In this week’s tutorial we looked at singing and moving. One of the great things about singing and moving is quite simply the fact that you are able to do both of these things anywhere and at any time you like and it will cost you nothing
In this week’s tutorial we looked at singing and moving. One of the great things about singing and moving is quite simply the fact that you are able to do both of these things anywhere and at any time you like and it will cost you nothing. I think there is a real opportunity with singing and moving in the music classroom to really add an element of enjoyment and get students loving music.
As far as the more technical aspects go, there are a number of things I learnt during the tutorial that will definitely be of great use in the classroom. As an example, things such as posture, breathing, resonance and phrasing require particular attention, however, the one I found most interesting was articulation as it has been proven that “because songs are filled with rhymes, alliteration, and different sound patterns, they actually celebrate the sounds of language” (Canizares, 2009) and in doing so give students the chance to practice learning new words through song. There are also a number vocal warm up techniques I have learned that can be used immediately prior to a singing lesson:
- 1,121 (pitch accuracy)
- 1, 1-2, 1-3, 1-4,1-5 (pitch interval accuracy )
- You know New York, You need New York, you know you need unique New York (articulation)
- hubba bubba bubba bubble gum 54321 (bring head voice down)
- Mee – meh – mah – moh -moo (range extension and tone)
- 1-3 2-4 3-5 4-2 1 *
- si- ng (octave interval and voice placement)
- I take a breath (breathing)
Another very important point to focus on, particularly in regards to future teaching implications, is the choosing of material for students to perform. With modern technology, students are so easily exposed to so much content, so it is important to choose appropriate songs that will be beneficial to student learning. Things such as the vocal range, pitch and melodies all need to be taken into consideration. Moreover, I think it is also very important to challenge students and not have the entire class simply singing a song but to play with the structure and to break students into groups and sing certain parts of the song to have a more satisfying and enjoyable experience.
(2009). The Importance of Singing. Phoenix: Scholastic.