A Survey of Sight-Singing Instructional Practices in Florida Middle School Choral Programs

• Other Authors: Kuehne, Jane Marie (authoraut)
• Format: Others
• Language: English; English
• Published: Florida State University
• Subjects: Music
• Online Access: http://purl.flvc.org/fsu/fd/FSU_migr_etd-2941

The purpose of this research was to determine the status of sight-singing instruction in middle school choral rehearsals in Florida and to explore the results regarding size, location, and at-risk status of schools. Online and mail surveys were designed. Respondents received an invitation letter, subsequent postcard, and consequent paper survey. Of the 384 Florida middle school choral directors who were members of the Florida Vocal Association, 152 (40%) returned surveys online (23%) or by mail (17%). The following conclusions were made. Sight-singing is valuable and taught on a consistent basis. Textbooks published by Hal Leonard and Glencoe- McGraw-Hill, and Audrey Snyder's method book The Sight Singer (1993) are used; few use computer software. Teaching techniques are congruent with Kodály methodology. The number of choral students was significantly related to the school size, but differed significantly from school location, with more students in suburban schools than inner city or rural schools. Schools with 501 – 1500 students probably reside in suburban areas and are probably not at-risk. Respondents in suburban schools agreed significantly more than rural and inner city respondents that piano should be used for weaker reading voices. Respondents in larger schools use the piano significantly less often, and use solfège syllables during warm up and instruction more often than respondents in smaller schools. Respondents in larger suburban schools teach sight-singing to all choirs significantly more often than rural and inner city respondents. Respondents in schools with 500 – 1500 students use published methods less often than those in schools with less than 500 students or more than 1500 students. Inner city respondents use published methods more than rural or suburban respondents, and their schools are probably at-risk. Choral directors in atrisk schools felt their aural skills/theory/methods professors had higher influence on how they teach over non at-risk respondents. They agreed more with teaching sight-singing because of MENC's national standards, state/district requirements, and recruiting high school teachers' expectations than non at-risk respondents. Size, location, and at-risk status have effects on choral directors' thoughts and instructional practices regarding sight-singing. More research regarding these three variables needs to be conducted to make more specific conclusions. === A Dissertation submitted to the School of Music in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy. === Summer Semester, 2003. === July 10, 2003. === Sight-Singing Instruction === Includes bibliographical references. === Jack A. Taylor, Professor Directing Dissertation; Leon Anderson, Jr., Outside Committee Member; Clifford K. Madsen, Committee Member; Judy Bowers, Committee Member.