MODULES IN MC 19 (TEACHING MUSIC IN ELEMENTARY GRADE)

Prepared by: Ms. Mae Ann Bocado

CHAPTER 1
Experiential Aspects in Teaching Music
The first lessons we will encounter in this module introduce general ideas about music and
children, appreciation, and different music experiences available for the teacher’s use in learning
experience. Music should not be taught as boring class lecture, where the teacher drones on,
hoping that the student would memorize and retain facts. Music is a living subject, one which
requires actual activities for maximum enjoyment, appreciation, and understanding.
Incorporating these learning activities will make your Music subject a truly memorable
experience.

LESSON 1 - Music and Children

Objectives

In this lesson, the student will be able to:

1. Determine the three groups of people present in the music-making experience;

2. Ascertain how music plays an integral part in the growth and development of children; and

3. Develop a perception of music as an art, a language, and a science.

Introduction

Music has always been a part of man’s culture. Throughout history, we can see many
instances where music has a place in our lives. As infants, our parents especially our mothers
sang to us lullabies to comfort and put us to sleep. As children, we grew up listening to songs
that taught us about the world we live in – places, people, customs, things, nature, and events.
Music also awoke in us feelings, right conduct, faith, values, and noble ideals such as nationalism
and love of country. To an individual, music can be a cherished personal possession – it may have
a sentimental value. As a collective people, the value of music may be greatly multiplied – it may
unify people toward a common goal, or it may intimidate and discouraged an opposing foe.

Such as the wonderful nature of music. Yet, if we look into our current educational system,
why are subjects such as music and the arts always overlooked? Why are these generally the
first to be eliminated when there are budget constraints? There is such a huge talent pool of
young musicians in our country, yet for the most part, this potential remains untapped. Support
for music and the arts are relatively inadequate, considering our population to be already pegged
at more than 100 million. There have been many good intentions done in the past, but we need
to back up those intentions with clear direction. We begin by establishing a foundation why
music must be integrated into elementary education and its benefits. In this lesson, we shall also
look at music in its different facets: as an art, a language, and an exact science.

THINK: Music – Why Teach it?

I am sure in the past, you have heard many people advocating about the advantages of
teaching music. There have been many researchers made in the past, and the literature is full of
examples – from the Mozart Effect to increasing test scores and music as a tool for therapy
among others. However, there is one key concept that each music educator must understand
and keep in mind. Our primary goal is not to create a future audience who will watch and listen
to recitals, concerts, musicals, and opera productions. We are not bent on training children to be
professional concert pianists, divas, rock stars, rappers, actor-musicians, recording artists,
composers, or the like. We do not expect them to represent our country in international
competitions and bring honor and prestige to our nation. Our foremost goal is simpler, honest,
less ego-centric, yet practical and noble. Our main goal is to develop in them a love and
enjoyment for music – to teach them how to attain satisfaction whether they may be composers,
interpreters, or listeners.
 In teaching music, we must be able to give children equal and various opportunities for
them to be able to experience music as composers, interpreters, or listeners. Let me explain
these three in further detail:

1. Composers – we allow children, as composers, to contemplate and perceive the world

around them, and let them examine both the common and the rare. We do not expect
them to write a full song or a symphony, but we give them chances to improvise and
experiment on creating musical ideas based on what they perceive around them. Young
children have a naturally “honest”, innocent, and unbiased perception [schema] of their
surroundings.

2. Interpreters – the path of the interpreter is usually that of a performer: he/she is tasked
to give meaning and life to the creations of composers. Children can interpret music either
by their ability to “play by ear” or by reading musical notation, both traditional and
nontraditional. Since not one human being is alike, a single piece of music may be
interpreted uniquely. The interpreter is usually a singer, an instrumentalist, or a conductor.
Interpreters may perform solo, in duets, or as a group.

3. Listeners – the listener is not to be judged as a passive partaker in the music-making

process. Listeners do not merely enjoy the complementary efforts of the composer and the
interpreter; they are the ones who “evaluate”, critique, and try to understand the message
being put forth by the composer and the interpreter. Listeners also investigate connections
between the music, the composer, and the interpreter, and many other factors, such as
historical, political, and cultural contexts. In a way, listeners also determine through their
reception of a musical piece whether it is a success or a flop.

