Directed Listening Post!
I was asked to substitute as Primary music leader this last Sunday ten minutes before church started! And I am the organist! So I didn’t have a lot of time. But I looked up the songs and decided to do the directed listening method on Have I Done Any Good – a hymn, and often music leaders worry about teaching this kind of song to the children. But in 5 minutes, the first third of the song was learned and memorized! I would like to share with you what I did to accomplish that.
As I sat in Sacrament meeting, I thought about questions I could ask the children about the song. They need to hear it several times to really own it, and directing their listening cuts that down significantly. But they still need to hear it several times! The one thing I didn’t have time to do is think of a grabber – something to grab their attention. Maybe next time I will use something like, what does “good” mean to you? What have you done today to help someone? Take a few responses, praise, then say, As I sing this song, see if you can find three things you can do to help someone.
Then I sang the song, just the first few lines, through If not, I have failed indeed. (and honestly, I would change those words if I could! I hate thinking about failing and talking about it with the children!)
Take responses, and they had two of them. I said great! As I sing it again, see if you can find out what the third one is. (sing again, whole section – NOT just that one line. Sing the whole section again!) Take responses, praise. This time they had all three. Now say these with me. Have I helped anyone in need. Have I cheered up the sad. And made someone feel glad. Right! Even smiling at someone can help someone feel glad, right? Can I see your pretty smiles? Great!
Now, as I sing it, there is a high note in each phrase. Can you see if you can find out what word is on each high note? (sing again, strongly emphasizing those high notes so you are basically handing them the answer on a silver platter) Take responses, praise. Those are the most important words in the phrase, and the composer wanted us to notice those words the most.
Now as I sing it, can you just sing those parts with me? Help anyone in need, cheer up the sad, and make someone feel glad? Ok, I will sing the whole thing, and you join me on just those words.
(sing, motion when they sing with you – silver platter thing again)
Great! I think you about know this! But I have another question for you. There are two sets of rhymes. (I know, the younger set won’t get this, but they can still learn from it, and it still adds another repetition, and our Primary is combined.) As I sing it, still sing the three things we can do to help people, but also listen for the rhymes. (sing again, emphasize the rhyming words with stronger singing, rubato right there, stretching it out, and lean forward or something so they notice those words) Did anyone pick out the rhyming words? What are they? Take responses, praise. Good! Can you say need-indeed? Good. Now can you say sad-glad?
Great! So does anyone know the question that is asked at the beginning of the song? (sing again, take responses, praise) Good! Can you just sing that with me? Just that one line. Have I done any good in the world today. (this, and the other singing sections thing, are short singing experiences, and they really help!)
I think you know the whole thing! Can we try it together? Let’s have the piano play with us this time.
Wow! You learned that really fast! Good job! I know Heavenly Father is really pleased when we help each other. (one sentence testimony!) Who is willing to try to help someone today? Great!
And then move on to the next activity or song without a pause at all.
Ok, that takes about 5 minutes. There is NO piano until the last time through. Getting the piano involved takes time, and it’s extraneous noise, so you will have their attention better if you just sing a capella and keep their attention on you.
Give them something to do each time you sing it. Challenge them within their abilities! Ask the question FIRST, then sing it (the whole song or section every time!) so they can listen for the answer.
Sometimes have them sing a part of it with you while you still sing the whole thing.
You can incorporate actions into this, and if you do, use them right from the beginning. That makes it a multisensory experience, and that really helps with the learning process. Really. It does! You do not need to, nor do you want to, teach them the melody first, then the words, then the actions. Doing it all together is much more productive.
Praise and encourage at each step of the way. There are no wrong answers! Find a way to turn it around into the right answer and incorporate it.
Truly, a song like that doesn’t have to be scary to teach. The children didn’t know it was a long, supposedly hard hymn they were learning! After that, I did I Wonder When He Comes Again that the regular Primary leader had on the board, singing it over and over while people filled in the answers. I think they heard it 6 times or so. Great repetition! Then we did a couple of other songs.
The children haven’t sung much in a year or more, so please sing as much as you can with them! Sing when they are coming in! Have the piano play the songs they are learning while they go out! Get several songs in every week! Use actions with regular songs so you don’t have to use wiggle songs much at all – if ever! I had them running up to the board to write in a word on I Wonder.
I should have used some songs with actions, but I didn’t know what songs they know because of all of this time we lost in Primary this past year. So make your time with them really count.
It’s so important that they know these songs, but also that they are memorized and they aren’t dependent on flip charts. They need to have them internalized and know the doctrine in them for the songs to help them throughout their lives when the hard times come.
You all are doing a wonderful work! You are likely the most influential people in the ward – teaching the children the songs that they need to know for the next 7-8 decades or so! Keep up the good work, and feel free to contact me if you have questions!