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“Props, Toys, Games & Strategies for Developing Confident Elementary Age Singers”
Illinois Music Educators, All-‐State Convention – January 31, 2015
Presenter: Christine Kelsey, Elementary Vocal Music Teacher, Peru Public Schools
[email protected] OR [email protected]
Strategies
Make singing FUN and ACTIVE so students want to participate.
Encourage ALL efforts when singing.
Emphasize GENTLE VOICE.
Teach BASIC vocal pedagogy using manipulatives and props.
Plan events that excite your whole school about music!
Provide positive male role models.
Vocal goals for elementary general music
Students will:
• Demonstrate positive attitudes about their voice and become comfortable using it. (Lifelong skill.)
• Demonstrate a dropped jaw/open mouth position • Develop the habit of taking deep mouth breaths before each phrase. • Develop a full range – low/medium/high. Demonstrate a soft/light (GENTLE) head
voice when in higher ranges. • Work for continual growth and improvement.
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Issues in teaching children to sing
What is the most suitable range?
One size does not fit all! Start where the “group sound” is most secure and modulate to other keys to expand the range. Singing games are great for accomplishing this! Talk about low/medium/high when you are in different parts of the range to develop awareness. Many children match in only part of their range. Start there and expand.
Be careful that students do not try to keep their huskier, “chest voice” sound throughout their range. The secret of singing higher is to stress a SOFT, GENTLE tone. It is desirable to blend the higher “head voice” sound with the rest of their range.
Sing with text vs. neutral syllables?
More research needs to be done on this. Neutral syllables may be especially helpful in the early childhood years….
Individual singing vs. group singing?
Individual singing responses are more accurate but students need experience doing both.
Accompanied vs. a cappella?
Which is better is not definitively answered by research. My own experience tells me that students match a human voice better than a piano. Music is also more engaging when the teacher is not buried behind the piano. Students can develop more independence when singing a cappella… Mix it up and include both.
Issues with normal development and maturity…
Although singing is a learned skill, much of it correlates with development. Pitch accuracy improves with age. Range expands with maturation.
Pitch matching short phrases vs. whole songs?
Short phrases and patterns are easier to sing in tune than longer songs. It is related to tonal memory so be sure to make use of echo songs! Visual aids/hand signs are also helpful to improve pitch matching.
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Gender and social factors…
Issues with boys having more difficulty matching pitch increase as students’ age and may be due to societal/attitude factors. Educate boys that their “girl voice” is appropriate for their age and using it means they are a really good singer! Talk about what their voices will sound like when they mature…
Best type of vocal model for children?
A vibrato-‐free tone is best. Female models are easier for children to match. Male teachers are encouraged to use falsetto or a child model. Be sure to also allow students opportunities to sing without the teacher’s voice always leading the group to develop more independence.
Teach “phrase by phrase” or immerse students through repeated listenings?
Is it better to echo sing or immerse students through repeated hearings of a song? I recommend including both, making sure to find fun and interesting ways to create repetition.
Should individual singing be corrected?
Research recommends making students aware of strengths and weaknesses. However, it is difficult to do this privately in the typical general music setting. Because a person’s voice is so personal, I prefer to praise correct responses but NOT critique inaccuracies in front of the large group. Most students will eventually progress if given lots of encouragement.
Assessment issues
• Due to our limited amounts of instructional time, most general music teachers struggle to find time to do assessments.
• Singing games that include individual responses can be a fun and easy way to hear students individually. Some teachers have success organizing stations and including assessment as one part of the rotation…
• Ideally, assessments should be done frequently using different parts of the range. Students’ accuracy can vary from day to day and in different ranges.
• The attached “Singing Self Evaluation” can be a non-‐threatening way for students to think about their voices and provide the teacher with valuable feedback.
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• Since assessments generally need to be done quickly, (while the teacher is still needing to manage the entire class,) I like to use a VERY simple rubric:
2= CONFIDENT -‐ child produces in-‐tune pitches in the correct key
1= DEVELOPING -‐ child is not talking, but not yet singing clearly in tune
0= BEGINNING – child gives no response or uses a talking tone.