What is the Mozart Effect?

In October 1993, researchers Dr. Gordon Shaw, Frances Rauscher, and Katherine Ky made
a research exposing college students to some of Mozart’s piano music before taking a spatial
reasoning test. Students who listened to Mozart’s music prior to the test scored significantly
higher compared to those who did not. Their research, a one-page article originally titled “Music
and spatial task performance” was popularized and coined by the media as the “Mozart effect”,
hence the name.

As we continue working with our young students, we, teachers, should be aware which of
these three paths our students’ strengths are aligned and which needs reinforcement. We must
be able to label our learning activities whether they are oriented toward composing, interpreting,
or listening.

Life poses many challenging problems, and through music, we can equip our young
students in improving their achievement levels and provide them avenues for using creative
solutions. Here are just a few of the benefits of music in a child’s development:

1. Music enhances cognitive skills in reading, language development, and

proficiency.

Early musical training of develops areas of the brain related to reading and language last, since
music in itself is also a language, and it requires its own notation to read. Lyrics in songs also
help to retain word usage, grammar, pronunciation, and vocabulary.

2. Music simultaneously activates many areas of the brain.

Children learn to perform various skills all at once when making music, such a colon listening,
staying in tune and keeping in time, memorizing, using imagination to convey a message, using
different body parts and following instructions.

3. Music improves mathematical and reasoning skills.

There is a running joke that most musicians are quite bad at arithmetic. On contrary, music
employs math extensively. Where some mathematical formulas remain theoretical ideas, music
is very tangible and can be realized immediately by human senses. Music also teaches reasoning
since it teaches and searches for meaning through relationships between notes and groups of
notes which in turn determines what kind of sounds are produced.

4. Music helps in creative thinking.

Music, like most other arts, is highly subjective. There are some aspects of music that are not
absolute. Children learn that there are many solutions to arrive at a common answer, or that
there may be more than one right answer. Music also helps in thinking “out of the box”.

5. Music helps improve motor skills and coordination.

For instance, when playing the piano, one has to look at sheet music to read the notes, use
his/her hands does strike the keys, listen whether the notes are correct in pitch and rhythm, and
press the pedal/s with the foot. Activities like these train finer muscle control and coordination
between the brain and various part body parts.

6. Music as an Art, a Language, and a Science

To be truly effective musicians, we must have a thorough understanding of the nature of

music. No, it does not require us to be virtuosos in a particular instrument -- performing and
teaching are two separate worlds. There are those who are good in performing but cannot teach,
while there are some who can teach but cannot perform. Ideally, we must strive to strike a happy
balance between these two. Realistically, specially here in the Philippines, we earn a living by
being proficient enough in both teaching and performing music, as the opportunity arises. Being
able to do both skills can contribute to a more enriching and satisfying career.

During our teaching, we should keep in mind that music is unique compared to other fields, is
that it is an art, a language, a science all at the same time.

1. Music as an art - as mentors, we are to guide our elementary students on how to develop an
aesthetic taste for music, since there are some types of music which are not quite appropriate to
be heard by young children either because these might be too complex or boring or might
contain text that are not fit for young listeners’ innocent ears. There are many ways that music
can be enjoyed or experienced as an art, such as:

a. A sense of affinity when hearing familiar music;

b. an emotional appeal when hearing distinct tunes and how they are arranged;
c. a certain detachment for music that is too complex or hard to understand or relate to;
d. unawareness in the use of form;
e. a sense of recognition whether music is played accurately with or without feelings; And
f. evokes a mental image or stirs up the imagination for an idea being put across by the
music.

2. Music as a language - since it is a universal language, we aim for children to have the
ability to use music as a means of communication and self-expression. This is achieved through
activities that encouraged them to compose simple songs and tunes, and through listening
experiences where they get to understand how others express and communicate through music.

