Musicking, Moving and Storying with Young Children

Singapore University of Social Sciences

Musicking, Moving and Storying with Young Children (ECE372)

Synopsis

ECE372 Musicking, Moving and Storying with Young Children introduces students to the fundamentals of musicking (making music) and storying (making story or drama). Through child-led and adult-led musicking and storying, children build confidence and self-esteem, relationships, communities and cultures. They build social capital, learn to associate actions with words and sounds and develop skills and understandings that promote positive outcomes in later literacy, learning and life. The core focus of this course is how early childhood teachers in the Singapore context can support birth – 6 years old children to explore with their voices (songs and chants), create music with body percussion and rudimentary classroom instruments, understand these explorations and creations, move their bodies in response to music, and make and extend stories through dramatic play and process drama. The course is suitable for practising educators who wish to broaden their curricular knowledge and pedagogical skills.

Level: 3
Credit Units: 5
Presentation Pattern: EVERY JULY
E-Learning: BLENDED - Learning is done ENTIRELY online using interactive study materials in Canvas. Students receive guidance and support from online instructors via discussion forums and emails. There are no face-to-face sessions. If the course has an exam component, this will be administered on-campus.

Topics

The arts as symbol systems and contemporary perspectives on young children’s aesthetic and creative development
The arts and other domains of development
Musicking – Elemental concepts
Musical skills for teachers
Musicking (singing and playing) with infants and toddlers
Musicking (singing and playing) with preschoolers
Designing and managing movement activities
Storying – Elemental concepts
Drama skills for teachers
Supporting child-initiated dramatic play endeavours and balancing those with planned learning experiences
Process drama
Scaffolding children’s storying and drama creation

Learning Outcome

Demonstrate understanding of music and drama as symbol systems with which people make meaning
Examine the importance of musicking and storying for young children’s learning and development
Discuss young children’s development in music and drama
Demonstrate the ability to accurately sing, create and modify songs and chants
Demonstrate the ability to accurately perform basic rhythmic patterns
Analyse observational data to plan for children’s learning
Apply strategies learned to scaffold children’s developing understanding of musicking and storying