This mixed methods study aimed to explore how using Model-Eliciting Activities (MEAs) in an aural skills classroom can promote student motivation and engagement. Aural skills courses, which focus on ear training and sight singing, benefit from MEAs--activities that require students to create models to solve progressively complex problems. As…

To sing while taking melodic dictation is a strategy employed by some Ear Training students as an aid, but there is a disagreement among the literature about its efficiency. Thus, it is important to disambiguate this question examining the contributions related to vocalization. The purpose of this research is to investigate the influence singing…

Children often spontaneously yet purposefully sing songs or create rhythms outside the formal classroom setting to reflect the ways in which they naturally engage with music. Researchers have studied these informal music learning practices to incorporate these experiences into the classroom to offer lessons that are engaging and better reflective…

To examine the quality of rhythmic improvisations after learning Ugandan folksongs via notated or aural/oral means, we asked university music majors (N = 32) to practice two Ugandan folksongs via Western notation or while viewing a prerecorded video of an expert Ugandan performer singing the same song to mimic aural/oral tradition conditions.…

This paper reports findings from the Ear-Playing Project in relation to the teaching strategies that 15 instrumental teachers adopted during one-to-one instrumental lessons whilst helping their students to copy music by ear from a recording. Overall, the teachers used a variety of strategies including singing and humming along with or without the…

The nature of skill acquisition has long been of interest to music educators. This study considers the research context for relationships between aural dictation, sight singing, performance and composition skills. Then, relationships between these skill areas are quantitatively investigated using data from the Australian New South Wales Music 2…

This study is to investigate the effectiveness of using mobile devices such as iPhone/iPad/android phone/tablet to facilitate mobile learning in aural skills. The application "Auralbook" was designed in 2011 by an engineer/musician to use mobile devices to learn aural skills. This application enables students to sing, record, clap and…

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of presentation modes on evaluations of conducting and choral ensemble performance. Participants (N = 36) were graduate music students with conducting and teaching experience studying in Argentina (n = 18) or the USA (n = 18). The participants viewed and evaluated a stimulus videotape that…

Proposes that high school choir teachers utilize multimedia technology in order to provide students with simultaneous aural and visual examples of various musical concepts. Offers examples using a multimedia approach to teach John Bennet's "Weep, O Mine Eyes" and Randall Thompson's "The Road Not Taken." Includes a list for selected software. (CMK)

Explains how singing can be incorporated into the band rehearsal. Discusses how to improve student aural skills by including singing in the rehearsal and the benefits of having students sing. Describes how music teachers can use songs or chorales in the classroom. (CMK)

Contends that many choral programs suffer from a continued dependence on the piano for music learning and intonation. Provides suggestions that will help students develop sight-reading and singing skills that are not centered around the piano, such as creating a sight-reading system and having students read choral music immediately. (CMK)

Opinions of New York state public school music teachers were sought to (1) obtain an initial profile of the knowledge and skills needed and actually used by beginning music teachers in the areas of aural skills, written skills, combined aural and written skills, and theoretical knowledge of musical types; and (2) determine if this profile of…

Fine Arts for second graders are explored in the instructional and assessment activities in this teacher's guide to unit four. Unit four revolves around the basic theme of the neighborhood. Kits 13-16 treat the spiraling questions of who the child is, what his wants and needs are, what his resources are, and how he uses his resources. Focus,…

Fine arts for second graders are explored in the instructional and assessment activities of the fine arts strand of unit five. Four Spanish songbooks accompany kits 17-20; the recordings of the musical selections used are available on Cassette 17-20 (available separately from the Dissemination Center). The strand revolves around the theme of the…