Running head: THE UNCERTAIN SINGER

The Uncertain Singer

Erin Robinson
Viterbo University
August 2014

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The Uncertain Singer

Introduction
Helping students develop musicianship requires a thoughtful blend of ageappropriate music theory instruction, the teaching of vocal technique, and demonstrations
in the understanding of varying styles of music. Doing all of these things well can result
in the creation of a well-rounded musician who plays, sings, improvises, composes, and
enjoys the art and science of music-making.
I believe there is a need to take a closer look at the student who is reluctant to
participate in musical activities. There could be a variety of reasons: anxiety, selfconsciousness due to peer attitudes, or a diagnosed processing disorder, to name a few. In
order to create a comfortable, musical classroom, all students need to feel welcome and
willing to participate. Although a great majority of elementary students who walk into
my classroom genuinely participate and regard music as a fun, rewarding part of their
day, there are a few who are uncertain, and do not seem fulfilled. The purpose of this
project is to help them.
In this paper, I will examine research regarding childrens singing, the
implications to teaching children to sing, chronic anxiety issues, and the findings that
have helped the reluctant child learn to sing comfortably.
Review of Literature
In order to improve my music instruction and give the best opportunities for
success to my students, I read three studies from music education academic journals.
Hedden (2012) conducted an investigation of the findings of studies devoted to the
childs voice. Her overview of existing research focused upon childrens internal factors

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including pitch-matching, and external factors, such as adolescent social attitudes
regarding singing and music class experience. Barefield (2012) contends that singers
take a risk every time they open their mouths to vocalize, and anxiety is a natural
response that can be countered with support and strong pedagogical teaching. Cooper
(2010) maintains that the positive effects of music making boost brain development,
increase vocabulary, and promote future academic success, as long as emotional
connections are made early on. Young children should be immersed in music through
lullabies and literature. This connection will produce a sustainable love for melody that
will engage students throughout their schooling.
Hedden (2012) points out that a disparity exists on the topic of singing. Music
teachers may believe that singing is an easy, natural process, whereas scientists have
demonstrated that singing is difficult, not instinctive, and ability varies widely from
person to person. In order to focus in on how singing is attained, one must evaluate the
process.
According to Hedden (2012), pitch-matching is a skill that contributes to the
process. Hedden draws from a study conducted by Jersild and Bienstock (1931),
showing that the most easily matched pitches in three-year-old children consisted of
middle C, D, and E flat. Those pitches are very close to the natural tones of a childs
speaking voice. Songs that begin on one of these three pitches may provide success for
early singers. Children also imitate individual pitches better than whole songs, which
draws attention to the fact that vocal games and activities have an important function in
the music classroom. Singing small repeating phrases in the format of competitive fun
may reinforce good pitch memory and vocal confidence.

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Range of singing is another factor in the evaluation of building a quality vocal

pedagogy. Kuhn & Sims (1983) taught first grade students songs in the keys of B flat, C,
D, and E. Greater problems were present in the higher keys--inaccuracy, and the inability
to sing the higher notes. Young children should sing music in lower keys for better
musicality. Of course, this does not mean we only want children to sing low, easy songs
and never progress. Reifinger (2009) suggests that learning sequences be structured so
that music reading is issued in a logical progression, from low ranges, to high, never
including a piece that is too difficult for the sake of filling out a concert program.
The next question to consider asks, Are singing skills acquired better by girls or
boys? Does gender play a difference? Trollinger (2003) conducted an investigation
among preschool children. Boys and girls were asked to match pitch. The children with
a higher speaking voice demonstrated much better accuracy with pitches, that being,
usually, the female students. However, boys and girls who had comparable pitchmatching ability at age 5 progressed at the same rate in their vocal instruction. This
shows us that although girls may have a brief head start in the art of singing, students are
equally capable in early elementary school despite their gender. However, once voice
maturation occurs, the boys have a difficult time again, getting used to the changes in
their voice. This maturation is beginning to be seen as early as fifth and sixth grade
(Killian, 1999.) Hornbach and Taggart (2005) noted that boys in the upper elementary
grades are less comfortable singing and one male participant complained he had to sing in
a girl voice (p. 328).

