Examining the significance of learning to learn reveals the intricate nature of this concept. In the study by Kazlauskienė et al. (2012), "learning to learn" and "learning to learn competence" are depicted as interchangeable and are defined in the same way. Delving into the concept of learning to learn, its current understanding connects various frameworks, including metacognitive, social constructivist, socio-cognitive, and socio-historical perspectives, along with considerations from lifelong learning and assessment studies. According to Caena (2019), learning to learn involves a complex interplay of preparation, experience, social relationships, values, attitudes, and beliefs. Garcia-Esteban et al. (2021) argue that learning to learn as a competence is often understood as the mastery of a specific method. However, there is no strong evidence to suggest that learning to learn is more important than understanding what, why, or when to learn. In theoretical discussions, learning to learn is typically defined as both a process and an outcome.

Zou & Chen (2021) define learning to learn ability as the integration of learning motivation, perseverance, ability, and creativity. They describe it as the capacity of individuals to acquire, share, use, and generate knowledge. Developing learners’ learning to learn ability has a catalytic effect on the growth of other abilities and character attributes, contributing to the achievement of educational objectives. Chen (2023) contrasts knowledge education with learning to learn promotion, highlighting that the latter empowers learners to transform knowledge into applicable abilities and methods, fostering the capacity to apply and develop knowledge rather than only absorbing it. Research by Corti and Gelati (2020) shows that successful learning requires not only cognitive and academic knowledge, but also metacognitive and affective abilities. Callan et al. (2022) state that promoting self-regulated learning, including goal setting, strategy use, and self-monitoring, strengthens motivational aspects such as self-efficacy, interest, and task value. Motivation is very important for achieving learning goals (Urgo & Arguello, 2024).

Considering the importance of learning autonomy, a structured, progressive, and inclusive music education curriculum in primary schools should be the core of formal education for all learners within the national education system. Music learning not only strengthens learners' musical abilities but also equips them with skills that improve academic performance. It has significant implications for communication abilities, social development, and personal growth (Guerra et al., 2020). Through a variety of musical activities and creative pursuits, primary school music programmes provide learners with a wide range of opportunities for self-expression and personal development (Fasya et al., 2022; Yin, 2024). Music activities that incorporate these elements demonstrate a strong potential to enhance learning to learn, reflecting the interrelated and interdependent nature of its components within the music learning process.

The process of musical activity aims to empower individuals with motivation, self-confidence, and the ability to assess their own abilities, engage in critical reflection, make informed decisions, and self-evaluate. In this context, music lessons, due to their attractiveness and complex nature, have a distinct advantage: purposefully planned musical activities can be important in strengthening learning to learn abilities. However, there is still a gap in research on the promotion of learning to learn abilities in musical activity for the third and fourth year primary school learners. For this reason, the research question is formulated as follows: how does the process of expressing and promoting learning to learn abilities that facilitate engagement in musical activity among primary school learners occur during music lessons?

The aim of the research: to theoretically and empirically reveal the opportunities for promoting primary school learners’ learning to learn abilities in musical activity.

To explore the concept and models of learning to learn, with a special focus on the pedagogical aspects in music education, the author employed a systematic literature analysis. Opportunities of promoting the learning to learn abilities of primary school learners in musical activities in the third and fourth grades are investigated using a qualitative research approach. In this research, the authors employed the research strategy of multiple-case study as a qualitative research method to explore the complex phenomenon of learning to learn in musical activities. In qualitative research, qualitative content analysis was performed using the inductive method. In the first qualitative research stage, eight primary school classes from Vilnius (Lithuania) were selected through convenient sampling. 42 lessons were observed by recording video. The lessons were delivered by 14 primary school music teachers to 798 primary learners. This stage was dedicated to revealing and classifying the diversity of the expression of primary school learners’ learning to learn abilities in musical activity and to explore new contexts for these abilities. In the second qualitative research stage, it was important to empirically substantiate the potential the possibilities of promoting primary school learners’ learning to learn abilities in musical activity. Five teachers from five schools were purposefully selected and 16 lessons were observed. The teachers who participated in the first stage of the qualitative research and showed the highest motivation to plan musical activities and to explore and organise ways for promoting learning to learn abilities in musical activity. 320 learners from the third and fourth grades participated. A total of 98 pages of observation notes and 720 minutes of video were collected. Observation by recording video revealed the characteristics of learners’ learning to learn abilities in musical activity. This helped the researchers understand how learners interact with music teachers and peers in the context of primary music education, so as to perceive how learners set their learning goals, organise their learning process, manage their learning time in musical activities, etc. To ensure that no significant moments of learning to learn abilities were missed, video recording was used as an additional tool for data collection during observation stages. These recordings captured the instructional strategies used by music teachers to nurture learners’ learning to learn abilities during musical activities. Significant incidents related to the examination of musical activities were pinpointed through a review process using the Critical Incident Technique (Butterfield et al., 2005).

Analysis of scientific and educational literature indicates that learning to learn is a complex and multifaceted concept, interpreted in various ways depending on the context. Learning to learn is the key to successful learning. It not only develops the learner's cognitive ability but also encourages an attitude of growth so that the learner can see difficulties as opportunities for growth rather than obstacles. This contributes to development of flexibility and adaptability, which are the key abilities needed to succeed in a modern society. The research highlights the characteristics of learners’ abilities related to learning to learn during musical activity, as observed in primary school lessons for third and fourth grade learners. The study findings identified 28 distinct learning to learn abilities evident in these activities, grouped into four categories: independence (problem-solving, decision-making, goal-setting, organising learning, logical reasoning, managing distractions, selecting learning resources, flexibility, and time management); reflectiveness (adaptability, self-assessment, self-reflection, self-awareness, ownership of learning, self-regulation, and responsibility); curiosity (creative thinking, critical thinking, making connections, sustaining attention, purposeful learning, and self-motivation); collaboration (listening, effective communication, empathy, peer mentoring, peer assessment, and cooperation). This study identifies the methods through which music teachers foster learners’ abilities related to learning to learn. The methods include personalised learning strategies (such as intentionally delayed feedback, emphasising learning goals, applying practical knowledge, experiential exercises, brainstorming ideas, role-playing, and differentiated guidance); constructive feedback approaches (including words of affirmation, demonstrations, reflective hints, guiding questions, references to real-world events, learner-centric discussions, and reflective exchanges); engagement techniques (such as storytelling, rewards and recognition, acceptance and encouragement of learners’ original ideas, the use of multimedia, and multisensory learning); and group learning activities (such as musical games, collaborative inquiries, classroom discussions, and establishing group learning guidelines).

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