Page 173 - Volk, Marina, Štemberger, Tina, Sila, Anita, Kovač, Nives. Ur. 2021. Medpredmetno povezovanje: pot do uresničevanja vzgojno-izobraževalnih ciljev. Koper: Založba Univerze na Primorskem
P. 173
Songs in Early English Learning Textbooks: A Cross-Curricular Potential
Table 2 Number of appropriate songs per textbooks
Item Textbook 1 Textbook 2 Textbook 3 Total
8 30
Range appropriate 9 13 10 51
Total number 22 19
not within that range, children cannot sing the song. The range seems to be
the most prominent problem. The songs were further analyzed to establish
whether the songs used in EFL classes are suitable for music education. As
stated in the Music Curriculum, through the domain Listening and Exploring
Music pupils are exposed to music by using audio tracks during classes giving
them the opportunity to acquire knowledge about the expressive elements
of music. Therefore, songs that are utilized during EFL classes could serve to
the purpose fulfilling the assumptions of age-appropriateness.
The following was established:
– Mood. The atmosphere and character of all songs are cheerful (80),
happy (16), only one song is sad (2) and one has a variable spirit
level (2).
– Pitch. The range of the songs for lower grade pupils goes from C1 to E2
(Dobrota 2012), but we have accepted as appropriate those songs that
start with A or higher (58). This decision is based on a research which
indicates that pupils tend to have lower intonations than C1 (Gortan-
Carlin and Cesar 2014). Only 26 of the songs range from C1 or higher.
The songs range to the highest C2 tone, which is within the age of
the children included in the study and within the range they can sing.
The percentage differs from the adequacy percentage according to the
performer’s color. This proves that in certain songs female voices sing
below the tone A, too.
– Melody. The melody lines of the songs are simple, easy and short with
gradual shifts. The melodic motion is gradual or jumping, and it has
been noticed that the songs are mostly appropriate (92). The jump-
ing melodic shifts are rare, such as the ascending v6 jump in Where’s
the Rabbit? that uses the tune of the more famous song Old Mc Donald
Had a Farm. The jumps in perfect 5th are found in Numbers Song. The
ascending perfect 4th jump in Chocolate Easter Eggs or descending and
ascending perfect 4th in Yummy Song and The Colour Song (for which
the melody of the more famous Bratec Martin/Are You Sleeping, Brother
John song has been used). The separated major quintal chord, as found
in My Pets or Numbers Song, is more frequently used. Some melodies
171
Table 2 Number of appropriate songs per textbooks
Item Textbook 1 Textbook 2 Textbook 3 Total
8 30
Range appropriate 9 13 10 51
Total number 22 19
not within that range, children cannot sing the song. The range seems to be
the most prominent problem. The songs were further analyzed to establish
whether the songs used in EFL classes are suitable for music education. As
stated in the Music Curriculum, through the domain Listening and Exploring
Music pupils are exposed to music by using audio tracks during classes giving
them the opportunity to acquire knowledge about the expressive elements
of music. Therefore, songs that are utilized during EFL classes could serve to
the purpose fulfilling the assumptions of age-appropriateness.
The following was established:
– Mood. The atmosphere and character of all songs are cheerful (80),
happy (16), only one song is sad (2) and one has a variable spirit
level (2).
– Pitch. The range of the songs for lower grade pupils goes from C1 to E2
(Dobrota 2012), but we have accepted as appropriate those songs that
start with A or higher (58). This decision is based on a research which
indicates that pupils tend to have lower intonations than C1 (Gortan-
Carlin and Cesar 2014). Only 26 of the songs range from C1 or higher.
The songs range to the highest C2 tone, which is within the age of
the children included in the study and within the range they can sing.
The percentage differs from the adequacy percentage according to the
performer’s color. This proves that in certain songs female voices sing
below the tone A, too.
– Melody. The melody lines of the songs are simple, easy and short with
gradual shifts. The melodic motion is gradual or jumping, and it has
been noticed that the songs are mostly appropriate (92). The jump-
ing melodic shifts are rare, such as the ascending v6 jump in Where’s
the Rabbit? that uses the tune of the more famous song Old Mc Donald
Had a Farm. The jumps in perfect 5th are found in Numbers Song. The
ascending perfect 4th jump in Chocolate Easter Eggs or descending and
ascending perfect 4th in Yummy Song and The Colour Song (for which
the melody of the more famous Bratec Martin/Are You Sleeping, Brother
John song has been used). The separated major quintal chord, as found
in My Pets or Numbers Song, is more frequently used. Some melodies
171
