Session 2: When do you listen and why? – A research task

Aim
This section will help students understand the different ways people use music in their everyday lives and more about their own individual listening habits in comparison with others'.

Curriculum links:

KS3 and 4
Independent learning – outside the classroom
Citzenship
Maths
English

For examples of famous people’s music choices, link to Desert Island Discs, and also the more contemporary Orange Playlist.

Task 1

• Using the attached chart, build up a picture of people’s different listening habits – you will need to spend some time outside of schools in order to do this.
• What key findings does the completed grid show?
• You may wish to add some other categories.
• Ask people why they listen: is it as background, from nostalgia or boredom, to make them happy, or another reason?  Does the time of day affect what they listen to? (This leads into next session which is all about mood/impact of music.)