3. Music as a science - music is an exact science, and it is important that students, as they
continually progress in their learning, would be familiar with technical concepts, such as tonality,
compound meters, and alike. A lack of awareness of music as a science will not help in unlocking
it being also appreciated as an art. As guides, we, teachers, should ask questions like: “When
does a child need to know that a key signature of three sharps may either be A major or F#
minor?” “When does this knowledge become useful for the child?”
LESSON 2- Appreciating Music

Objectives:

In this lesson, the student will be able to:

1. Gain an understanding about the concept of appreciation;

2. know why music appreciation needs to be instilled in learners; and

3. develop awareness in carefully planning activities geared toward music appreciation.

Introduction

Before tackling the idea of what music appreciation is, we have the first know the meaning
of the word appreciation. What is appreciation? Cording to Merriam- Webster's dictionary, the
term “appreciation” means “an ability to understand the worse, quality, or importance of
something, having a full awareness or understanding of something.” maybe we should start
thinking why some over elementary school students fail or underperform is because they could
not appreciate the value of the subjects or topics that they are studying. To them, studying can
be a chore – a dull, boring, necessary evil that they have to go through. Many students (even in
college) have a mindset that they have to pass their subjects just for the sake of passing and not
for the sake of learning. This is a sad reality that must be addressed. If there are appreciation
courses on Math, History, and other subjects, shouldn't Music appreciation also be given the
same support and attention? Students perform much better in subjects that they find interest in
and that is what we are going to see in this lesson.

THINK: The Concept of Appreciation

Let us look at some examples to deepen our understanding about the concept of appreciation.

An architect gazes at an 80-storey skyscraper as its construction comes to completion. As

he looks at the magnificent structure up and down, he could not help suppressing a feeling of
satisfaction, even if he was not the one commissioned to build it. He knows the degree of
sophistication required to create it, the hard work, the materials used, and the engineering
needed to keep it standing. He marvels at the height of the structure, and this mirrors the
esteem and respect he has for those responsible behind it, people who, like him, or in the field of
construction and design.

A computer repair specialist in a shop has specific reactions when he dismantles the
casing of a high-end gaming laptop after he is done fixing a batch of old motherboards. The
electronic perfection of the gaming laptops advanced circuitry amazes him as he looks upon it,
wondering how many complex calculations are processed at such high speeds. These reactions
are conditioned by his understanding of computer electronics.

The reactions of both the architect and the computer specialist were conditioned by their
understanding of the processes involved. Each of them was able to judge, analyze, understand,
and enjoy the things they observed, together with a sense of interest. These result in an
experience called appreciation.

As teachers, it is our goal that our students would attain a similar degree of
understanding, diversity, and awareness about music. Music experiences in class should bring
about enjoyment, distraction, an understanding.

With this in mind, let us now look at the definition of music appreciation. Glenn (1936)
noted that it is an effort to give music meaning in the lives of children. There is not one single
way to define what music appreciation is, so let us look directly at its characteristics and what
approaches are applicable to ensure that appreciation for music is constantly sustained in our
classes.
Here are some notable points to remember when carefully planning for activities
engendering music appreciation:

1. Music appreciation is all about nurturing a desirable attitude toward music, fostering a loved
for the craft.

2. It is understanding with enjoyment, so avoid the usual class lectures where students have to
memorize facts and information -- let them experience the music for themselves.

3. Create activities where students can learn skills with pleasure. This will take some creative and
critical thinking on the part of the teacher.

4. Activities must be tide with a child's interest.

5. Activities must be aimed such that students gain recognition, compare, and contrast musical
details.

6. Extensive use of listening, singing, rhythms, body movements, dancing, and creating music.

7. Listening activities must be always guided, teaching students what to listen for in the music.

8. Multicultural education -- expose students do a wide, diverse range of music styles.

9. Early exposure to good listening material should be established.

10. Perfection is not always the goal! It is not necessary for students to play an instrument
exceedingly well or always sing in tune -- enjoying the experience is more important.

In colleges and universities around the world, Arts Appreciation courses are usually offered
as General Education subjects. These are primarily “exposure courses" which give a cursory
glance on the arts, music, literature, and drama among others. In the current K to 12 curriculum,
we are given a chance to plant the seeds of music appreciation early on in a child's life. Every
music lesson should be a music appreciation lesson. Our students may not become musicians in
the future, but their love and understanding for music will always remain with them.

