Healthy singing in schools is important
This week I caught a BBC News article featuring The Royal Opera House and their programme to help encourage healthy singing in schools for Primary aged children.
Whilst I do not agree showing an Opera singer to be the best way to encourage healthy singing for children, I do understand their reasons for encouraging healthy singing in schools.
Many children only ever hear pre-recorded singing and music. These are not true to live singing and give a false and distorted sound. This encourages children to sing in an un-natural way. The songs may also have too wider range; be in the wrong key and the singer will often have a mature adult voice.
Children will always want to and try to copy what they hear (we do this from birth). They will want to sing like their favourite pop star and they will try to imitate their voice when singing.
Real, live music and singing is dying in schools. More and more pre-recorded music and backing music is being used as an aid to keep children singing.
I get it. General teachers are not trained in music or singing. There are so many other demands and music is last on the list, it’s a skill and one which some maybe afraid of teaching.
Teachers, you need not be afraid.
Young children can have beautiful tuneful singing voices, if they are taught in the correct way. Seek out a music specialist for advice in how to teach healthy singing to young children. Contact me here for further advice.
Here are a few tips to get you started:
Choose appropriate songs for them to sing rather than the most popular.
Children are very accommodating. They actually love all kinds of music and respond to songs which you may not think they would. With the youngest start with simple two and three note songs. These are easy to remember, imitate and sing in a natural not forced way. Very young children have a limited vocal range which then develops as they mature.
Songs like: Hot Cross Buns, Cobbler Cobbler and Mary Ann.
Older children love: Cherry Pie and Apple Tree
Teach listening skills
Listening skills are incredibly important. Being able to hear different pitches at the same time is something we can teach ourselves – our ears and brain are incredible (see my post Our Amazing Ears).
If children are shouting firstly they will never hear the correct pitch to sing a song and therefore will never learn to hear the correct one in their head. This can cause problems then when singing together in a group.
Songs which have notes together rather than large jumps are easier for children to sing correctly.
Singing is fun!
Make sure that singing is fun. This is easily done by creating a musical game around the song. Children forget they are singing and engage in the game. The repetition of the game reinforces the song and develops inner hearing.
Ditch the backing tracks.
Don’t use backing tracks. Stick to the simple songs. Teach good listening and pitch skills by using two and three note songs. There are many things you can do with simple songs to make them more complex for older children in Primary school once they are singing in tune.
Model good singing.
Sing in your normal voice. Children need to hear live voices. ‘But I’m a terrible singer!’ I hear you cry. It is very likely you are not as bad as you think and not beyond help. Confidence is key and the more you sing two and three note songs the better your singing and hearing will be. Seek specialist advice you are welcome to contact me here for help.
Remember:
Simple is best. Start from the beginning with simple songs and we will have a nation of confident, tuneful singers.
Need some great songs to get started? Have a look at the rest of my blog.
Melanie Cossins is an Early Years and Primary music specialist and has worked with children, nurseries, schools and parents for over 13 years. She is a member of the British Kodaly Academy and holds a Professional Practice Certificate in the Kodaly Concept of Music Education (Early Childhood Music).
Cossins Music schools aims to enrich lives and inspire young minds through singing.
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