Aural, Kinesthetic and Visual
Imagery
During this stage children should be presented with aural, kinesthetic and visual imagery of music before symbols or notation are ever introduced. (Van Wagner, 2009)
Van Zee (1976), studied the responses of musical stimuli and terminology in kindergarten children. Various tests were conducted on 80 kindergarteners. The participants were able to demonstrate their understanding of the terminology on an electronic keyboard. In conclusion, scores showed that the children were more effective in demonstrating their understanding of the duration of terms and rhythmic patterns then they were in verbally describing them. The test also concluded that physical movement and kinesthetic played a major role in the understanding of the material. Ultimately the results showed that the ability of kindergarten children to deal verbally with properties of musical sounds does not necessarily develop concurrently with their ability to perceive and understand them. She concluded with the statement that although children at this stage of development do not have these terms in their vocabulary the terms must be learned.
Gordon (1999), states that the pre-operational student will have differing levels of aptitude in the area of terminology because of their lack of listening before formal instruction has begun.
"I feel it is necessary to emphasize that by the time children enter school at the age of five or six, the most
important time for them to develop their music listening vocabularies has passed. Nevertheless, with care and understanding, they can be given compensatory, not remedial, guidance and instruction as a group in the formal classroom" (Gordon, 1999 p.43)
Action, Manipulation and Role Play
Action and manipulation are still very important during this time. The cognition of a child in the pre-operational stage is that of wonder, easily impressed and naive. Their thoughts are still poorly organized and highly structured skill-approach type teaching should not be imposed. (Schmitt, 1971)
Children begin to use objects to represent something else. For instance, a broom can become a horse. Role playing is another important phase in this stage of development. (Van Wagner, 2009)
Preparatory Audiation
During this stage children should be presented with aural, kinesthetic and visual imagery of music before symbols or notation are ever introduced. (Van Wagner, 2009)
Van Zee (1976), studied the responses of musical stimuli and terminology in kindergarten children. Various tests were conducted on 80 kindergarteners. The participants were able to demonstrate their understanding of the terminology on an electronic keyboard. In conclusion, scores showed that the children were more effective in demonstrating their understanding of the duration of terms and rhythmic patterns then they were in verbally describing them. The test also concluded that physical movement and kinesthetic played a major role in the understanding of the material. Ultimately the results showed that the ability of kindergarten children to deal verbally with properties of musical sounds does not necessarily develop concurrently with their ability to perceive and understand them. She concluded with the statement that although children at this stage of development do not have these terms in their vocabulary the terms must be learned.
Gordon (1999), states that the pre-operational student will have differing levels of aptitude in the area of terminology because of their lack of listening before formal instruction has begun.
"I feel it is necessary to emphasize that by the time children enter school at the age of five or six, the most
important time for them to develop their music listening vocabularies has passed. Nevertheless, with care and understanding, they can be given compensatory, not remedial, guidance and instruction as a group in the formal classroom" (Gordon, 1999 p.43)
Action, Manipulation and Role Play
Action and manipulation are still very important during this time. The cognition of a child in the pre-operational stage is that of wonder, easily impressed and naive. Their thoughts are still poorly organized and highly structured skill-approach type teaching should not be imposed. (Schmitt, 1971)
Children begin to use objects to represent something else. For instance, a broom can become a horse. Role playing is another important phase in this stage of development. (Van Wagner, 2009)
Preparatory Audiation
| Imitation Age 2-4 to age 3-5: Engages with conscious thought focused primarily on the environment. |
Shedding Egocentricity: Recognizes that movements and babble do not match the sounds of music in the environment. |
| Breaking the Code: Imitates with some precision the sounds of music in the environment, specifically tonal patterns and rhythm patterns. | |
| Assimilation Age 3-5 to age 4-6: Engages with conscious thought focused primarily on self. |
Introspection: Recognizes the lack of coordination between singing and breathing and between chanting and muscular movement, including breathing. |
| Coordination: Coordinates singing and chanting with breathing and movement. |