Sight-singing Methodology 1
Sight-singing Methodology and The Use
Sight-singing Methodology and
The Use of Individual Assessment in
The Choral Classroom
Tanis T. Baker
University of Akron
Sight-singing Methodology 2
Sight-singing Methodology and The Use
of Individual Assessment in The Choral Classroom
Introduction
Music educators have long acknowledged the importance of teaching sight-singing in the choral classroom (Demorest, 1998). Sight-singing is defined as teaching singers to sing music from notation without hearing the music first (Killian & Henry, 2005). The earliest music education experiences in America grew out of the need to teach people how to read music for worship (Abeles et. al., 1995).
The ability to read music is a desirable musical skill for both student and teacher (Demorest, 1998). Sight-singing skills are viewed as an important, functional, and practical tool for facilitating efficiency in choral rehearsals, by providing a means for broadening and enriching students’ experiences in choral music (Boyle & Lucas, 1990). Even more important, sight-singing skills enable a student the opportunity for musical independence (Boyle & Lucas, 1990).
Choral music educators have identified music literacy as a necessary component of musical independence (Demorest, 1998). Yet, Demorest (1998) has found that “many students leave high school after four or more years of choral training without the sight-singing skill. It seems for choral educators believing sight-singing is important and giving adequate rehearsal time to sight-singing are two different concepts (Demorest, 1998).
Daniels (1988) research found sight-singing to be a subject that is frequently neglected and ignored in choral music programs. Daniels (1988) also found that choral
Sight-singing Methodology 3
music programs are more effective when performers are musically literate and independent. The purpose of this study is to discuss the use of sight-singing in the choral classroom. The study will also discuss the use of individual sight-singing assessment in the choral classroom.
Review of Literature
Sight-Singing Methodology
During the nineteenth century, teaching the sight-singing skill was an important and major objective of the American public school music program (Dwiggins, 1984). At the beginning of the present century the development of sight-singing lost its prominence in the public school system (Dwiggins, 1984). The result being that many students over the past several decades graduated musically illiterate (Dwiggins, 1984).
A 1987 survey conducted through the North Central region of the American Choral Directors Association (ACDA) found that although directors agreed on the
importance of sight-reading little rehearsal time was devoted to the development of sight-reading (Demorest, 1998).
Killian and Henry (2005) sought to determine the factors that contributed to a sight-singers success. Killian and Henry (2005) first determined that the amount of rehearsal time devoted to sight-singing as reported by surveyed choral directors or as observed by researchers did not seem to be related to a student’s sight-singing accuracy or success. Second, it was found that an individual’s instrumental playing experience had a positive effect on sight-singing accuracy (Killian & Henry, 2005). Third, Killian and
Sight-singing Methodology 4
Henry (2005) determined that the amount of years spent in choir either positively effected accuracy (cited in Demorest & May, 1995) or had no significant effect (cited in Tucker, 1969). Finally, Killian and Henry (2005) stated that the number of years of piano instruction positively identified more accurate sight-singers (cited in Demorest & May, 1995) or made no significant difference (cited in Scott, 1996). Therefore, Killian and Henry (2005) concurred that little agreement exists on specific experimental factors that positively influence the sight-singer.
Dwiggins (1984) and Daniels (1988) reviewed the method materials on sight-singing used in school choral programs. Each provided strong documentation of a need for better methods of teaching sight-singing in the choral classroom. Dwiggins (1984) and Daniels (1988) studies also observed that sight-singing is often inconsistently taught and haphazardly approached in many school choral programs.
Major factors that were believed to limit the effectiveness of sight-singing instruction include insufficient time, unavailability of adequate evaluation procedures, and failure of music educators to agree upon standards for musical achievement in school choral programs (Dwiggins, 1984).
Daniels’ (1988) identified three specific method books used for sight-reading among choral directors. The most frequently used method book was The Independent Singer by Edstrom followed by Fundamentals of Sight-Singing and Ear Training by Fish and Lloyd. Teaching Choral Sight-Reading by Boyd was also mentioned and the Kodaly Method was also a popular response. However, half of the respondents said that they did not use a specific sight-singing method book or approach (Daniels, 1988).
