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This article aims to describe an experience that was carried out in the first two levels of elementary education in Ear Training courses at the Professional Conservatory of Music in Segovia (Spain). The main objective of the research was to assess whether there is an improvement in 79 students' memory using different classroom-based educational intervention proposals and if such improvement fosters students' learning. This research has a constructivist approach and begins by describing the characteristics and different kinds of musical memory. A qualitative methodology has been applied with a case study and classroom research methods. There have basically been three proposals which have been implemented in the classroom: the repetition and improvisation of melodic sequences using hand gestures (the Kodály approach), the performance of different melodies or musical fragments by heart, and the production of musical notes, rhythms and rhythmic and melodic sequences. The results show that efforts made with consideration of the attention and the capacity of the memory storage provide students with the tools needed for giving meaning to the musical speech, fostering students' learning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article presents the results of a teaching experience carried out in the compulsory subject 613, Music Theory II, included in the range of subjects in the Music Education Diploma at the Universitat Jaume I in Castellón, Spain, during the academic years 2007/2008 and 2008/2009. At the time of developing my docent project, I wondered to what extent should we present the aspects related to modality and if those contents would be able to be applied by future teachers of music. The pedagogical implementation of the modes and its methodology were the most interesting things for me. Most students showed a special interest in the immediate use and implementation of the contents they were learning, but also in their feasibility and validity, right after teacher's exposition of theoretical concepts. Therefore the questions that concerned students most were the following: What are modes used for? How can I apply them? How can I use them in the classroom? What kind of activities am I going to do? In this article, I present the concept and definition of the term mode, my synthesis-evaluation and its typology and classification. After that, I create methodological strategies for its learning and I set out different activities around exploration, experimentation, awareness raising, interpretation, composition and musical improvisation that serve as a practical proposal of immediate application in the classroom. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]