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exhale) as well as simple phonation. Inflat- ing the balloon helps to visualize “expan- sion” and air speeding past the opening of the balloon creates various pitches, depend- ing on the length of the model “vocal folds.” Tongue depressors/Plastic Spoons: A singer with tongue tension may improve by feeling the sensation of singing sound while the tongue is in a new position. The back of a spoon or a simple tongue depressor placed strategically in the mouth can help students relate to the changed tongue position, en- couraging new habits.


Choral Concepts


Vowels Tennis Ball: For younger singers, a simple tennis ball can remind them to create a tall mouth space for choral vowels. Slicing a line through the ball (with a sharp knife) creates a “mouth”. Draw eyes and a nose on the tennis ball above the new mouth. By squeezing the tennis ball, its “mouth” opens, moving from a wide smile to a taller posi- tion, demonstrating larger mouth space. Posters/Visual Aid Ideas: The Munch


“Scream” painting is a fun reminder for us- ing tall, choral vowel space. Colored paper assigned to a matched 1PA vowel (green for [i] and blue for [u]) can make an inviting vi- sual aid in your room. A bright red bulls-eye can be used for a focal point, or a reminder to look for the “target” vowel (or primary vowel) in a vowel combination. A middle- school colleague once took photos of himself creating the desired vowel sounds. After a trip to the office supply store, he turned the photos into large posters for his choir room. It was an unexpected addition to the choir room decor, and entertaining enough that his singers pay attention to them. Fish Lips: If you use the term “fish


lips” to describe warmth or the use of lips in creating choral vowels, there are numerous ways to remind singers of this technique. It never fit in one of my boxes, but I once used a giant, brightly colored, stuffed animal fish as a visual reminder in class. Goldfish crack- ers or Swedish Fish candies can also be used in a variety of ways.


Tone Quality Nylon stockings: Demonstrating legato singing, line, and phrase growth works well using old nylon stockings. Cut into various long lengths, the pull and stretch of this fab- ric is an excellent visual aid for understand-


MARCH 2013


ing consistency in musical “line”. A student holding a length of nylon can overlap theirs with another student (or with multiple stu- dents) to create a web of “stretching” that gives them a kinesthetic sense of the associ- ated musical concepts.


Music Literacy Ideas Binder Dictation: If you don’t have a budget so singers can have individual white boards but still want to practice music nota- tion drills, try this: Provide each singer their own 3-ring binder with a clear binder cover on the outside. Simply insert a Xerox copy of blank staff paper or a particular notation exercise, and provide each student with a dry- erase marker. With some paper towels near- by, the binder itself acts as the lapboard, the dry erase marker can be wiped off the plastic cover easily, and the exercises can be changed as often as you see fit. Magnets/Electrical Tape: If you have a magnetic board in your room, solfege syl- lable cards or buttons (with magnet back- ing) can be moved around a board staff for literacy activities. If your board doesn’t have a permanent staff, you can create a semi-per- manent one with electrical tape in various colors.


Listening PVC Piping: A short length of tube


with two corner-pieces (elbows) on each end creates a “phone.” Students can sing into one end and get an immediate sense of how they sound by listening on the “phone.” Works well for beginning singers and students who struggle with pitch matching.


Rhythm


Rhythm Sticks: Short, wooden dow- els in various sizes work well as


rhythm


sticks. Younger students who need a break from daily “clapping the rhythm” during sight-singing exercises can use the sticks for a change of pace. Middle school students especially love decorating their own.


Rocks: African rock passing games/


songs involve simple folk songs that work into challenging games, requiring rhythmic precision and ensemble teamwork. Plastic Drinking Cups: Similar to the


rock passing idea, cup-passing games are great ways to encourage rhythmic precision, ensemble work and coordination. Various patterns and choreography are available with just a few online searches.


Miscellaneous Props: Team Building Games Useful at choral retreats or for diver-


sions in regular classroom routines, games to inspire team building can build unity in your ensembles. Many games require simple props. My boxes of retreat supplies include items like rope, balls of yarn, ping-pong balls, chalk, paper clips, a kick ball, hula hoops, broomsticks, clothes and props from good will, and bandanas for blindfolds. A few keystrokes in an online search will yield thousands of team building games that may be perfect for your teaching situation. Infusing old lessons with new life can be


as easy as the addition of a “Do-it-Yourself” teaching aid. Often inexpensive and easily obtained, some of these ideas may help you re-invent your usual approach to teaching important choral concepts in your classroom.


Cherilyn Worthen is a professor of Cho-


ral Music Education at Utah Valley Univer- sity where she directs the Women’s Choir and Concert Choir. A native of Chicago, Illinois, she received a Bachelor’s of Music Education and a Master’s of Music in Choral Conducting from Brigham Young University and a Ph. D in Music Education from the University of Utah. Worthen has taught at the Waterford School in Sandy, Utah and is currentlythe director for the Mormon Tabernacle Choir School. She is an ac- tive member of ACDA, MENC and Chorus America and serves on the choral committee for the Utah Music Educator’s Association.


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Teaching Tips Featured on NAfME’s My Music Class! Here are some examples:


• Designing Effective Rehearsals • Creating a Student Handbook


• Developing a Relationship with Administration • Your First Day of Class


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