Sight-singing Methodology 5
Choral music educators do not agree on which sight-singing approach should be used (Boyle & Lucas, 1990). Some educators teach using the “fixed do” or “moveable do” approach and some educators teach using a scale degrees system or no sight-singing system at all (Boyle & Lucas, 1990).
With so many possible teaching methods including moveable do, fixed do, letter names, intervals, neutral syllables, scale degrees, and solfege syllables it seems that the
preferred sight-singing method among choral directors varies greatly (Killian & Henry, 2005). Thus, choral directors are frequently left to develop his/her own approach to sight-reading instruction (Daniels, 1988). The effectiveness of the instruction is left to the teacher’s own knowledge, ingenuity, and commitment to developing the skills of the students (Daniels, 1988).
Individual Sight-singing Assessment
Recent standards-based education has placed a greater emphasis on assessing individual student achievement (Henry, 2001). Therefore, the development of sight-
singing skills has also dealt with group versus individual achievement, factors relating to individual achievement, and individual assessment in the choral classroom (Killian &
Henry, 2005). Without the use of individual assessment in the choral classroom, music educators cannot determine the current achievement level of their students (Henry, 2001). Music educators cannot show the growth of students as a result of instruction if individual assessment does not exist (Henry, 2001).
Sight-singing Methodology 6
Individual assessment does however have it’s own unique challenges (Henry, 2001). First, few opportunities exist within the typical choir rehearsal to assess individuals (Henry, 2001). Daniels’ (1988) survey of choral educators found individual
sight-singing assessment occurring only once during the school year. Second, individual assessment can be extremely time consuming and the scoring process can become subjective (Henry, 2001). Third, quality tools for individual assessment are not readily available to the choral educator (Henry, 2001). Researchers who are interested in measuring instrumental sight-reading skills have for years used the Watkins Farnum Performance Scale (Henry, 2001). There is not an equivalently and universally accepted test used by researchers interested in individual vocal sight-reading (Henry, 2001). Yet,
with the recent emphasis on standards-based education and greater attention being paid to assessing individual student achievement it warrants choral educators to take a closer look at individual sight-singing instruction in the choral classroom (Henry, 2001).
Henry and Demorest (1994) study of two Texas choirs with excellent ratings in group sight-singing at contest sought to determine whether group success was a sufficient indicator of individual achievement in sight-singing. Their results showed that despite the ensembles receiving the highest ratings at group sight-reading contests the students received individual averages of 66% accuracy in pitch and rhythm (Henry & Demorest, 2004). Henry and Demorest’s (1994) findings revealed that group achievement was not a highly accurate indicator of individual achievement.
Demorest’s (1998) study explored the effects of individualized testing as an instructional strategy. His results showed that students who participated in periodic
Sight-singing Methodology 7
individual sight-singing testing scored significantly higher on the posttest than students who received identical group instruction, but did not participate in individual testing during the treatment period (Henry, 2004). Demorest’s findings revealed that
individualized sight-singing testing can be an effective instructional tool for teaching sight-singing (Henry, 2004).
Individual assessment provides music educators with information not available through the use of only group instruction (Demorest, 1998). First, individual assessment provides important information regarding each student’s individual growth and maturation (Demorest, 1998). When sight-singing is taught on only a group level, it is not certain sight-singing skills improve significantly on an individual level ( Demorest, 1998). Second, individual testing provides an important educational benefit by aiding in the transfer of knowledge from group instruction to individual skill (Demorest, 1998).
Finally, the added expectation that students in a group setting must demonstrate individual performance skills may help students’ progress by motivating them to increase their individual practice (Demorest, 1998).
Summary
Virtually all choral music educators agree that sight-singing skills are important and that the development of these skills should be part of the school music program (Boyles & Lucas, 1990). Yet, despite the importance of sight-singing to the development of the individual musician, Daniels (1988) research found sight-singing to be a subject
that is frequently neglected and ignored in choral music programs. There is no significant relationship between the number of years spent in public school choral
Sight-singing Methodology 8
programs and sight-reading ability, albeit a strong correlation exists between sight-reading ability and instrumental experience (Daniels, 1988).
