The Missouri Reader Vol. 37, Issue 2 | Page 49

well as being tuned into the words that rhyme.
The kindergarten and first grade students also
practice saying the rhyming words, and I discuss
how the words have the same ending sounds.
For example, I often take a song the class is
working on and create a PowerPoint. This is fun
because I can also add color and pictures. I
point to the words as we sing the song or
choose a student to point to the words as the
class sings the song.

Syllabification
One of my favorite books, Down by the Bay
(1990), has several verses, but it is also fun for
the younger classes to create many more verses
to this rhyming song. My older students take
poems they have written, and I teach them to
integrate the poetry into music by breaking the
words into parts or syllables. For example, the
word watermelon in the song Down by the Bay
has four syllables and can be sung using four
eighth notes. The students write the rhythms
to go with their poem, eventually add a melody,
and then their poem is a song.

Fluency
Fluency is the ability to read a text
accurately and quickly. Fluent readers read
aloud effortlessly and with expression (Goudvis
& Harvey, 2000). Students are taught to
expressively sing or perform the rhythmic
poems in music. I model to my classes how a
song should be sung, and the students imitate
my expressive singing. After listening to a song
several times, they become familiar with the
words to the song. This familiarity allows the
students to sing along with more understanding
and with more expression. Many children who
have trouble speaking or singing alone feel
comfortable speaking and singing orally with
others. Reviewing and practicing the words in
the song several times gives these students the
opportunity to feel more at ease and more
confident with their musical reading. As my
students prepare for a school program, I remind
them of the importance of knowing the music

well. We spend many weeks practicing and
polishing songs so the students know the words
of each song and are able to sing the songs with
expression. Singing with expression not only
includes helping the students become more
familiar with the words, but it also includes
other aspects of music such as tempo and
dynamics.

Vocabulary
Vocabulary is the words we must know in
order to communicate more effectively
(D’Agrosa, 2000). Whenever my students
practice songs for a school performance, I
always break the songs down phrase by phrase
and discuss the meaning. It is easier to sing or
read words when the students already
understand the meaning. When my students
perform, I want them to effectively
communicate to their audience. This is
accomplished when the students completely
understand what they are singing.

Comprehension
My students often tell a story during their
musical performances. In between songs, I
have students go to the microphone for
speaking parts. I share with my students that
the songs in the program also help to tell the
story along with the speaking parts. Songs have
more meaning if students understand the
words, the context, and the history of the songs
(D’Agrosa, 2008). For instance, many of the
songs learned in music class are folk songs,
patriotic songs, and holiday songs. These kinds
of songs often include language that is
unfamiliar to the students. Our national
anthem is a perfect example of a song that can
be difficult for students in elementary school to
understand. In order for my students to fully
comprehend the meaning of the song, I tell
them the story of the writer of the song,
Frances Scott Key. Then we analyze the song
phrase by phrase and discuss what he may have
pictured in his mind while writing this poem. As
the students become more familiar with the
©The Missouri Reader, 37 (2) p.49