Question of the Week #1

Opinions expressed represent those of the person who posted them. All entries are posted as per the original author. Thanks to all who responded!

 

Question 1. Which sight reading method do you teach and why?

Your Name: Angela White
Your Email Address: awhite@bentonschools.org
Type your answer here: I use numbers because it teaches intervals, it is easy to understand, and it works.
Your Name: Michael Binns, Sr.
Your Email Address: mbinns@monticello.k12.ar.us
Type your answer here: our students use sightreading numbers
Your Name: Susan Buckner
Your Email Address: sbuckner@cablelynx.com
Type your answer here: Numbers---everyone can count to seven, everyone knows a 5 is higher than a 1. Plus that is the way Bob Fuller taught me back at Jonesboro High School when dinosaurs still roamed Craighead County.

Your Name: Robby Byler
Your Email Address: rbyler@leopards.k12.ar.us
Type your answer here: I use solfege. I learned numbers in choir through high school and swithched to solfege by force in college at Henderson. Solfege helps singers hear intervals. This system worked better than numbers for me, but I believe numbers can be effective (just don't read a raised or lowered scale degree).

Your Name: Suzanne Callahan
Your Email Address: scallahan@nettletonschools.net
Type your answer here: I am always searching for the perfect book for junior high beginners. This year I am using "Sing at First Sight" by Andy Beck, Karen Farnum Surmani and Brian Lewis. It is published by Alfred. I purchased the reproducible companion with CD and have found it to be quite effective thus far. When I taught Senior High my kids already had a good foundation so I used old hymnals donated by a local church. I think the most important thing is to choose a method and stick with it.
Your Name: Sherry Clark
Your Email Address: sclark@hhs.nwsc.k12.ar.us
Type your answer here: scale numbers-1 2 3 4 5 6 7 1 some solfege
Your Name: Barbara Emory
Your Email Address: bemory@hhs.k12.ar.us
Type your answer here: I teach scale numbers, but after attending the ap course this summer I can really understand how the do-re-mi 's would be better in teaching the minor key songs. I use a combination of the old "Jenson" book and the "Essential Elements" book.
Your Name: Ferroll Taylor
Your Email Address: ferrollsongbird@alltel.net
Type your answer here: I use numbers. I learned how to sight read using numbers. I feel more comfortable using that method.
Your Name: Dawnelle Fincher
Your Email Address: difncher@fayar.net
Type your answer here: Kodaly....although I grew up singing numbers, I have found that sol-fege does allow for accidentals and is helpful to all types of learning styles.
Your Name: Carol S Heavin
Your Email Address: rusinging@hotmail.com
Type your answer here: I teach primarily using the number system, but I introduce solfege because they might run into it down the road.
Your Name: Rachel Johnson
Your Email Address: rjohnson@timberwolve.k12.ar.us
Type your answer here: Successful Sight-Singing, by Nancy Tefler. I was impressed with the thoroughness of the books. I also enjoy the use of solfege vs. the number system. Solfege is more easily adapted for chromatic tones, and the students learn it just as quickly as numbers. Also students don't have more than one syllable to sing (ti vs. seven)for pitches.
Your Name: Retha Kilmer
Your Email Address: rkilmer@mhs77.dsc.k12.ar.us
Type your answer here: Until this year, I used numbers and it worked great! However, this year, I have switched to solfege. This is being taught K - 12 in our district.
Your Name: Mark Langley
Your Email Address: MarkCLangley@gmail.com
Type your answer here: I use Solfege. I did numbers for the first 4 years I taught, but found that it lacked the flexability I wanted for altered pitches. Since changing to Solfege, my students sing more in tune, the sightread better and they have told me that it makes more sense to them. Lastly, the solgege syllables make it easy to discuss good vowel productions as they are not words that are commonly used by students.
Your Name: Lisa Taylor
Your Email Address: ltaylor@cardinals.dsc.k12.ar.us
Type your answer here: I have been using numbers for 21 years because that was what I was most comfortable with (I was taught this in HS and in college.) I am now (this year) beginning to teach solfage to my elem. and middle school students. I am introducing it to my HS students but will continue to use numbers with them and gradually phase in the solfage over the next few years. I decided to switch to solfage because most universities are teaching that now and this will help my students who go on to study music in college.