Scientific research regarding the effects of various teaching methods continues to remain sparse and inconclusive (Boyles & Lucas, 1990). Recent research has explored specific factors involved with instrumental research, but little research has been specifically devoted to the development of sight-singing (Boyles & Lucas, 1990). Instrumental sight-reading cannot generalize to sight-singing, because “the nature of the vocal task and instrument requires different skills (p. 1).”
Daniels’ (1988) and Dwiggins’ (1984) research has shown a definite need for improvement in sight-singing methods. Yet, changes in the sight-singing methodology have been slow in coming (Boyles & Lucas, 1990).
Recent emphasis on standards-based education has placed a greater emphasis on assessing individual student achievement (Henry, 2001). While individual sight-singing assessment has its own challenges, it appears to be a beneficial educational tool (Demorest, 1998). Choral educators should consider making greater use of teaching techniques such as melodic and rhythmic dictation that fosters independent development of sight-singing skills, instead of using instructional methods that encourage choral students to rely primarily on the strength of the group (Daniels, 1988).
Boyles and Lucas (1990) state that until more is understood about the perceptual
nature of sight-singing development, teaching techniques and instruction will remain widely varied. Sight-singing will continue to be approached as a requirement for contests
Sight-singing Methodology 9
and festivals rather than as a meaningful choral skill unless researchers can demonstrate a positive relationship between the development of sight-singing and other choral skills
(Boyles & Lucas, 1990). This positive relationship can only be speculation until the sight-singing skill is better understood (Boyle & Lucas, 1990).
Suggestions for Future Study
Researchers should continue to explore sight-singing questions in order to prevent sight-singing skill development from being applied haphazardly in choral rehearsals (Lucas & Boyle, 1990).
Research should continue on the use and benefits of individual sight-singing and assessment in the choral classroom. Choral music educators should consider making a greater use of teaching techniques, including melodic and rhythmic dictation, that encourage individual growth and development instead of using teaching and rehearsal techniques that encourage choir students to primarily rely on group strength (Daniels, 1988).
Choral music educators would also benefit from research that identifies how consistent vocal sight-singing instruction is from the early stages into the high school programs. The study could look to answer the question of where might crucial training be lacking and what efforts could be made to improve the music instruction early in a student’s training through more individual opportunities (Demorest, 1998)?
Neglecting to provide thorough sight-singing instruction in the basic skills
necessary for students to experience and communicate music limits not only the degree to which quality literature can be taught and performed throughout the school year, but
Sight-singing Methodology 10
hinders the student’s ability to learn new literature after graduating from high school (Daniels, 1988). It is essential for choral music educators and researchers to continue to educate themselves on the methods and assessment tools appropriate for the choral music program. The success of future collegiate, professional, and church choirs depends upon the sight-singing training received in school choral music programs (Daniels, 1988).
Sight-singing Methodology 11
References
Abeles, H.F., Hoffer, C.R., & Klotman, R.H. (1995) Foundations of music education (2nd
ed.). New York: Schirmer Books.
Boyle, J., & Lucas, K. (1990). The effect of context on sightsinging. Bulletin of the
Council for Research in Music Education, 106, 1-9.
Daniels, R.D. (1988). Sight-reading instruction in the choral rehearsal. Update:
Applications of Research in Music Education, 6(2), 22-24.
Demorest, S. (1998). Improving sight-singing performance in the choral ensemble: The
effect of individual testing. Journal of Research in Music Education, 46, 182-192.
Dwiggins, R. (1984). Teaching sight-reading in the high school chorus. Update:
Applications of Research in Music Education 2(2), 8-11.
Henry, M. (2001). The development of a vocal sight-reading inventory. Bulletin of the
Council for Research in Music Education, 150, 21-35.
Henry, M. (2004). The use of targeted pitch skills for sight-singing instruction in the
choral rehearsal. Journal of Research in Music Education, 52, 206-217.
Henry, M., & Demorest, S. M. (1994). Individual sight-singing achievement in successful
choral ensembles: A preliminary study. Update: Applications of Research in
Music Education, 13(1), 4-8.
Killian, J., & Henry, M. (2005). A comparison of successful and unsuccessful strategies
in individual sight-singing preparation and performance. Journal of Research in
Music Education, 53, 51-65.