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External factors imposed by the music teacher and other students greatly
influence a childs ability to sing. Music teachers may use solos, small vocal groups,
whole class choral singing, simple harmony (rounds, canon, and ostinati), and echo songs
as a way of diversifying instruction. Goetze and Horii (1989) have shown that singing is
more accurate when children perform alone, rather than small groups. Rutkowski (1996)
maintains that kindergarten students singing in individual and small-group settings
produces better pitch than whole-group singing. This research points out that
individualized, smaller learning experiences are more worthwhile in developing a quality
singing voice than always singing as an entire class.
Teaching students healthy habits also helps to preserve this developing singing
voice in their bodies. Erman (1981) has stated that we need to teach students how to take
care of our voices. We need to avoid yelling, stop continuous talking, speak only when
necessary while tired or sick, and not use drugs or tobacco. Students will feel more
ownership over their vocal instrument if they realize its their job to take care of it.
Barefield (2012) states that it is safe to say that singers face a degree of risk
every time they open their mouths to vocalize (p.60). When a teacher encourages a
student to sing higher, longer, or with more expression, the student can feel scared. A
recurring cycle of trying, feeling inadequate, and experiencing stress can hinder students
in the learning process. Students become reluctant to participate enthusiastically. Its up
to teachers to adjust their teaching style to encourage singers and develop trust.
Singing voices are deeply personal and individual. During their school years,
students enjoy coming together and celebrating their likenesses, whether that being
wearing the same brand of clothing, cheering for the same sports team, or choosing the

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same lunch choice as their best friend. If a singer has an unusual voice quality, they may
be hesitant to sing. Barefield (2012) points out that if a student has a more mature voice
than that of their peers, they may be tempted to sing softly to match up with others.
Alternately, if a childs voice is underdeveloped, or light for their age, they may try to
overcompensate with a fake vibrato, or a false tone.
Barefield (2012) discusses that the personal nature of singing makes it
competitive. Singers compare themselves to peers, and even worse, to those of famous
rock stars. New singers are listening to highly edited, digitally-perfected studio
recordings and comparing them to their own raw talents. Enjoying a professional
singers style may bring enthusiasm for the art, but also may give a child a negative
image of themselves.
A music teacher needs to identify competitive interactions, discuss them openly,
and point out the discrepancies in comparing themselves to recording artists, (Barefield,
2012). Students and teachers also need to work together to make the music room a place
where artistic risks can be taken without the fear of hurtful criticism. The occasional
mistake is not taken seriously, and criticism is seen as a means of positive growth.
Teachers can note when stress is felt by students, as its often apparent in their face, neck,
or body even before negative behaviors emerge, according to Barefield.
Cooper (2010) presents valuable information that quality vocal instruction should
occur as soon as possible. Not only will this early music education provide the stepping
stones to become fearless singers, but boost brain development, increase vocabulary, and
promote future success in school by increasing memory and promoting emergent literacy.

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Lullabies and literature should be shared early in a childs life. Infants around the
age of six months experiment with different sounds and pitches. By the age of two or
three, they are quite good at communication. Cooper (2010) insists that children should
learn nursery rhymes and chants, improvise songs built around their imaginative play, and
become storytellers.
Combining books and stories are also important. A study from Pfaff (2008)
indicates that a love of books is the number-one determinant of future academic
success (p. 123-124). Cooper (2010) contends that a love of books containing songs
will promote future musical success.
Music teachers work to find an excellent song repertoire, so Cooper (2010)
suggests certain types of books for music teachers to include in a classroom library.
Books that contain segments where words are predictably repeated, where the words have
a rhythmic cadence, incorporate movement, reinforce singing, or have a recorded musical
background accompaniment are favored for developing musicianship.
Author Arnold Zable (2002) wrote Stories are what makes us human. Cooper
(2010) infers from the connection between written music and written word, that Singing
is what makes us human (p.30). Cooper believes that children who are given the gift of
music and stories together at a young age have received a gift of literacy and
musicianship, one that provides great pleasure and paves the way for a beautiful future.
Conclusion
As I plan for the upcoming school year, I will make a shift in the planning process
I use. I am going to put more thought and focus into designing the song repertoire for the
Kindergarten and First Grade students. Many times, their song list is developed based on

