Music for Early Childhood : Guidelines for Parents in the Western Cape
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i Music for Early Childhood: Guidelines for Parents in the Western Cape ALETTA MARIA KOCH-LOCHNER Thesis presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Music in the Faculty of Arts, at the University of Stellenbosch Stellenbosch Supervisor: March 2007 Prof. M. Smit ii DECLARATION I, the undersigned, hereby declare that the work contained in this thesis is my own original work and that I have not previously in its entirety or in part submitted it at any university for a degree. Signature: ................................ Date: .............................. iii ACKNOWLEDGMENTS Many thanks to my parents, Hennie and Annalize, and my husband, Mornè, for their love, support and baby-sitting services. DEDICATION This thesis is dedicated to my son, Hendrik, whose birth on 23/06/2005 brought new sense, meaning, purpose and fulfilment into my work and personal life. iv ABSTRACT The research for this thesis is presented in the form of a practical guideline for parents and educators in the Western Cape area. The important role of music in early childhood is emphasised throughout. Research, guidance and practical activities for the music education and development of the toddler and preschooler, are presented. The author answers and discusses the questions frequently asked by parents concerning musical education for their children, namely why, when and how, in the five chapters of the thesis. The importance of music education for children (the question concerning why) is discussed and emphasised by means of eleven different reasons supported by research. In Chapter 2, the important role of the parent as the child’s first music educator and prenatal stimulation is discussed (the question concerning when). In the two chapters that follow, the author provides parents with information about basic music concepts and skills that children should be able to master at specific ages. Throughout these chapters, practical activities to illustrate these concepts and to practise the relevant skills are suggested (the how question). Guidelines are presented concerning how play with the child should be approached and handled, as well as guidelines for the child’s first formal instrumental teaching and for choosing an instrument and a music teacher. The research is concluded with a practical section containing extensive lists of songs (in categories), CDs, DVDs, books and web addresses for the use of parents needing resources and further guidance. v OPSOMMING Die navorsing vir hierdie tesis word in die vorm van ‘n praktiese handleiding vir ouers en opvoeders in die Wes-Kaap provinsie aangebied. Die belangrike rol van musiek in die voorskoolse kind se lewe word deurgaans beklemtoon. Navorsing, riglyne en praktiese aktiwiteite vir die musiekopvoeding en ontwikkeling van die voorskoolse kindword, word prakties aangebied en bespreek.Die outeur beantwoord en bespreek die vernaamste vrae wat ouers ten opsigte van musiekopvoeding vir hul kinders vra, naamlik hoekom, wanneer en hoe, in die vyf hoofstukke van die tesis. Die belangrikheid van musiekopvoeding vir kinders (die hoekom vraag) word aan die hand van elf verskillende redes en wat deur navorsing ondersteun word, bespreek. Die belangrike rol van die ouer as eerste musiekopvoeder en prenatale stimulasie word in Hoofstuk 2 bespreek (die vraag aangaande wanneer). In die twee daaropvolgende hoofstukke bied die outeur verdere inligting aan ouers oor basiese musiekkonsepte en vaardighede wat kinders op sekere ouderdomme moet kan bemeester. Praktiese aktiwiteite om hierdie konsepte te illustreer en die verlangde vaardighede te oefen (die hoe vraag) word deurgaans voorgestel. Riglyne word gegee oor hoe spel met die kind benader en hanteer moet word, asook riglyne vir die kind se eerste formele instrumentale onderrig, die keuse van ‘n instrument en van ‘n musiekonderwyser. Die navorsing word afgesluit met ‘n praktiese afdeling waarin uitgebreide lyste van liedjies (volgens verskillende kategorieë), beskikbare CD-opnames, DVD-opnames, boeke en webadresse vir ouers gegee word as bronne en as verdere riglyne. CONTENTS vi CHAPTER 1: Introduction 01 1.1 Problem statement 01 1.2 Aim of the study 02 1.3 Organisation of the study 03 CHAPTER 2: The Importance of Music Education for Children (Question: Why should parents provide music education for their children?) 