Opportunity to Learn Standards

by Jodie Varner Director of Marketing, Electronic Courseware Systems, Inc.

Press releases in well-known journals such as Time Magazine, US News and World Report and America Today continue to announce new findings on the importance of music to brain development, cognitive skill development, and improvement of test scores by children engaged in music instruction. This critical link to learning is extremely important to very young children.

When considering learning tools, materials and music for pre-schoolers and primary grade students, teachers are looking to computer-based instruction for answers. This article is an overview of music software available to stimulate learning, hence brain development and cognitive growth. Children as young as two years of age can benefit from computer interactions with shapes, colors and sounds. Learning to distriminate between pitches, timbres and dynamics becomes fun, when presented as a learning "game." Primary grade students can excellerate their learning using computers as suggested below.

Including technology in the early childhood environment provides our young students with multiple tools to explore a variety of musical concepts. Because children begin their public school experience with differing levels of knowledge, teachers must find creative and motivating methods to reach ALL students. Using computers in your classroom or the computer lab coupled with a variety of software can expand and enhance your music curriculum. Lentine’s Music offers several unique combinations of music software geared to the elementary (primary and intermeditae grades).

ECS ELEMENTARY PAKs are designed to offer a collection of programs at one low price! This "pak," specifically for Grades 1 - 6, covers naming basic music symbols, identification of pitches, intervals and rhythms as developed in six modular software programs.

ELEMENTARY MUSIC PAK NO. 1 includes Adventures in Musicland, Clef Notes, Early Music Skills, KIDS, Musicus, and Tap It covering such musical concepts as identification of musical tones, identification of composers, identification of symbols, single note identification on the staff, understanding movement of notes (up/down, step/skip) on the musical staff, rhythmic meter recognition, early piano keyboard skill development, and rhythmic skill development. Implementing this pak provides exercises, games and quizzes for any age and skill at the elementary level. Many of the programs feature either a Hall of Fame to list top scores or Instructor Record Keeping Options for feedback on an entire student roster.

Other "paks" or software collections focus of other learning skills for slightly older children. These programs are appropriate for intermediate grades and middle school students.

ELEMENTARY MUSIC PAK NO. 2 AND NO. 3

Pak No. 2 includes Keyboard Tutor, Toon Up (Win) or Tune It II (Mac) covering such musical concepts as elementary piano keyboard skill development and pitch matching/tuning. Pak No. 2 is a perfect expansion to the skills learned in Pak No. 1.

Pak No. 3 expands musical concepts even further and includes Note Detective and Elements of Music. Musical concepts include in-depth concepts for the beginning piano, key signature identification for both major and minor, and note identification from a musical staff or from a keyboard. Several quizzes may be timed for added skill development.

Besides these software collections, other ECS published software can be used to compliment and expand on the topics presented in the three software "paks." Teachers recommend Cloud 9 Music, Note Speller, Rhythm Factory, and Smack-a-Note as effective and challenging software programs.

CLOUD 9 MUSIC is a colorful and fun approach in music exploration. Children EXPLORE pitch, duration and rhythm freely within four different sections. This program is based upon recent research in accelerated learning techniques and can be used by ages 4 - 10.

NOTE SPELLER expands note identification to include more than one note. With the option to include (or not include) upper and/or lower ledger lines, choose the clef (treble/bass/or both) and level, students are able to sharpen their note reading skills. This program can be used by ages 7-12.

RHYTHM FACTORY helps students understand rhythmic notation. All graphics are accompanied with voice explanations and keywords to help users maneuver through the lessons. Topics include rhythmic pulse, groupings, counting, beat division and other rhythmic music games. This program is for ages 8-13.

SMACK-A-NOTE offers another approach to note reading but also includes games on recognizing solfege syllables and piano key names. Assisting in hand-eye coordination development, this program is available for ages 6 - 12.

These programs are designed specifically for elementary students and provide you with a variety of approaches in teaching music. All are available on CDROM for Macintosh and Windows environments and offer single station, lab pack, network license or site license options to fit your needs.

Key to successful use of software, especially with young children, is selecting the correct software program. The software must be intuitive, "friendly," colorful, and very interactive. Children need very little assistance in using a well-written software program. Parents and teachers have observed the speed with which children as young as two years of age can manipulate the computer, the mouse, the screen icons, and the interactivity required to use this software. Stimulating learning through the use of computers is effective. Teachers and parents are encouraged to increase the use of software as part of any music or arts curriculum. ECS is a world leader in publishing software authored by music teachers for music students of all ages. The ECS catalogue boasts 30 program titles for elementary and early childhood music learning.