11.6: Supporting Music
When children develop an awareness and knowledge of musical elements, children progress in their understanding and ability to control the elements for personal musical expression. Although early childhood music education is primarily about introducing the child to musical sounds and holistic experiences that are of the highest quality, enriched learning occurs when the child has an understanding of and ability to manipulate the music elements of rhythm, melody, form, loudness/softness, tempo, timbre, articulation, and style.
The foundations for Music include responding to music, develop musical skills, and being able to make music.
Music
1.0 Notice, Respond, and Engage
| At around 48 months of age | At around 60 months of age |
| 1.1 Sustain attention and begin to reflect verbally about music; demonstrate familiarity with words that describe music. | 1.1 Verbally reflect on music and describe music by using an expanded vocabulary. |
| 1.2 Recognize simple repeating melody and rhythm patterns. | 1.2 Demonstrate more complex repeating melody and rhythm patterns. |
| 1.3 Identify the sources of a limited variety of musical sounds. | 1.3 Identify the sources of a wider variety of music and music-like sounds. |
| 1.4 Use body movement freely to respond loosely to beat—loud versus quiet (dynamics)—and tempo. | 1.4 Use body movement freely and more accurately to respond to beat, dynamics, and tempo of music. |
2.0 Develop Skills in Music
| At around 48 months of age | At around 60 months of age |
| 2.1 Begin to discriminate between different voices and certain instrumental and environmental sounds. Follow words in a song. | 2.1 Become more able to discriminate between different voices and various instrumental and environmental sounds. Follow words in a song. |
| 2.2 Explore vocally; sing repetitive patterns and parts of songs alone and with others. | 2.2 Extend vocal exploration; sing repetitive patterns and entire songs alone with others in wider ranges of pitch. |
3.0 Create, Invent, and Express Through Music
| At around 48 months of age | At around 60 months of age |
| 3.1 Explore vocal and instrumental skills and use instruments to produce simple rhythms and tones. | 3.1 Continue to apply vocal and instrumental skills and use instruments to produce more complex rhythms, tones, melodies, and songs. |
| 3.2 Move or use body to demonstrate beat and tempo, often spontaneously. | 3.2 Move or use body to demonstrate beat, tempo, and style of music, often intentionally. |
| 3.3 Improvise vocally and instrumentally. | 3.3 Explore, improvise, and create brief melodies with voice or instrument. |
Teachers can support children’s development of the music foundations with the following:
- Find ways to expose children to music being conducted and performed.
- Provide music areas where children can experience instruments or musical activities as individuals or in a small group.
- Set up a “Science of Sound” area where children can explore and experiment with building sounds.
- Provide a conductor’s listening and play area.
- Make instruments with the children.
- Incorporate chant games and songs related to sound production.
- Include a variety of songs that related to a particular topic area
- Use songs that have movements or gestures that accompany the words.
- Provide children with an opportunity to conduct the group by singing or playing instruments.
- Dramatize poetry and nursery rhymes as a fun way to explore and develop vocal inflection and pitch capabilities in the young singer.
- Invite young children to move through instrumental program music, or music that “tells a story.”
- Encourage children to invent accompaniments with musical instruments.
- Invite local professional musicians or family members to demonstrate and talk about their instruments and the sounds made.
- Invite live musicians for the children to conduct; encourage the child conductor to stop and start, go faster and slower, and give arm gestures for louder and softer sounds.
- Incorporate books related to music. Include storybooks on conductors and orchestras.
- Encourage children to create simple rhythm patterns.
- Extend learning about different ways to lead a music group.
- Incorporate freeze-and-move games as a fun, simple way to help children develop control of the body in space and to learn and practice fundamental locomotor movements.
- Provide opportunities for independent and group play through musical play kits, which can be stored in a music area.
- Incorporate the use of Web sites of children’s music and other age-appropriate software (if available), to engage children’s interest in sound
- Encourage children to be playful and spontaneous when singing—they often sing made-up songs as they play alone or with other children.
- Minimize use of recorded music when the goal is singing.
- Have the children draw pictures of songs.[1]
Table 11.3: Suggested Materials for Music
| Types of Materials | Examples of Materials |
|---|---|
| Found or Recycled Materials | Pots, pans, metal or plastic cans, spoons, chopstick-beaters with cork stoppers for rhythm Glass jars filled with different levels of water for a water xylophone Pieces of 12” dowel for rhythm sticks; shakers made of plastic eggs filled with different materials |
| Basic | Rhythm sets with shakers and simple drums Singable books; glove puppets for nursery rhyme songs; song maps made of paper or fabric; selection of CDs, CD player, and headset for personal listening |
| Enhanced | Single-note resonator bells; child-sized xylophones; multiple-sized hand drums; ethnic instruments; child-sized guitar or ukulele; small electronic keyboard; recorder/flute; music software; music videos; songbooks |
| Natural Environment | Rhythm blocks made of small tree limbs; homemade wooden or stone xylophones suspended on a garden hose; wind chimes made of natural objects |
| Adaptive Materials | Thicker handles on some materials; instruments in a fixed position (such as a drum on a stand) For children with reduced hearing ability, instruments that resonate and vibrate allow for touching or holding. |
Research Highlight
The following points about music and development in early childhood come from Start the Music Strategies, a collaboration by MENC (the National Association for Music Education), the National Association for the Education of Young Children, and the U.S. Department of Education. The points were developed by reviewing the research and professional literature.
We know that music is among the first and most important modes of communication experienced by infants.
As young children grow and develop, music continues as a basic medium not only of communication, but also of cultural expression and self-expression.
As preschool children not only listen to music, but also learn to make music by singing and playing instruments together (and responding to music in a variety of ways), they create important contexts for the early learning of vital life skills such as cooperation, collaboration, and group effort. Music in an educational setting also begins to teach young children to make judgments about what constitutes “good” music, helping them develop the rudiments of an aesthetic sense.
Music contributes to “school readiness,” a foundational education aim of the American people for all our children.
When children develop musical skill and knowledge they are developing basic cognitive, social, and motor skills necessary for success throughout the educational process, and in life itself.[3]
Source: Start the Music Strategies. Reston, VA: National Association for Music Education, n.d.
Vignette
It is raining outside. Miriam and Pablo, both age three, begin clicking and tapping their fingers on the window glass to imitate the rain hitting the window. Pretty soon, all the children are making different kinds of rain sounds on the window. After a few minutes the rain comes to a stop, and the children are invited to circle time.[4]