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Find your voice and share the joy of singing

The Primary Singing Toolkit is a free digital resource for primary music teachers. The resource is brought to you by the ISM Trust, in partnership with the Voices Foundation and supported by the Schools Music Association (SMA). Discover inspirational and practical singing strategies to enhance your music curriculum, and feel empowered to share the joy of singing with your students.

Why teach children to sing?

Everyone has a voice. Singing is integral to musical learning and is a powerful way for children and young people to become proficient musicians.

Singing on the curriculum

The National Curriculum for Music in England requires that all pupils at Key Stage 1 and 2 ‘learn to sing and to use their voices’. England’s National Plan for Music Education states that, during primary years, singing should be the ‘golden thread’ to ensuring high quality classroom music provision. Singing is also a focus of the Model Music Curriculum, the National Plan for Music Education in Wales, the Curriculum for Excellence in Scotland and the Arts Area of Learning in the Northern Ireland Curriculum.

The benefits of singing

Research has shown that engaging with music may enhance cognitive functions that are key to children's learning.

Singing has been shown to alleviate stress and improve children's alertness, behaviour and self-esteem. It helps them bond – whatever the song or language. Through singing, children can share emotions and express themselves non-verbally.

Finding your voice

To effectively teach young people to sing, you first need to find your voice as a music teacher. If you are nervous, remember you are not alone! There are tools to help you.

The Primary Singing Toolkit will enable you to build your confidence in teaching singing, so that you can sing regularly with your students, and normalise singing in your school.

Content and key learnings

Take your students on a journey from curriculum to group performance with the Primary Singing Toolkit.

The resource is made up of 14 videos (almost two hours of video content), plus accompanying downloadable lesson plans, which encompass seven full music lessons. It will help you explore:

  • Call and response
  • Pitch and composition
  • Notation
  • Healthy singing practices
  • Leading a choir
  • Part singing and leading a round
  • Refining a song

Primary Singing Toolkit webinar

The ISM Trust and Voices Foundation held a webinar explaining how to effectively use the resource, which you can watch back for free.

Who has created this resource?

The resource is brought to you by the ISM Trust, in partnership with the Voices Foundation and supported by the Schools Music Association (SMA).

The singing strategies are led by Voices Foundation Choral Director Charles MacDougall and Musicianship Director Jenny Trattles, and the videos were filmed with teachers and students from Winterton Junior School, a state primary school in North Lincolnshire.

The Primary Singing Toolkit is designed to complement the ISM Trust’s award-winning, free resource, the Primary Music Toolkit.

If you have any questions, please contact [email protected].

View videos

You have completed   of 14 videos

1/14

5 MINUTES

Introduction to the song

In the introduction to lesson 1, we introduce the resource and meet the teachers who will be learning alongside you.

2/14

4 MINUTES

Teaching a call and response song

In lesson 1 part 2, we start by teaching the song 'Essequibo River' to the class.

3/14

2 MINUTES

Playing with the song

In lesson 1 part 3, we develop our learning by playing with the song.

4/14

4 MINUTES

Dancing with the song

In lesson 1 part 4, we play with the song by dancing whilst singing it.

5/14

3 MINUTES

How to use a song to teach music elements

In the introduction to lesson 2, we discuss how to use a song to teach specific music elements.

6/14

10 MINUTES

Using the song to teach pitch

In lesson 2 part 2, we use the ‘response’ phrase to identify pitch level changes using body percussion and a clapping game.

7/14

12 MINUTES

Using the song to teach me, ray and doh

In lesson 2 part 3, we use the song to teach the singing names 'me', 'ray' and 'doh', and to compose using 'human notation'.

8/14

8 MINUTES

Game to notation on a stave

In lesson 3, we use 'human notation' as a tool to teach the beginnings of written notation.

9/14

4 MINUTES

Creating a composition using blob notation

In lesson 3 part 2, we create compositions using 'blob notation' on a three-string stave.

10/14

8 MINUTES

Five-line stave

In lesson 3 part 3, we introduce the five-line stave and expand on our understanding of rhythm and pitch.

11/14

18 MINUTES

Healthy singing

In lesson 4, Charles and Jenny reflect on the sessions so far and we move on to vocal and choral development.

12/14

15 MINUTES

Getting started with leading your choir

In lesson 5, we look at the key concepts of conducting and choral leadership, with a toolkit to start every song and some things to watch out for.

13/14

10 MINUTES

Building to part singing and leading a round

In lesson 6, we move from singing in unison to leading a two, three and then four-part round.

14/14

9 MINUTES

Refining a song

In lesson 7, we think about how to refine a song, using the three Ps - Posture, Precision and Performance.

Conclusion

We hope the resource has been helpful, and has empowered you to share the joy of singing with your students.


If you have any thoughts or questions about the resource, we would love to hear from you.

Get in touch