importance of educators having an awareness of the music in children’s everyday lives or ‘lifeworlds’ (Habermas, 1987; Husserl, 1970) for music reading and b) the need to provide opportunities for children to make meaning with musical vocabulary, to use musical vocabulary expressively.