Literacy news
Introducing music into everyday practice
17 Sep 2010
In a Nursery World article, Linda Bance, MA Music Education, discusses the importance of musical play in learning and development, the role of music in the Early Years Foundation Stage and ways to incorporate music into settings.
Music should be an important part of every setting, she says; it supports children’s development and wellbeing, enhances children’s cognitive and creative skills and can be rewarding for practitioners. Music is also central to the creative aspects of the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) and because of this settings should be considering how they are integrating it into their practice.
One way to make the most of music time in a setting is to bring in a musician. Musicians can engage children in different ways, introducing new sounds, musical ideas and a broad range of musical styles. Including a musician in a setting can also help encourage focus and concentration; increase practitioners' confidence in their singing and introduction of music into the setting, including setting up music play zones; support and encourage children to experiment and engage in musical play; and extend children’s vocabulary and expressiveness.
When it comes to incorporating music into a setting the EYFS states that practitioners should be working towards:
- Encouraging and helping children to listen to music
- Widening children’s experiences of music from different cultures and styles
- Helping children develop a repertoire of songs and dances
- Offering a wide range of sounds and musical instruments for children to explore
- Allowing children to express themselves freely through music and dance
- Providing stimulus for imaginative composition
- Providing opportunities for children to work alongside artists and other creative adults so that they can see at first hand different ways of expressing and communicating ideas
If a setting does bring in a musician, then making the most of their time and skills will be paramount. Treat the musicians as part of your team and encourage them to get to know staff, children and parents.
Bance recommends that settings plan music sessions. While no session will be like another it is good to have a general outline of events, for example:
- Start by singing a welcome song together, making sure to encourage adults to join in, which is important for support and role modelling
- Sing familiar action songs and finger rhymes
- Have a listening time, maybe introducing a special puppet to signal when this time is
- Play together, allow children to play along with the music or by themselves
- Close with another song together, suggested by the children or parents.
After each session make sure to reflect on what happened and what adjustments and improvements you can make in the future. For more information about integrating music into your setting visit www.playmusicplay.co.uk.
Read the full article at http://www.nurseryworld.co.uk/news/login/1026823/Learning---Development-Music-Part-1---Caught-not-taught/
(Nursery World, September 2010)
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