Vocal improvisation sounds and short warm-‐up ideas
• Fire sirens • Animal sounds • Roller coaster ride with visual, penguin on a hill, fall leaf flying etc….. • Favorite food/icky food sounds • Crazy hula hoop, yo-‐yo movements • Throw and catch a pretend ball • Teach a puppet that doesn’t know how to sing • “Freddie” the trick frog – only does tricks when students make requests using
their singing voice… • “Flying pig” – throw a beanie baby pig varying distances • YAH sounds using scarves • Beach ball • Flying helicopter • Stories with repeated vocal sounds • Echo short patterns when passing out music and lesson materials
Other helpful toys, props and tools
• Individual hand mirrors for viewing open mouth position • Tennis ball with face (homemade) • Large rubber band to visualize a dropped jaw
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• Bendable listening tubes (have wipes ready for cleaning…) • Hoberman sphere toy (to demonstrate deep breaths) • “Sing a ma jig” toys demonstrate open mouth position. • Make your own visuals – “Patrick” face/head voice sign • Tennis balls for bouncing while singing (a good distraction technique too!) • Your whole body! – Perform movements, partner pat-‐a-‐cakes as you do
vocalizes…
Suggestions for early harmony and part singing
• Use short ostinatos for one part. Add movement to the repeated pattern to help keep the beat and also make it fun…
• Have students sing one part while the teacher sings a different part and moves around the room.
• Add physical movement/simple circle dances to canons. • Record harmony parts to create a “2nd teacher” to assist in the beginning stages of
part singing.
Plan extra musical events (other than concerts)
• Have a men’s group come and perform – I highly recommend the Chicago Voice Exchange (songcvx.com)…
• “Opera for the Young” wonderfully adapts operas into 45 minute, humorous, kid-‐friendly performances. Sixteen singers from your school need to be prepared in advance and serve as the chorus for the performance. (operafortheyoung.org)
• Fine Arts Fairs – schedule a famiy music class time!
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Helpful reminders…
• The vocal mechanism in childhood is still developing and is in a process of ongoing growth…
• There is not ONE way to teach singing, since all kids are different… • More research needs to be done on children’s vocal development and best
practices for instruction… • Happiness and fun experienced while singing are the ultimate goal – NOT
perfection! • If you demonstrate enthusiasm, craziness, and excitement for music, you give a
GIFT to your students that will last a lifetime.
Sources
Helpful research article – “An Overview of Existing Research About Children’s Singing and the Implications for Teaching Children to Sing” by Debra Hedden. 2012 – published in Update:Applications of Research in Music Education.
Sing-‐a-‐ma-‐jig toys – singing stuffed toys available at toy stores or Amazon.com.
Hoberman sphere – expanding plastic sphere toy available through Amazon.com.
Book – Harold Finds a Voice by Courtney Dicmas
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Fall - SINGING
SELF-EVALUATION
Name___________________________
Homeroom______________________
Directions: Put an X by the sentences that describe your voice.
a. My talking voice sounds the same as my singing voice.
b. My singing voice sounds different from my talking voice.
c. My voice moves high and low when I sing.
d. My voice always sounds low when I sing.
e. I open my mouth a lot when I sing.
f. I open my mouth a little when I sing.
g. I take deep breaths through my mouth when I sing.
h. I sit up and pay attention when I sing.
i. I’m a good singer.
j. Every time I practice, my singing voice gets better.
Directions: Circle your answer.
k. I am most comfortable singing _____ (high low medium )
l. The best sounding part of my singing voice is _____ ( high low medium )
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Name______________________________________
Homeroom teacher____________________________
Winter Concert Singing Self-evaluation
1. I was singing…
a. all of the time
b. most of the time
c. some of the time
d. none of the time
2. I was watching Mrs. Kelsey…
a. all of the time
b. most of the time
c. some of the time
d. none of the time
3. I was quiet and respectful between songs…
a. all of the time
b. most of the time
c. some of the time
d. none of the time
4. My “singing mouth” was open…
a. a little
b. half way
c. a lot
d. it did not open at all
5. My favorite part of being in a concert was:_________________________________________________________________________________________
6. My least favorite part of being in a concert was___________________________________________________________________________________________
7. List any extra comments or suggestions for Mrs. Kelsey:_________________________________________________________________________________________________
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The “Zoo-Mah” warmup (above) comes from the book, The Complete Choral Warm-Up Book, published by Alfred Publishing Co.