2.1 Music for the sake of music as primary goal 08 2.2 Music is part of the human world 08 2.3 Music is part human heritage 09 2.4 The Biological foundations of music 09 2.5 Music can contribute to the cognitive development of the child 11 2.6 Music can contribute to the physical development of the child 15 • Gross motor control skills 16 • Fine motor control skills 16 • Balance skills 16 • Eye-hand co-ordination skills 16 • Eye-foot co-ordination skills 16 • Laterality skills 16 2.7 Music can contribute to the emotional development of the child 16 2.8 Music can contribute to the social development of the child 18 • Group participation and socially appropriate behaviours 19 • Improved communication skills 19 • Leadership 19 • Awareness of cultural and national identity 20 2.9 Musical Intelligence: One of the intelligences according to Howard Gardner’s Theory of Multiple intelligences 20 2.10 Music can be of therapeutic value to the child 24 2.10.1 The therapeutic characteristics of music 25 2.10.2 The long-term goals of music therapy 26 2.10.3 Activities used in music therapy 27 2.11 Music provides a means for personal expression, as well as pleasure and joy 28 2.12 Conclusion 29 CHAPTER 3: When to start music education with the child 30 vii (Question: When should the parent begin their child’s music education?) 3.1 Prenatal research 30 3.1.1 The sound environment of the womb 30 3.1.2 Development and maturation of the Fetal Auditory System 31 3.1.3 Research on the influence of sound and learning in utero 33 3.2 The child’s first introduction to music 36 3.2.1 The role of the parents 36 3.2.2 Practical Prenatal stimulation exercises 39 3.3 Conclusion 39 CHAPTER 4: Guidelines and information to help parents to make a positive contribution to the child’s early musical development and music education (Question: What information and guidelines can the parent use in order to make a positive contribution to the child’s early musical education?) 40 4.1 Musical development and experiences in early childhood 40 4.1.1 Musical development and experiences of the infant phase (birth to twelve months) 40 4.1.1.1 General development and characteristics of the infant phase 40 4.1.1.2 The development of auditory perception in the infant phase 43 4.1.1.3 The first musical experiences of the infant 50 4.1.1.4 Active responses from the infant to musical stimuli 50 4.1.1.4 (i) General responses to musical stimuli 50 4.1.1.4 (ii) Earliest movements to musical stimuli 51 4.1.1.4 (iii) Earliest vocalising and musical babbling 52 (a) Vocalisation 53 (b) Musical Babbling 54 4.1.1.4 (iv) Musical memory and the Infant 55 4.1.1.5 Activities and musical experiences for the infant phase 56 4.1.2 Musical development and experiences in the first half of the toddler phase (twelve to twenty four months) 61 4.1.2.1 General development and characteristics of the early toddler phase 61 4.1.2.2 Active responses by the early toddler to musical stimuli 62 4.1.2.2 (i) General responses to musical stimuli 62 4.1.2.2 (ii) Movements made by the early toddler to musical stimuli 63 (a) Types of movements 63 (b) Co-ordination of music and movement 64 4.1.2.2 (iii) Singing characteristics of the early toddler 64 (a) Babbling songs 65 (b) Songs imitating a sung model (“imitating songs”) 65 4.1.2.2 (iv) Musical memory and the early toddler 67 4.1.2.3 Activities for the first half of the toddler phase 67 viii 4.1.3 Musical development and experiences in the second half of the toddler phase (two to three years) 67 4.1.3.1 General development in and characteristics of the second half of the toddler phase 67 4.1.3.2 The later toddler’s active responses to musical stimuli 68 4.1.3.2 (i) The later toddler’s movements made in response to musical stimuli 68 4.1.3.2 (ii) The singing characteristics of the later toddler 69 (a) Types of songs sung by the later toddler 70 • Spontaneous and imaginative singing 70 • Pre-learnt songs 70 • Mixed form or “Pot-Pourri” songs 71 (b) Singing skills of the two-year-old toddler 71 4.1.3.2 (iii) Activities and musical experiences for the second half of the toddler phase 71 4.1.4 Musical development and experiences in the preschool phase 73 (three to four years) 4.1.4.1 General development in and characteristics of the preschool phase 74 4.1.4.2. Active responses to musical stimuli in the preschool phase 74 4.1.4.2 (i) Movements made by the preschooler to musical stimuli 75 4.1.4.2 (ii) Singing and the preschooler 75 (a) Spontaneous and imaginative singing 76 (b) Pre-learnt songs and the singing skills of the three-year-old 76 4.1.4.3 Observable musical behaviours of the three-year-old preschooler 77 4.1.4.4 Activities for this phase 78 4.1.5 Musical development and experiences of the preschool child 78 (four to six years) 4.1.5.1 General development and characteristics of the preschool phase 78 4.1.5.2 Movements and the preschooler 79 4.1.5.3 Singing and the preschooler 80 4.1.5.4 Activities and music experiences for this phase 81 4.2 The structural elements of music 83 4.2.1 Timbre 84 4.2.2 Dynamics 86 4.2.3 Tempo 87 4.2.4 Rhythm 89 4.2.5 Melody 92 4.2.6 Form 94 4.2.7 Texture and Harmony 96 4.3 The child and musical play 98 4.3.1Types of social play