It's Ok: Active Listening and Evaluating

By David Wheway

With activities by David Wheway, Jonathan Barnes and Shelagh Thomson, 'It's Ok' is one of a series of 5 books which focus on developing music across the primary/elementary curriculum. A special feature is that of suggesting ways in which visiting musicians can support and liaise with schools to enhance the music curriculum. 'It's Ok' includes activities to: promote careful, attentive and active listening; develop a technical language to describe sounds, instruments and responses;recognise how musical elements are used within extracts; identify sound/instrumental sources, develop awareness of music of different genres, traditions, times and places. Activities develop through the book from simple ideas for children of around 4 years old, to the end of KS2 (11 year olds).

• Language: English
• Publisher: Lulu.com
• Release date: Jan 27, 2018
• ISBN: 9780244064549

Book preview

It's Ok: Active Listening and Evaluating

It’s OK:

Active Listening and Evaluating.

… activities which promote active listening; a language to describe sounds and music; emotional responses; a developing awareness of genre, tradition and occasion.

Series Editor: David Wheway

Authors: David Wheway, Shelagh Tomson, Jonathan Barnes.

Copyright  © LMP 2018

Published by LMP: 4 Church Lane, Market Harborough. LE16 8PG. UK

ISBN: 978-0-244-06454-9

Other Booklets in this Series

‘BUBBLES’ (Developing beat and Rhythm).

‘LISTEN CAREFULLY’ (Composing and Recording with pitch).

‘SIGNS AND SYMBOLS’ (Developing graphic notation).

‘SAFARI PARK’ (Developing composing).

About This Book

The purpose of these activities is for children to develop focused listening and a musical vocabulary, including:

- the ability to recognise and distinguish between musical elements and terminology,

- their emotional response to music,

- recognition of music from different times and places,

- response to different moods and characteristics in music,

- recognition that music can be used to achieve particular effects,

- giving children a chance to develop and explain preferences in their own listening.

A broad range of suggestions for listening can be found at primary-music.org

Tips for Listening Sessions

Ensure listening is active. Listen to music and encourage discussion, talk less yourself.

Ask open questions.

If children have veered away from the focus, (through misunderstanding or inventiveness), evaluate the ‘worth’ of their offering. A mistake or misinterpretation may be valuable, an interesting change of focus – or it might indicate a need to get back on track.

General Points when Listening

Value the children’s answers – and don’t expect them to necessarily guess the composer’s intent. There are no right or wrong answers when dealing with responses such as feelings. Don’t be afraid of talking about emotions (there are some activities to help in this respect..

Keep extracts fairly short – between one and three minutes is usually sufficient.

Listening should be a focused activity, rather than a lengthy passive activity.

Encourage children to talk about the music – see also ‘Questioning’ section later in this book.

Aide memoire for Listening (some suggestions)

The 1995 National Curriculum for music had a useful checklist for focused listening. Below is a slightly adapted list:

Identify

- sounds/instruments,

- feelings/mood, emotion,

- time and place,

- occasion,

- musical elements.

Structure

How is the piece put together? Are any parts repeated? How does it begin, and how does it end? How does the