I don’t have a good voice. I don’t know where to start. How do I teach with music? Do you feel you are lacking the confidence to sing in the classroom or the learning environment? Music can be simple and fun to teach! Kids absolutely love to have a sing and a dance when ever they get the chance. A song a day really is as easy as doing the roll!
So, fake it to make it, enthusiasm is the key, children will respond whole-heartedly!
We have some great tips to help you make the learning environment full of fun with music:
⦁ Know the song well
⦁ Like the song!
⦁ Sing or play the whole song through first
⦁ Use eye contact for feedback
⦁ Set the tempo (speed of the song) by e.g. counting in one bar of the song before starting singing or by playing an introduction first.
⦁ Vary each repetition of the song e.g. sing it softly, loudly, quickly, slowly, add instruments, clap beat or rhythm, add simple actions or movement.
⦁ To initiate interest in a new song you can use pictures, puppets, magnetic board, illustrated song book or a big communal book, objects of interest, recorded music.
⦁ Be enthusiastic!
⦁ Enjoy yourself and have fun – it’s infectious.
Methods
⦁ Repeat a phrase – Some songs have each line or phrase repeated in their structure. The teacher can sing the first phrase and the children can repeat it. e.g. Three blind mice.
⦁ Line by line – the teacher can sing the first line, then the children can echo the first line and so on throughout the song.
⦁ Whole song – with a single or repetitive song, teacher sings song through, then sings it through again with the children joining in.
⦁ In each music session, encourage children to stand up and participate with the song actions
⦁ Scaffold children to perform at the front of the class – groups, pairs and individually
⦁ Encourage performers to bow at the conclusion of a performance and for the audience to clap.
Let us know your tips for teaching a new song?