Appreciation for music is accomplished when our students have attained both an
intellectual response (“I know something about that song, it is in E major!”) and an effective
response (“I love hearing the chorus of that song, it inspires me to do great things”).

LESSON 3 - Listening

Objectives:

1. Keep in mind that listening is central and indispensable in teaching music;

2. Learn the difference between hearing and listening; and

3. Identify some practical techniques when giving out listening activities.

Introduction

Can you imagine life without sound? Without the ability to hear? Would it be possible for us
to live without sound? If you live in outer space, then that would be the case, since no sound
vibrations can travel well in there, for there is no air.

Every day given to us is an opportunity to encounter a vast array of sounds -- some are
pleasing music; some are noise; and sometimes, we hear nothing but silence. Have you ever
experienced how “deafening” silence can be? In our present hustle and bustle world, we rarely
have time to “hear” silence. In this lesson, we will talk about listening as a concept and see how
we can manipulate it in our music lessons. Later, in Lesson 16 of Chapter 3, we will find specific
strategies and suggestions in employing listening in class.

THINK: Listening as a Refined Aural Skill

 We hear music in an almost day-to-day basis -- from our personalized phone playlist, radio,
television, social media, advertisements, church services, flag ceremonies, birthdays, and other
special occasions. Some might even consider the chirping of birds a form of therapeutic music.
The most direct way of consuming an appreciating music is to hear and listen to it, since it is an
aural phenomenon. However, it is important to know the difference between “hearing” and
“listening”. Hearing is mostly passive -- we, humans, hear a lot of sounds simultaneously without
paying attention to them. On the other hand, listening is a process which actively engages our
brains as well as our ears.

Merriam Webster’s dictionary defines listening us: to pay attention to someone or

something in order to hear what is being said, sound, played, etc. Together with reading, writing,
and speaking, listening is considered to be one of the four language skills, and music is a
language.

Most of the time, we tend to hear but not listen. In educating our students through music,
we are to train them to be active listeners and not just mere hearers of music. The goal is to
enable our students to connect what they listen to in the music to more far-reaching concepts
and ideas. For example, we are listening to a march. How can a drumbeat pattern depict a
march? How does the drumbeat relate to the movement of the feet? Does the tempo reflect a
military march or a funeral march? No these are some sample questions that we, teachers,
should prepare to formulate and ask our students during their music listening sessions. When
playing a track of music for the class, teachers must guide their students to identify music
elements, find the meaning and relationship between the sounds, silence, notes, phrases,
sections, and not lyrics (if present), and if possible, relate these to other concepts or subjects,
such as color, texture, art, mathematics, an event, or a story. This does not require a lot of time
and builds more interest than a typical classroom lecture. It also trains learners to keep focus and
pay attention. As they continue developing their active listening skills, they may transfer this skill
in other subject, such as grammar or literature.

When actively listening, it is good to ask questions to further deepen the learner’s knowledge,
understanding and appreciation of a certain piece of music. Here are some sample questions:

1. What musical instruments am I hearing? How many are there? Are these stringed instruments?
Brass instruments? Wind instruments? Percussion instruments?

2. Is it a solo or a group performance?

3. What do the lyrics say? Do the lyrics fit the music?

4. What key is the music written?

5. What is the tempo (speed) of the music? How does it affect the character of the piece? If it
was played or sound slower or faster, how would the character change?

6. How does the music make me feel? What is its general mood?

7. Are there chords used in the piece? Are they in major or minor?

8. Are the lyrics based on the literary work, such as a poem?

9. How does the melody move? In steps, skips, or leaps? does it stay in one place?

10. Are there places where the tonality modulates to a different key? What effect does it give to
the listener?

11. What is the form or structure of the piece?

12. What is the music’s message? Can I relate it to an idea, thing, animal, person, place, or
event?

Depending on the nature of the piece of music listened to, these questions may or may not be
applicable. What other listening questions can you think of?
Using recordings for students to listen to is not an easy task, for students’ minds are prone to
wander and cease to listen attentively. When playing a musical example in class, students may
suddenly lose attention. Here are few techniques to remember when giving out listening
examples:

1. Be a good listening model -- when listening, the teacher must show that he/she is engaged
while doing so. Avoid using this time to look at your notes or your Lesson plan, or else the
students would notice that you yourself are not listening attentively. React to what you hear in
the recording. Smile, frown, laugh, and show facial expressions. Students copy what they see and
observe in their teachers.

