Education
EARLY CHILDHOOD MUSIC EDU CATION
Music for Young Children is Vital. Here’s why! Music education in early childhood encompasses musical learning from infancy through to the lower primary school years. Exposure to high quality and play-based music education during the formative years of a child’s life prepares musical abilities through experiential activities, and provides a firm foundation for more formal music training at school where the musical elements are taught consciously. Children who participate in engaging and varied foundation musical experiences in early childhood gain secure skills and knowledge that are required for further development of musical performing, reading, writing, creating and analysis. This initial phase of musical learning is often referred to as Readiness Music. The overarching goals of any early childhood music program are to expose children to high quality, beautiful music in a variety of genres to awaken musical sensitivity; to support the physical, intellectual, emotional and social development of children through music; and to develop musical skills in the areas of singing, rhythm, listening and movement.
Musical Skill Development Songs and Rhymes Song is the child’s most natural language, and all children, barring rare physical limitations, can learn to sing as a means to access to their inner conception of music. Singing has a profound effect upon a child’s development, and is the most direct and accessible way of making a musical response. Learning music through engaging with singing, playing, moving and enjoying is a part of an organic and holistic learning process. Readiness Music programs begin to develop accuracy and confidence when singing with vocal play activities. Children learn to access their singing voice through playful and relaxed experimentation, such as mimicking the
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Your Local Families Magazine February / March 2018
sounds of owls, sirens and train whistles. Simple songs with a limited range of two or three notes, such as ‘Rain Rain, Go Away’ are included as ageappropriate and artistically accessible repertoire to support developing voices. Exposure to traditional singing games such as ‘The Farmer in the Dell’ extend the melodic range, and the joy of singing and playing that children experience during such games fosters a love of singing and music and respect for the voices of others. Rhymes are also used extensively during early childhood music programs. As consonants are exaggerated and pronunciation is slower than regular speech when saying a rhyme, speech development is supported. The metric pulse of the rhyme aids memory development and the internalisation of musical elements such as phrases and beat.
Beat and Rhythm The musical concept of beat forms the foundation of music. Early childhood music allows children early access to experiences that help them develop an internalised sense of beat. Keeping in time with the beat