How to Use DJing to Increase Inclusion and Engagement in Music While Delivering the Curriculum
DJ software can now be applied on existing school IT equipment at no cost. This session will look at how the fundamentals of music can be taught by engaging pupils in culturally relevant music that they choose.
This demonstration focuses on a very simple and low cost approach to engage pupils in music through culturally relevant DJ activities.
What key themes will be discussed?
- The relevance of DJing and how it can engage a large cohort of pupils
- The place of DJing within music education
- The ease of learning to use DJ software
What are the learning outcomes and key takeaways?
- DJing engages while delivering the fundamentals of music.
- Pupils choosing the recordings they work with increases cultural relevance and inclusion.
- Basic DJing can be delivered on free DJ software and existing school IT equipment.
- DJing can lead students onto GCSE or Btec.
This session will be of particular interest to:
- Those looking for a new method of music delivery that will increase engagement, inclusion and enjoyment in music education
Interactions
- Audience Q&A
- Group activities
Speakers
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Pete Dale
University of York
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Jim Reiss
DJ School UK
Pete Dale
University of York
Pete Dale is Lecturer in Music Education at University of York. He has been researching the use of DJ decks to boost engagement and attainment in school and extra-curricular settings for many years and was formerly a Head of Music in an inner-city secondary school himself (2003-12). He is the author of Engaging Students with Music Education: DJ Decks, Urban Music and Child-Centred Learning (Routledge 2017) and has written several journal articles and book chapters on similar themes.
Previous to his tenure at York, Pete was Senior Lecturer in Music at Manchester Metropolitan University (2013-2021) and Early Career Fellow at Oxford Brookes (2012-13). He was lead researcher for the AHRC-funded network CUMIN (Contemporary Urban Music for Inclusion Network) and co-edited with Pamela Burnard and Raphael Travis the 2023 book Music for Inclusion and Healing in Schools and Beyond: Hip Hop, Techno, Grime, and More (Oxford University Press).
At present, Pete is working with multiple schools in the North of England to support teaching and learning with DJ decks and building an evidence base that this music-making equipment can help to increase uptake of Music at Key Stage 4 as well as improving general understanding of music and music-making among a wider body of children in schools.
Jim Reiss
DJ School UK
Jim Reiss (founder of DJ School UK) is currently focussing on training teachers to apply DJ activities in music education.
He has seen excellent results nationwide where music teachers have engaged pupils in culturally relevant music education by using DJ activities. Jim recognises that DJing is not “culturally relevant” because it is currently contemporary. DJing is culturally relevant because every pupil can choose music that represents them, wether that be electronic, indie, folk, pop or even traditional western classical. DJing allows access to every piece of recorded music. This is why it is so successful as an engagement tool.
Jim consulted with AQA on the specification for DJ Skills in GCSE music, has contributed to multiple books on the topic of inclusion in music (Routledge, OUP), is a member of the West Yorkshire Music Network and works tirelessly to advocate for, while absolutely recognising the value of, the inclusion of DJing in music education.