Mini-Grant: Julianna Gylseth, Ukuleles, and the Universal Language of Music

April 25th, 2024 /
Spencer Tuinei /
Foundation, News, Spring Creek, Teaching and Learning

The teachers and specialists in Provo City School District are our innovators. They are innovators, companions, and caretakers. The Provo City School District Foundation wants to recognize and support their efforts to make our schools a better place.

This year, we’re speaking to a few around the district who have received mini-grants to ask them about their perceived need, their mini-grant product, the impact of their mini-grant, and lastly, advice for new and struggling professionals on how they can differentiate and extend learning in our schools.

We spoke with Spring Creek Music Teacher Julianna Gylseth about her mini-grant for new ukuleles, shared how the ukuleles are effective inroads for SpEd and multilingual students who have experience with stringed instruments, and how families can develop music literacy in their home, no matter the music level. Read our conversation below to learn more!

Q: What was the class issue, or where did you see a perceived need?

For my sixth graders, we have a “Sound Factory ” class for the kids that aren’t in Band or Orchestra. Ukuleles are part of this class, and the ukuleles give them a great chance to teach basic music literacy—they can read notes on the music staff and learn chords. We’re working on many two-part pieces this year: half of the students are learning chords, and the other half will play melodies.

Our old ukuleles are well-used. We must replace several of them and provide better instruments for these kids.

Interestingly, I have many students who’ve recently moved into the country, and many of them know how to play string instruments. Many of the students from South America have experience playing a string instrument, or even ukuleles, in many cases. The ukuleles have become a way for these students to slide in, find their space, and see success quickly.

Q: How can new music teachers try to extend learning or differentiate in their classrooms?

I have several kids who are special education students and many multilingual learners. The nice thing about music is that it is a universal language. They can all tap into it at some level.

For our special education students, I use stickers to help them find locations on the ukulele, and I create modified parts for students who need to catch up.

But there are a lot of access points in music. If you can’t play chords, we have melodies they can read from the note staff.

Q: How can families experience or incorporate music in their house and family?

Music is in our community. Whether it’s a concert at the park or a local university, it’s all over, and you can and should take advantage of these free activities.

But I believe most families have a music culture their parents or grandparents passed down. For parents, just sharing that with their kids allows them to grow and continue extending those family traditions.

And we encourage you to sign up your child to join the school choir. We have bands, choirs, orchestras, and more. Encourage your kids to take advantage of these opportunities.

Sometimes, we think that music needs to be expensive, with costly instruments and fancy lessons, but our voices are at the heart of music. I encourage families to sing together and share their families’ songs. Everything else flows from there.