2. Ask questions and give comments -- in the midst of listening to a piece of music, you may
pause sometimes so emphasize certain parts of the piece. There are highlights and important
part song or a piece of music, and it is in these places where the teacher can ask questions or
give a commentary.

For example, if a song repeats a line of lyrics such as shown below in the two stanzas:

Alaala ka maging gabi’t araw

Alipin mo’y walang kailangan

Marinig ko lang sa labi mo hirang

Na ako’y iibigin lagi habang buhay.

Alaala ka maging gabi’t araw

Alipin mo’y walang kailangan

Marinig ko lang sa labi mo hirang

Na ako’y iibigin lagi habang buhay.

Note: Partial Lyrics from the Tagalog folk song “Katakataka”

Before the song continues on the next next line, you may pause the recording and ask the
class why they think the same stanza was repeated. What is it its purpose in the music? Is it to
emphasize a point, or was it done to create an echo effect? Questions like this stimulate
students’ critical thinking and subjective reasoning.

3. Repetition is key -- it is important to give the students ample time to hear details within the
music clearly, and this are sometimes requires several repeats in playing the recording. Also, you
need not play an entire musical piece -- you may opt to cut it in places, collecting on the
important or specific parts for study. This also ensures that children will not get bored listening to
a long selection or get tired of waiting for these parts to be heard.

LESSON 4- Singing

Objectives

In this lesson, the student will be able to:

1. Learn why singing is central in learning music, especially in the elementary level;

2. Note considerations for vocal competency on the part of the teacher;

3. Note considerations required when choosing songs for the children;

4. Inculcate good singing attributes in their teaching of songs;

5. Learn and apply two methods of teaching songs, by note and by rote; and

6. Identify the marks of a poor singer and develop ways on how to help him/her

Introduction

It is hard to imagine a child of the 21st century whose preschool environment did not have
any contact with vocal music. The world we live in is a singing world. Media, such as radio,
television, and the internet, bombard us with music, both vocal and instrumental, on a day-to-
day basis. There are games that young children play that incorporate singing. The chirping of
birds, chimes, buzzing of bees, and the sounds from mechanical toys are also there, together
with the sounds of pets, ticking of the clock and the singing from other family members. Whether
or not the children are able to identify these sounds as music is irrelevant, as long as these aural
experiences have been part of their background. Because of this, we may safely conclude that
most, if not all, children come to school with a little background on music.

THINK: Singing as an Experiential Aspect to Learning

Singing is one of the most central activities that must be incorporated in the music
learning experience. It is interesting to note that even other subjects taught at school use songs
for memory reinforcement, understanding and enjoyment of certain topics. Singing offers an
excellent means of self-expression and emotional release. It is also useful for identifying one’s
self with people, places, events, things, and ideas. In some cases, we can relate much to the
songs that we become the character/s in the songs we sing.

Filipinos are naturally inclined to music, especially singing. The nation has produced many
talented artists, and there is a great love for the activity, as seen with the wide popularity of
karaoke and videoke bars and booths. After a long day’s work, we unwind and bond with our
friends through singing, and this gives us emotional satisfaction.

Singing may be the most important phase of music learning in elementary school. A wide
range of musical concepts and experiences can be attained through singing, such a reading
notation, dynamics, forms, rhythms, and tempo among many others. The voice is the instrument
that all human beings have – and it is readily accessible. Singing can also be a way for students
to experience for themselves the emption to other people. For example, in the course of their
learning a song about planting rice [such as “Magtanim ay Di Biro”], students get a glimpse of
how tiring and backbreaking a job it is to work in the fields. They also get to appreciate their own
culture more and value the labor of rice farmers who feed the nation. When singing in a group,
children learn to be sensitive and cooperative, responsive to the instructions given to them so
that the group can be perform well as a single unit.

