Aim
After a brief introduction and overview to the course we get straight into learning our songs. There are 2 Greetings songs and a bonus ‘warm-up’ activity in this first week. You will be given a choice of greetings songs to use and the background information to the song goes into the importance of greeting politely and respectfully at all times. It also touches on how gesture and expression can also enhance the delivery of songs. You will be guided through the lyrics and music of the song so that you can follow the shape of the printed music, even if you have no musical skills. If you are a skilled musician, you will be able to learn to play the songs from the sheet music (with chords for guitarists) provided.

Outcomes

1. You will have 3 songs to share confidently with your children
2. You will have gained the knowledge needed to deliver the song with understanding and assurance
3. You will have learnt some musical terms and be able to follow the pattern of the song-melodies
4. You will understand why we need to take into account children’s personalities, learning styles, cultures and behaviours in order to greet every individual child respectfully and sensitively

Aim
This week we use a participatory game-song; ‘Let’s make a man’, written in a ‘Rock’n’Roll’ style, to demonstrate the different features of our heads. We continue the learning from the previous two weeks by drawing attention to the ways which we are similar to, and the ways in which we are different from each other. We learn to adapt the lyrics to suit our own demographics and we have fun making silly faces!

Overview

1. Your song-bank and your confidence continues to increase
2. You will understand how to adapt lyrics ‘on the fly’ to suit your audience
3. You will have gained the knowledge needed to deliver the song with understanding and assurance
4. You will have learnt even more different musical terms (and instrument-names) and be able to follow the pattern of this song-melody
5. You will be be starting to feel confident to experiment, extend and improvise the songs in your own unique ways!

Aim
This week we draw the focus of ‘colours’ down onto ourselves and our family and friends. We learn to deliver a folk-style song called ‘The Colours of me’ which draws attention to our own unique colours. We explore a longer song structure and come to see (i) how it can be adapted to provide the children with their own opportunities to express themselves and (ii) just how valuable this process is to developing understanding in everyone.

Outcomes

1. You will be starting to internalise the songs at a quicker pace
2. You now have the level of confidence you need to really support the children express themselves creatively
3. You will understand why this song is written in this particular way and why it is so important not to rush the singing so that you can really accommodate the children’s voices
4. You will have gained the knowledge needed to deliver the song with understanding and assurance
5. You will have learnt some different musical terms and be able to follow the pattern of this song-melody
6. You will see how delivering songs using this method allows you the freedom to adapt and extend the materials to suit your own context specifically

Aim
We move into a different geographical location for ‘The Colour Wheel’. This game-song is written in the Calypso musical style and it draws attention to the many different colours in our world and how they can be mixed and matched to make other shades and colours. Just like people! The song provides a starting point for conversations with the children about how many ‘colours’ of people there are in the world, and how, in being different, they all bring value to our lives.

Outcomes

You will be building up a range of contrasting songs to share confidently with your children

1. You will understand, and be able to identify, the Calypso style of music and know something about its origins
2. You will have gained the knowledge needed to deliver the song with understanding and assurance
3. You will have learnt some different musical terms (and instrument-names) and be able to follow the pattern of this song-melody
4. You will be beginning to understand that delivering songs using this method allows you the freedom to adapt and extend the materials to suit your own context specifically.

Aim
We start our conclusion to the course with a lyrical waltz-style song that teaches citizenship and respect. The ‘Friendship Song’ encourages the children to recognise the value of friends and kindness through offering them a flower. By supporting the children to reach out to each other, we provide role-modelling of the best types of behaviours within a social setting.

Outcomes

1. You will have completed your first set of songs to add to your own song-resource library
2. You will understand the many ways in which songs cover a number of learning objectives simultaneously
3. You will have gained the skill to focus on just one or two objectives each time you deliver a song
4. You will have learnt some different musical terms (and instrument-names) and be able to follow the pattern of this song-melody
5. You will be confident in knowing that delivering songs using this method allows you the freedom to adapt and extend the materials to suit your own context specifically
6. You will have ideas, tips and experience in how to manage behavioural aspects of song delivery to children

Aim
To learn and then deliver with confidence ‘The number train’ which is a physical song (requiring actions and some small props (templates are included for you to print). The song is written in the Indian ‘Banghra’ musical style. You will see how this song can be used to support maths learning (counting and recognising numbers) in addition to experiencing a very different style of music.

Outcomes

1. You will have another, contrasting song to share confidently with your children
2. You will understand, and be able to identify, the Banghra style of music and know something about its origins
3. You will have gained the knowledge needed to deliver the song with understanding and assurance
4. You will have learnt some different musical terms (and instrument-names) and be able to follow the pattern of this song-melody
5. You will explore some of the reasons why it is so important to offer musical diversity to the children.