The aim of this study is to explore criteria characterizing music teacher’s strategies when trying to adapt their teaching to individual students. The interaction of three music teachers with their students was explored in case studies in different parts of Sweden (a pre-study, and the main study consist- ing of two parallel studies). The research interest especially concerns teach- ing class ensemble addressing teenagers in the tuition provided under the curriculum of Swedish secondary and upper secondary school.

This study adopts the perspective of cultural psychology according to which learning is understood as being relational, taking place in a cultural context, depending on available cultural resources and affected by it. Cultur- al tools are considered mediators of meaning and crucial for learning. Of special interest to the present study are the ways in which teachers distribute knowledge to their students.

Many-sided data were collected in all case studies: series of lessons were observed and video-documented; preliminary results were followed up in semi-structured interviews with the teachers, respectively.

The results show similarities in the use of general strategies; e.g. peer- teaching and -learning in the classroom and flexibility in using and develop- ing cultural tools. Results also show three diverging practices; REHEARSAL- ROOM PRACTICE, SUPERVISOR PRACTICE and ENSEMBLE-LEADING PRACTICE. The results are discussed from a societal perspective, in light of Swedish School history. Issues concerning the government of the School and equiva- lence are addressed.

An unexpected result is that the concept “individually adapted ensemble teaching” may be understood very differently among music teachers actively involved in teachers’ education. The need for development of professional concepts is further underlined by the findings that teachers develop new cultural tools within different practices. This is discussed related to the fram- ing of the central curricula.