Sing a variety of songs of moderate difficulty
When learners are learning new pieces, ask them to identify and discuss structural relationships, e.g. phrasing, repetitions, contrasts, deviations, developments. Ask them to describe the musical effects of these features.
Many genres of music are traditionally learnt exclusively by ear. Where it would support learning, you may wish to create notation systems that are appropriate to your teaching context, e.g. word rhythms, symbols, numbers, or vocal sounds. However, this may not be necessary or desirable for all musics. Music passed on orally/aurally naturally evolves as it spreads and being fixed in notation can hinder this.
Encourage learners to learn pieces more independently, identifying and solving problems, and making musical decisions.
Continue to advise learners on practising strategies.
Encourage learners to learn songs independently of singing them. This will help them to consider the overall character, the shape of phrases, word colouring, subtleties of tempo, etc.
As boys’ voices change, remember that it may be necessary to help them to read from a different clef.
As learners develop their own responses to pieces, so the teacher’s input can be reduced.
Encourage learners to use the holistic approach by prompting them to apply listening skills, solve technical and musical problems and use their imaginations.
Ask learners to listen carefully to accompaniments, particularly where they provide less support to the vocal line, i.e. have greater independence. Extra help with intonation may be necessary in these passages.
When selecting repertoire, include a variety of extended and more technically challenging songs from different styles and traditions that have:
- a variety of time signatures, including compound time and asymmetrical, e.g. 5/4
- more challenging subdivisions of the beat, including syncopated rhythms and triplets
- chromatic passages and modulations
Explore the progression of this Learning Objective