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songs that feature a steady beat, or have an even rhythmic division so that rhythms can be
easily felt and imitated. I am going to prepare a song list for the purpose of singability
and developing healthy voice habits in these young singers. As identified from the
research, songs with a tonal center of C and surrounding notes are the easiest to sing
accurately. I will also transpose, if necessary, songs so that they may be sung in the
easiest of keys for them to match.
I also think its important to remind the second, third, and fourth grade students
that their voices are at similar levels. Maturation hasnt occurred yet in those male
students, so they could learn from a scientific standpoint why all voices can match
vocal cords are similar in quality and size. However, in fifth grade, I could allow the
boys voices to sing pieces that are feasible for them, somewhat lower harmonies than
their female counterparts are singing.
I will instruct the students to cherish all types of voices. Perhaps by playing more
audio samples of very different timbres, they can understand that each voice is personal
and can be appreciated. Another item I will look for, is to play more samples of
childrens voices, those that are of similar age to them. That way, they are not comparing
themselves to the Grammy Award-winning sensations they are seeing on television.
Along with a small unit on maintaining a healthy voice, I plan to do activities that
promote reducing stress. There have been studies on how to teach students to breathe,
relax, and meditate, all ideas to relax and enjoy their experience in class. I think it would
be great to incorporate these alongside age appropriate vocal warm-ups.
I have occasionally tried doing vocal warm-ups with my older students, and
sometimes their giggles and silliness at the unusual nature of these vocalizations have

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steered me away from a constant course of warming up. I will try beginning these warmups at a younger age, before the adolescent worry of peer pressure has fully set it.
Perhaps if they are used to relaxing, exhaling slowly, and humming to get their voices
going, there wont be issues of embarrassment as fifth grade singers.
Another idea would be to promote continuing their music education by linking
our music program more fully with the middle school music program. One of the
downsides of having four elementary schools within the district is that it is difficult to
connect everyone. The lone middle school choir teacher would have to do some traveling
to visit all of our music rooms, on occasion, as well as teach his normal load of classes,
but it may really pay off. If the fifth grade boys see that guys grow up to be in the eighth
grade show choir, and look like they are having fun, it might make their elementary
music education a step toward their future goals.
In addition to promoting music for a lifetime with my older students, I plan to
make literacy connections with my younger ones. These stress-free moments of
participating in a read-along, either by echoing phrases, providing sound effects, or
singing along a familiar childhood tune are important early music experiences.
These areas of improvement that I found throughout this research experience will
be very valuable in my elementary music classroom. I look forward to instituting them. I
will be able to see if they are working by evaluating the number of uncertain singers that
are in my music classes. I hope that by instituting better vocal pedagogy at the younger
grades, confidence and knowledge in the middle grades, and more vocal samples in the
older grades, this process will develop confident, happy music students that enjoy and
appreciate music for a lifetime.

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References
References marked with an asterisk indicate studies included in the meta-analysis.
Barefield, R. (2012). Fear of singing: Identifying and assisting singers with chronic
anxiety issues. Music Educators Journal, 98, 60-63.
doi:10.1177/002743211143458
Cooper, S. (2010). Lighting up the brain with songs and stories. General Music Today,
23, 24-30. doi: 10.1177/1048371309353289
Erman, C.K. (1981). Vocal pedagogy for the young child. Dissertation Abstracts
International, 20 (01), 2436.
*Goetze, M., Cooper, N., & Brown, C.J. (1990). Recent research on singing in the
general music classroom. Bulletin of the Council for Research in Music
Education, 104, 16-37.
Hedden, D. (2012). An overview of existing research about childrens singing and the
implications for teaching children to sing. Update: Applications of Research in
Music Education, 30, 52-62. doi:10.1177/8785123312438516
*Hornbach, C.M. & Taggart, C.G. (2005). The relationship between developmental tonal
aptitude and singing achievement among kindergarten, first-, second-, and third
grade students. Journal of Research in Music Education, 53, 322-331.
*Jersild, A.T. & Bienstock, S.F. (1931). The influence of training on the vocal ability of
three-year-old children. Child Development, 2, 272-291.
*Killian, J. (1999). A description of vocal maturation among fifth and sixth-grade boys.
Journal of Research in Music Education, 47, 357-369.

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*Kuhn, T.L. & Sims, W.L. (1983). The effect of simultaneous melodic and harmonic
accompaniment, pitch level, and song tones on first-grade students ability to sing
correct pitches. Paper presented at the Bowling Green State University
Symposium on Music Teaching and Research, Bowling Green, OH.
Pfaff, L.G. (2008). I love storytime. Parents, July, 123-124.
*Reifinger, J.L. (2009). An analysis of tonal patterns used for sight-singing instruction in
second-grade general music class. Journal of Research in Music Education, 57,
203-216.
*Rutkowski, J. (1990). The effectiveness of individual/small-group singing activities on
kindergartners use of singing voice and developmental music aptitude. Journal
of Research in Music Education, 44, 353-368.
*Trollinger, V. (2005). Performing arts medicine and music education: What do we really
need to know? Music Educators Journal, 92, 42-48.
Zable, A. (2002). The fig tree. Melbourne, Australia: Text Publishing Company.

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