Starting out
Find the right pitch. Ensure when you are modelling a song that your singing is in a range that the children can reach (male teachers should sing an octave below). A good guide is between middle C and B above. Use a piano, guitar or tuned percussion to check your starting note if needed.
Use actions. Young children love actions. Giving their hands something to do focuses any wrigglers and helps them learn words more quickly. Keep the actions simple, though, and don't overdo it.
Listen. Model a phrase for the children and listen as they sing it back. There is a temptation to sing with them, particularly if they are reluctant, but it's helpful if you can hear their voices and know what to correct. Try to hear the children sing individually from time to time; a short phrase is enough. If they are shy, ask if they would like to sing with a friend.
Be playful. Teach a rhyme in your speaking voice, and add a subsequent verse in your whispering voice, choosing one with appropriate words. If you're confident with voicing different characters, get creative. Even the simplest rhymes offer inspiration.
Embrace variety. Chants and rhymes help children become confident in using their voices and are good warm-ups. Short songs with just two or three pitches help children pitch correctly. Full-length songs are fun to sing and, even if the children don't get every note, they are still listening and learning. Many children love the stories told in songs and will remember the words long after you've stopped singing in class.
Praise. Constructive praise or a simple ‘Thank you, Joshua’ can go a long way. Confidence is key in learning to sing; children pick up quickly on whether they are good and therefore effort should be discretely recognised. The taking part in the early stages is an important prerequisite to subsequent refinement and training.
Further thoughts
Embed singing in your lessons. Choose activities that use very short songs to teach musical concepts such as pulse. These can be found in the many resources and method books available that are broadly based on the Kodály philosophy. End the lesson with a goodbye song. Even a simple ‘Goodbye, everyone’ with a response of ‘Goodbye, (teacher's name)’ rounds off the lesson in a structured way.
Be selective in using backing-tracks. Backing-tracks can be useful. However, a single voice is easier for children to focus on and, in the early stages, can be used most of the time. Piano or guitar backing gives support to the children's singing (and may be needed for a performance), but make judicious use of more complex tracks that have multiple instruments and parts.
Show pitch with your hands. Pitch is a difficult concept for children, and trying to sing ‘in tune’ can be a challenge. You can give them a visual aid by touching your head and your shoulders to represent the two different pitches of a two-pitch song. Pointing out why you're doing this – drawing their attention to the different sound – is important, though.
Model good habits. I've often been surprised at how much children notice. Show them what you want them to do – for example, how you want them to stand for a performance, with feet facing forward and head level; model it consistently, and they will start to copy you.
Look after your voice. If you're teaching several classes, your voice will have a lot of use. Use taught hand gestures instead of simple verbal instructions, drink water, avoid over-heated or air-conditioned classrooms if possible, and try to ensure you don't need to raise your voice too often.
Have you ‘quick tips’ on an area of teaching you’d like to share? Please email the editor at music.teacher@markallengroup.com
