Assignment # 6

1.What are the differences in vocal characteristics and abilities of children? Give examples that are age specific.

(1a)Preschool/Kindergarten (Ages 4 to 5),

(1b)their Vocal characteristics and abilities Song interests
· Their voices are small and light.
· Children are generally unable to sing in tune.
· Singing range is D-A for most; D-D for some.
· Children can sing play chants and easy tonal patterns.
· Children can sing short melodies in major, minor, or pentatonic scales.
· Children can sing melodies with one note to a syllable.
· Children can sing with an awareness of a steady beat.
· Children can sing repeated rhythmic patterns accurately.
· Children can sing softly and loudly.
· Children can sing melodies with or without a simple accompaniment.

(1c) song interests:
Preschool children like songs that tell a story and songs that give them an opportunity for natural expression.

Examples:
· “Jack and Jill”
· “Little Jack Horner”
· “Polly, Put the Kettle On”
· “Three Little Kittens Who Lost Their Mittens”
Children also like songs that deal with familiar experiences.

Examples:
· Bedtime and wake-up songs
· Helping songs
· Songs about friends, family, animals, the seasons, and special occasions

(2a)Early primary(Ages 6 to 7),

(2b)their Vocal characteristics and abilities Song interests
· Most voices are light and high; a few may be low.
· Many children are still unable to sing in tune at age six.
· By age seven most children will be able to sing at least short phrases in tune and will begin to sing alone.
· Children can understand high and low pitches.
· Children can sustain a single pitch.
· Range expands from five to six consecutive pitches (D-B) to a full octave (D-D).
· Children understand the difference between a playground-shouting voice and a singing voice.
· Children begin to understand the importance of breath in singing.
· Children can sing call-and-response-songs, as well as song in two-or three-part form.
· Children sing with attention to dynamics and changes in tempo.
· Children can sing rhythmically, accenting, strong beats and performing simple syncopation.
· Children can sing from simple music notation.
· Children can sing melodies with simple harmonic or rhythmic accompaniment.

(2c)song interests:
At this age children enjoy songs about animals, community, friends, action (with movement or creative motions), pretending, folk games from around the world, and special occasions.

(3a)Intermediate (Ages 8 to 9),

(3b)their Vocal characteristics and abilities Song interests
· Most children can sing a song in tune.
· Girl’s voices continue to be very light and thin.
· Boy’s voices begin to develop the rich resonance of the mature boy soprano-alto voice.
· Some children can sing rounds, partner songs, canons, and descants. There is little use of alto or lower parts.
· Some children have much more control over expressive qualities of singing, for example legato, dynamics, and sustained phrases.
· Some children are capable of singing melodies or parts from music notation.
· Some children can harmonize parts or chords by ear, such as thirds and sixths.
· Some children can sing songs with more complex rhythms.

(3c)song interests:
At this age children enjoy songs about early America (Native Americans, Pilgrims), transportation, geography (New England, the West, the South), the circus, planets, and people and songs that express emotions.

Songs from other lands (such as Mexico, Africa, China, and Japan) are appealing because of their contrasting styles.


(4a)Upper elementary (Ages 10 to 11),

(4b)their Vocal characteristics and abilities Song interests
· Unchanged voices remain clear and light; boys’ voices become more resonant.
· Some children show greater ability to sing in two and three parts.
· Some children have a heightened rhythmic sense and respond to music with strong rhythms.
· Many children tend to imitate the quality of pop singers.
· Some voices begin to change – that is boys’ voices become lower, and girls’ voices become very breathy.
· Some children can read simple music notation.

(4c)song interests:
Children enjoy songs related to adventure, work transportation, history, and feelings such as happiness, sadness, and love, as well as songs from other cultures and countries.

2.List and explain the techniques for teaching children to sing.
· Creating an environment for singing experiences – Children should be surrounded with interesting songs and many models of good singing.
· Improving posture – Because the body is the “instrument” for singing, it must be held upright; that is, a child must sit or stand with shoulders erect, head up, and spine straight.
· Teaching good breathing habits to support the tone. Have students imitate the following exercise.
o Sip air as if though a soda straw and release it with a hissing sound. Keep the sound steady.
o Sip air as if through a soda straw and let the air out on a high “Ooo” sound, descending to a low sound.
o Pretend that your finger is a lighted candle. Fill your lungs with air and blow gently on the “candle” so that the “flame” flickers but does not go out.
o Inhale quickly, as if you see a fumble made on the one-yard line by your favorite football team.
o Lean over from the waist, letting your arms dangle. Breathe deeply, expanding the ribs. Straighten up and exhale slowly and steadily.

· Finding the Head Voice – Before a child can sing comfortably, he or she must learn how it feels and sounds to use the head voice.
· Developing the ability to match tones – The ability to match tones is directly related to breathing techniques, ear training, a relaxed jaw, and singing with energy.
· Developing the concepts of high and low – A basic skill in tone matching is to develop the concepts of high and low.
· Discovering patterns – Teaching children to identify patterns and perform them shortens the time required for them to learn to sing or to listen perceptively to a larger musical composition.