It is important to note that we cannot train our elementary students effectively in music if
we do not have a certain acceptable degree of vocal competency. We, teachers, need not be
accomplished singers or have an exquisite singing tone, but we must possess the ability to read
the notes and to sing them correctly, in the right pitch and in the right rhythm. While it would be
ideal for the teacher to be in perfect or absolute pitch, it is alright to utilize tuning forks, pitch
pipes, or any melodic instrument available in the school.

Here are some ideas to consider when teaching singing activities:

1. Choosing children’s songs.

This requires most careful consideration, for we would not want to damage our students’ vocal
faculties.

a. Teach songs that have simple rhythmic patterns. The difficulty can increase as they
progress.
 b. Teach songs that are appropriate for their level of understanding. Basically, what this
means is that do not teach Grade 6 songs to Grade 3 students.
c. Teach songs that have words or lyrics that are not provocative/suggest double meanings,
which may cause confusion and/or embarrassment, especially to upper grade levels
[Grades 4-6].
d. Consider the breathing lengths of children. Do not expect them to sing long phrases if their
physique cannot allow them to.
e. Consider the range of the songs you are teaching. It is important to evaluate the vocal
range of your students, as the songs you choose might be either too high or too low for
them to sing. Also, take note that their voices change [students’ voice ranges in Grade 1-3
will eventually change as their bodies grow and enter Grades 4-6]. You may listen to
recordings to hear for yourself whether or not the voice ranges of your chosen song/s are
applicable to your students.
f. Consider which vocal registers are be used [either head tone or chest tone].
g. As much as possible, teach a wide range of music from different cultures, but also
emphasize our won traditional and Folk Filipino songs, which are sadly falling into neglect.
This will teach our students to learn and preserve their national heritage and identity.
h. Select songs that are realistic [based on real life] and also imaginative [fiction], for variety.

2. Aim for good singing attributes.

Here are some goals that teachers should constantly aim for when teaching songs:

a. Good tone quality

b. Correct speed or tempo
c. Right posture
d. Correct breathing
e. Proper pronunciation of lyrics
f. Correct performance of notated musical symbols
g. Appropriate emotional response

3. Identify which method of learning should be used:

by rote or by note. There are two ways of teaching songs to elementary students, either by
rote [that is, by listening repeatedly without the use of musical notation] or by note [learning
how to read musical symbols, such as notes and rests]. Ideally, we should aim to balance
between developing the aural and the visual capabilities of our students.

Usually, rote singing is used for teaching songs that are hard to read. Students are then
left with no choice but to learn them by ear, thus developing their ability to create and recreate
music.

There are two ways of teaching by rote:

a. Whole song approach – this can be used to teach songs which can be easily imitated by
children. These are usually short, repetitive, and easy to remember.
b. Phrase-by-phrase approach – this approach is used to teach songs which are more
difficult to learn and have to be divided into smaller sections or phrases.

On the other hand, learning by note incorporates activities such as using sol fa syllables,
which are more easily associated and assimilated into the aural experience, as these syllables
seem to perfectly “match” the tones they represent. When teaching pitches, it is important that
students not only learn the pitch letters [A, B, C, up to G], but also “experience” them – that is, to
sing them using sol-fa syllables. There is a certain disconnect when singing letters since they do
not correspond that naturally to the pitches as compared to sol-fa syllables. Also, solfeggio
exercises usually do not require children to sing pitches using letters, but in sol-fa syllables.

Another effective method in note singing is the use of body parts to associate with pitches.
Such is the case when using Curwen Hand Signals, where each hand symbol represents a pitch.

See the illustration below:

4. Identify the marks of a poor singer. In some of our music classes, there will be always
some children who are musically inept, who are unable to “carry a tune”. It is our duty as
teachers to quickly identify them, so that we may devise strategies to help them improv. We are
not to segregate them from class, for this might affect them adversely. Here are some marks of a
poor singer.

a. Oral problems. These refers to speech problems that impede speaking or correct
pronunciation.
b. Aural problems. These refer to the difficulty in pitch perception, this is what happens
when a student cannot sing correctly in tune, or the inability to identify which pitches are
high, low, and their relation to other pitches. These require much ear training and listening
exercises.
c. Lack of confidence. This is characterized by stage fright, extreme anxiety, and lack of
voice projection or volume.
d. Memory problems. These refer to the inability to properly commit the lyrics and/or the
music to memory, both cognitively and also in terms of muscle memory.

