Sonic education in elementary school: presence and pedagogical approaches to soundscapes in music textbooks

Pablo Marín-LiébanaGuillem EscorihuelaJosé Salvador Blasco Magraner^*Amparo HurtadoAna María Botella-Nicolás

• University of Valencia, Valencia, Spain

In contemporary education, soundscapes and noise pollution are increasingly recognized as key topics for fostering critical listening, environmental awareness, and students' active engagement with their surroundings. Nevertheless, these themes remain largely underrepresented in educational materials, particularly at the primary level. This study analyzes how soundscapes and noise pollution are addressed in a sample of 18 primary school music and dance textbooks from the three most widely used series in the province of Valencia, Spain, within the framework of the LOMLOE policy: Musicando (Bromera), Nuevo Acordes (Santillana), and Música en Moviment (Tàndem). The content analysis reveals a limited presence of these topics, alongside a dominant reliance on traditional and activity-based pedagogical approaches. Few activities promote critical thinking or context-based auditory awareness, reflecting a conservative conception of music education. Moreover, the soundscapes depicted often lack relevance to students' everyday experiences, overlooking both quotidian and technological sounds. This narrow approach constrains the potential of music education as a vehicle for social and environmental transformation. The findings underscore the need to reframe educational materials through more critical, inclusive, and contextually grounded perspectives.