Page 174 - Volk, Marina, Štemberger, Tina, Sila, Anita, Kovač, Nives. Ur. 2021. Medpredmetno povezovanje: pot do uresničevanja vzgojno-izobraževalnih ciljev. Koper: Založba Univerze na Primorskem
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na Paula Gortan-Carlin and Gordana Dobravac
are harder to master quickly (e.g. the song I Like . . . which is a variant
of the song I Like Colours or A Funny Zoo, while, for example, the song
Hip Hip Hooray! is intonationally inappropriate as each verse starts in
a tone that is harmonically inadequate. Pupils could master the more
melodically demanding songs by methodically arranging the song and
repeating it after the melody has been sung and played on a melodic
instrument.
– Tonality. Adequacy cannot be determined on the basis of tonality, be-
cause the range of songs (songs of a smaller range) may vary within
the range appropriate to children, regardless of their tonality. Studies
say that a child’s voice ranges within C major and D major. We can see
that 49 of the songs are in these two tonalities (table 3). Interestingly,
only one song is in the minor key, F minor. Table 3 shows that different
tonalities are used which has probably conditioned the selection of the
performer (male, female).
– Dynamics. There is no contrast, all songs have the same dynamics. We
know that dynamics is the volume of the sound, the song. The change
in dynamics causes contrast. First grade pupils distinguish piano from
forte. By performing only the simplest dynamics, the song becomes
more interesting to the children as they perform.
– Meter/rhythm. In songs it is usually double, rarely triple. The rhythm of
the song most frequently follows the rhythm of the lyrics.
– Tempo. The tempo of the songs is most often moderate (68), rarely
fast (32).
– Color/performers. Male voices (26) dominate over female (30), male-
female duets (34), and children (10), and are usually accompanied
by a synth or guitar. A female voice is closer to a child’s voice and the
performance is more appropriate than a male voice singing in low reg-
isters. The songs where duets (male and female voices) sing are not
an appropriate form (not explicit) because the intonation is often such
that children cannot intonate the song. As far as the color of instru-
ments is concerned, an example of good practice is the I Can Play . . .
Song, combined with a video of the song accompanied by various in-
struments so they can visualize how the instrument being heard is
played (piano, trumpet, drums, guitar, block flute/recorder).
Overall, the results of the musical analysis indicate that the songs used
in the new reform-based English textbooks are age-appropriate in terms of
mood, tempo and melody. However, there are also songs that are not age-
172
are harder to master quickly (e.g. the song I Like . . . which is a variant
of the song I Like Colours or A Funny Zoo, while, for example, the song
Hip Hip Hooray! is intonationally inappropriate as each verse starts in
a tone that is harmonically inadequate. Pupils could master the more
melodically demanding songs by methodically arranging the song and
repeating it after the melody has been sung and played on a melodic
instrument.
– Tonality. Adequacy cannot be determined on the basis of tonality, be-
cause the range of songs (songs of a smaller range) may vary within
the range appropriate to children, regardless of their tonality. Studies
say that a child’s voice ranges within C major and D major. We can see
that 49 of the songs are in these two tonalities (table 3). Interestingly,
only one song is in the minor key, F minor. Table 3 shows that different
tonalities are used which has probably conditioned the selection of the
performer (male, female).
– Dynamics. There is no contrast, all songs have the same dynamics. We
know that dynamics is the volume of the sound, the song. The change
in dynamics causes contrast. First grade pupils distinguish piano from
forte. By performing only the simplest dynamics, the song becomes
more interesting to the children as they perform.
– Meter/rhythm. In songs it is usually double, rarely triple. The rhythm of
the song most frequently follows the rhythm of the lyrics.
– Tempo. The tempo of the songs is most often moderate (68), rarely
fast (32).
– Color/performers. Male voices (26) dominate over female (30), male-
female duets (34), and children (10), and are usually accompanied
by a synth or guitar. A female voice is closer to a child’s voice and the
performance is more appropriate than a male voice singing in low reg-
isters. The songs where duets (male and female voices) sing are not
an appropriate form (not explicit) because the intonation is often such
that children cannot intonate the song. As far as the color of instru-
ments is concerned, an example of good practice is the I Can Play . . .
Song, combined with a video of the song accompanied by various in-
struments so they can visualize how the instrument being heard is
played (piano, trumpet, drums, guitar, block flute/recorder).
Overall, the results of the musical analysis indicate that the songs used
in the new reform-based English textbooks are age-appropriate in terms of
mood, tempo and melody. However, there are also songs that are not age-
172
