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first line when repeated , I ’ d seen used to great effect and so as the weeks and months went by , I imitated that same technique and as I did so , I grew to discover that singing with my pupils actually provided a multitude of benefits , far more than I had ever imagined !
Frequent singing seemed to be supporting all of the children ’ s language development , but in particular , I noted that children who spoke very little English , had so much more confidence and motivation to use their developing English when singing enjoyable songs in collaboration with their peers and teachers . Singing as a regular , communal act helped to create a happy learning environment for us all . I had always loved singing privately on my own , but now I loved singing with my pupils even more and they clearly loved it too . In a happy , loving , nurturing environment such as this , learning flourished and anything seemed possible . I believe that young children need to be surrounded by adults who demonstrate a genuine affection for them . Positive relationships are vital . Great knowledge and an understanding of the ‘ mechanics ’ of teaching are worthless in an early years classroom , if not accompanied with the emotional intelligence required to be able to establish a warm rapport with each and every child , to ensure each child feels safe , secure and valued as a unique little individual .
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The fundamental principles of good early years education and the needs of young children are almost identical anywhere in the world . All young children need to feel loved and valued and teachers too , for they perform of their best when relationships with their pupils and the parents of their pupils are positive and mutually supportive . Young children need to feel a close connect with the adults who educate and care for them , for this mirrors the warmth of their relationship with their parents which underpins their successful development and healthy wellbeing . Young children thrive best in an environment where they can ‘ play around ’ with words , extend their vocabulary , explore meaning and have fun . It ’ s not rocket science , but a combination of all of these ingredients is essential . Let me explain in more detail some of the many benefits of Singing . |
The Health Benefits :
Did you know that singing provides physical and mental health benefits ?
1 . Singing develops the lungs and purifies the blood by more completely emptying the lungs of used air and filling them deeply with fresh air , so children are exercising their lungs well when they sing . The process of deep breathing when children are singing clears the lymphatic system of toxins thereby supporting a child ’ s immune system .
2 . Research shows that singing increases endorphins in the brain to cause children to feel good and even change their mood .
3 . Singing as a means of self-expression can provide release for pent-up emotions . Depression , anger and anxiety can be reduced / released through singing . Songs can support children to empathise with the feelings of others , to express happiness through laughter and to feel joy .
4 . Singing increases a child ’ s poise and self-confidence . It develops character and can bring contentment in a way no other activity does .
Learning and Personal and Social Benefits :
1 . Singing helps improve speech . Articulation is taught through singing , adding to the clarity of the spoken word .
2 . Singing strengthens a child ’ s memory and power to concentrate . When a child sings he / she is exercising their brain . When learning new songs or memorizing the words to familiar songs , children are strengthening their brains and Music stimulates memory like nothing else .
3 . Singing can help children connect across cultures and break down potential barriers . Singing songs in a variety of languages helps engender respect for similarities and differences .
4 . At DBF ( Dubai British Foundation ) we note a rapid growth in the children ’ s self-esteem and when singing together in a big group , we note that friendships flourish across all classes .
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Learning an Additional Language :
1 . Recent research from Edinburgh University suggests that singing may be the key to more successful learning of an additional language .
2 . It was found that children who sang words or short phrases of a foreign language while learning it were twice as good at speaking it later .
3 . It is thought that by listening to words that are sung and by singing them back , the technique takes advantage of the strong links between music and memory .
The great thing about singing is that you don ’ t need to be an accomplished musician with a trained voice to use it to great effect . You simply need the confidence to sing with enthusiasm and the discernment to research and select appropriate material for a wide variety of purposes . Any teacher can do it , children will appreciate it and the potential for accelerating children ’ s language development of any language is enormous .
A wise parent sings nursery rhymes and lullabies to their child from birth and some even advocate singing to their unborn child when still in the womb . As the first , most loving and arguably most important educator in any child ’ s life , a parent naturally longs to do all they can to promote their child ’ s successful learning . As teachers we need to work in partnership with
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parents to address the same challenge . I know no better way to unlock a child ’ s potential to speak with confidence , fluency , eloquence and skill , than to sing a great deal with them . I consider it essential that we continually expose young children to songs that introduce a wealth of rich vocabulary , model correct sentence structure and grammar , and contain content to help expand their knowledge and understanding of the world in which they live .
There is nothing that can be said or read to a child that cannot be more effectively incorporated into a song to enhance the child ’ s ability to learn . Any determined teacher with a creative mind can do it . Just find a good jingle , put the words you need to teach into it and hey presto , you ’ ve a recipe for success .
Final advice : Try not to get too bogged down with worrying about where songs originate or how suitable their original lyrics are , but rather listen out for songs that lend themselves to a call and response-type structure or have similar or repetitive versestructure , for these tunes can easily be adapted to take any lyrics you wish .
Anything worth doing , must be seen to impact upon student attainment . Singing for Learning , our unique music programme , certainly has . DBF is only in its third year of operation , but I attribute improving trends in performance across all areas of learning , predominantly to this highly effective programme and the way we are developing it .
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