Enhancing Aural Skills Through Folk & Multicultural Music

Participants: Richard Rabideau, Daryle Redmond

Overview/Purpose: This learning unit is designed to enhance student aural skills
(audiation) and ability to use solfege as a means to learn and perform beginning/intermediate repertoire in major and minor tonalities. Through the use of folk and multicultural songs, students will increase their understanding of the role of folk music in cultural literacy. Students will demonstrate understanding through performance (singing and instrumental), discussion (individual and/or group), aural and written assessments.

Grade Level: Elementary/Intermediate (Grades 5-8)

Subject Area: Instrumental Music

NYS Learning Standards Addressed:

  • Arts Standard 1 – Creating, Performing, and Participating in the Arts
  • Arts Standard 3 - Responding to and Analyzing Works of Art
  • Arts Standard 4 – Understanding the Cultural Dimensions and Contributions of the Arts
  • English Language Arts Standard 1 - Read, Write, Listen and Speak for Information and Understanding
  • English Language Arts Standard 3 - Read, Write, Listen and Speak for Critical Analysis and Evaluation
  • Social Studies Standard 1 – The History of New York and the United States
  • Social Studies Standard 2 – World History
  • Social Studies Standard 2 – Geography
  • Social Studies Standard 2 – Economics

PCSD Standards :

  • Critical Thinker
  • Effective Communicator
  • Responsible Citizen
  • Life Long Learner

ESSENTIAL QUESTIONS
• Why is it important for musicians to have good aural perception (describe aural perception)?
(Conductors - Score reading: What should the piece sound like, etc. Musicians - Best performance comes when you know what your part sounds like before attempting to play, improvisation/real-time musical interaction, learning songs “by ear,” etc.)

• Why are folk songs important? What can be learned from folksongs?
(Children throughout the ages have used songs to learn and understand complex
relationships. They are an important way to learn aspects of history and to
empathize with the plight of others. They help us form connections with or
own and the society of others and our own role in the world.)

CONTENT KNOWLEDGE:
Declarative
Students will understand:
• Solfeggio terminology (major & minors)
• Simple key signatures
• The dual role (mirror and vehicle) folk songs play in culture
• The function of work, children and spiritual songs in the repertoire.

Procedural
Students will be able to:
• Sing (solfege) songs in the repertoire
• Perform repertoire songs with their instrument
• Synopsize selected lyrics of songs from repertoire
• Demonstrate enhanced aural perception through interval assessment.