In the four problems previously stated, the most troublesome to solve would be aural problems.
Here are a few suggestions that may help:

a. Listening exercises that identify between high and low pitches.

b. Tone matching exercises – where a student should reproduce correctly a given pitch.
These may take a lot of time and repetition. Start with one pitch, then gradually increase
the number of pitches to be matched. Using sol-fa syllables is highly recommended.
c. Singing a short phrase, composed of a few pitches only. The number of pitches may be
increased gradually.’
LESSON 5 - Singing

Objectives

In this lesson, the student will be able to:

1. Discover the importance of incorporating activities regarding rhythm and tempo;

2. Discover what rhythm can contribute to an elementary child’s growth; and

3. Note some suggested rhythm activities that may be used when teaching music.

Introduction

Rhythm, one of the most important elements of music, is present in our everyday lives --
in nature, in speech, and in how we move. The change of seasons, the daily schedules we have,
the day and night cycle, and the ebb and flow of tides are just but a few examples which remind
us of the presence of rhythm. Every person has certain sensitivity to rhythm -- it may be active
or dormant. Just listen to your heartbeat and you would know everyone has rhythm in them.

THINK: Experiencing Rhythm and Tempo

Rhythm is a regular, orderly recurrence of sound and silence, the aspect of music that
gives it forward movement. In music, the value of rhythm is all at most important, together with
tempo, which dictates how slow or how fast these rhythms are to be realized. These two
concepts are usually always closely connected to each other.

It is evident the children have an innate love for motion, as seen in their interest in games,
play, and other physical activities. Rhythm and tempo offer a lot of opportunities that lend not
only musical understanding, but also enjoyment for elementary students. As music teachers, we
have to create avenues for our students to tangibly experience with rhythm, or it is one of the
fundamental factors of life.

In music, rhythm contributes to learning through these ways:

1. Rhythm helps develop a child's imagination and an expression of feelings and

thoughts, especially through bodily motions.
2. Rhythm helps build muscular control and coordination. Generating a physical
response is the proper approach to teaching rhythm. Body motions used in activities
must have an initial emphasis on big motions (children must first learn how to
coordinate bigger muscles before smaller muscles).
3. Rhythm develops pattern identification skills and helps create meaning when a
student sees or hears these patterns on a piece of music.
4. Rhythm can aid children experience how to work and perform cooperatively with
others.

Considerations When Teaching Rhythm And Tempo

Physical activities are the best way for children to fully understand and experienced
rhythm. Start with a slow temple (speed), and gradually increase it as the students gain mastery.

Here is an example when teaching between two types of note values (quarter and eighth):
 In this example, we may use a simple rhyme for the students to say. First, the teacher says
the rhyme while clapping (in this case in 4/4). Afterward, repeat the rhyme, clapping the rhythm
of each sound or syllable. Thus:

Let

the students repeat what you did. Then, then let them identify the beats in the rhyme. Lastly, let
them decipher the short (eighth note) and the long (quarter note) sounds. It would be good to
have a visual aid to guide the students. You may use a more colorful or attractive icon the
represent the “duration” lines for the children, or you may ask the children to come up with their
own images. Lengthen the rhymes as necessary. You may also use other bodily motions besides
clapping, like tapping, “tunog-tao” or using classroom objects as percussion instruments.
Activities like this one are to be constantly repeated and their difficulty raised as the students’
understanding grows.

Here are some body motions the teachers may incorporate in teaching rhythmic activities:

1. Clapping the beats of a melody or rhythmic pattern

2. walking or marching
3. skipping, hopping, or jumping
4. running
5. pushing and/or pulling
6. stretching

Here are some general goals that must be achieved when doing these activities:

1. Identifying pulses or beats, and also which beats are strong and which are weak.
2. Identifying slow from fast motions, and the ability to do them either fast or slow.
3. Alertness in doing physical responses.
4. Understanding the form and interpretation of music.