Your Name: Stephanie Mendenhall
Your Email Address: smenden@carlisle.k12.ar.us
Type your answer here: "Sing at First Sight" - I have a very young, inexperienced choir and this method not only starts from square one, but also has accompaniment CD's for the songs included at the end of each unit in the supplemental book.
Your Name: tniederbrach
Your Email Address: jayniederbrach@cablelynx.com
Type your answer here: We sing using numbers because any student coming in can logically figure out the distance between 1 and 4 much easier than they can the distance between "do" and "fa". We also alter the sound of one as "wah" and four as "foh" just so it tunes and sings prettier.
Your Name: Clint Pianalto
Your Email Address: cpianalto@sdale.org
Type your answer here: Solfege. I made the switch from numbers to solfege in 2003. In my opinon, it is better for tuning because of the vowels and the kenesthetic use of hand signs help students find the distance between intervals.
Your Name: Andrea Ramsey
Your Email Address: a.ramsey@bentonville.k12.ar.us
Type your answer here: We use solfege and Kodaly handsigns now, after using numbers for the first several years of teaching. Solfege takes a bit more initially, but rewards include syllable names for accidentals, a kinesthetic connection (handsigns), and the signs can be easily taught through fun games. I love to turn on the metronome and have them sign up and down the scale slowly at 40 bpm, and then I gradually speed it up. They love to see how fast they can sign too. Last year, I had a seventh grader sign up and down the scale at 240 bpm!!!
Your Name: Thomas Rickman
Your Email Address: trickman@gobs.k12.ar.us
Type your answer here: Mr. Crouch and I went completely to solfege this year. We did this because there are provisions for chromatics, and also the solfege syllables have purer and more distinct vowels than numbers. The Curwen hand signs, often used with solfege, also provide another level of musical indexing, which is good for tactile learners
Your Name: Amy Roberts
Your Email Address: roberta@centerpoint.dsc.k12.ar.us
Type your answer here: I use solfege with handsigns. Solfege allows for half steps, and I have many visual learners, so the handsigns give them an extra edge.
Your Name: Annette Rushing
Your Email Address: annette.rushing@sbcglobal.net
Type your answer here: I use the number system. I was taught this method in college. Also, the senior high director uses the method. As her feeder program, I wanted to use the same method.
Your Name: Becca
Your Email Address: BeccaSanders@aol.com
Type your answer here: I use Patti DeWitt's books and sing on numbers. My choirs are typically made up of first year choir students and I usually have them for one year, so solfege is not feasible.
Your Name: mary shollmier
Your Email Address: mary.shollmier@lrsd.org
Type your answer here: We sightsing on numbers and use the Eastman counting system. We are required to use these methods by the Little Rock School District. (However, I worked in the district for two years before anyone told me what the Eastman system was!)
Your Name: Alecia Stringer
Your Email Address: asrs815@aol.com
Type your answer here: I use a lot of different ones. I have found I am enjoying Patti DeWitt's material. It helps the kids understand solfege faster.
Your Name: Sarah Sweatman
Your Email Address: ssweatman@vbsd.us
Type your answer here: solefedge

Your Name: Winston Turpin, Jr.
Your Email Address: wturpin@fortsmithschools.org
Type your answer here: I use numbers over solfege for several reasons.
1)students already know how to count
2)solfege requires students learn another language in addition to hand signs if that is chosen 3)I don't buy the argument that it is a better system for accidentals. Regardless of what system you use, one still has to hear the pitch before it is sung. With solfege, in additon you have to learn another syllable for the accidental. Not so with numbers.
4)In general discussion of intervals between two muscians, numbers are used. We speak of an interval of a third, not "Do" to "Mi"
5)Finally, we all have classes that allow students who have never been in choir to enroll. The quickest way to narrow the gap in regards to sight-reading is to use numbers. As I stated earlier, all of them know how to count.

The important thing is that a system be used. Both systems have proved very successful for different people.
Your Name: La Juana Warner
Your Email Address: warnerl@mail.jps.k12.ar.us
Type your answer here: Over the past 25 years, I have taken ideas from several methods. I became acquainted with the Johnstone method (words and claps associated with rhythms and rhythm patterns) when I student taught and have continued to use this method emphasizing rhythms and pitch numbers. It just works for me and I always seem to come back to it if I stray and try something new. I discovered that a parent of two young ladies thatI will teach privately this year went to Malvern Jr. High School where I student taught. She related that she still remembers what she learned with that method and that it really strengthened her sightreading skills to this day! So I guess it really works!
Your Name: Angela Weaver
Your Email Address: weaverlady99@yahoo.com
Type your answer here: As of last year, I switched to students to solfege with Curwen hand signs. I feel it will help the students understand accidentals better than numbers.
Your Name: Tammy Thiele
Your Email Address: luv4music@mynewroads.com
Type your answer here: I use numbers. It seems less confusing than solfege for my students.
Your Name: Carol from Clinton
Your Email Address: cpg@jacketpride.com
Type your answer here: I try to use solfa, based initially on lots of ear training, but with 45 minute class periods it's hard to 'fit it in' with music preparation. I use "Patters in Sound" and Patti DeWitt's sight-reading materials. I also try to encourage students to learn to write their own simple melodies, using the pentatonic scale and simple rhythms. I have yet to figure a way to make all these things happen in a consistent manner. I'd sure like to know how other directors manage to get it all in and learn 'the music' too!