South African unit standards for sight-singing, realised in a multiple-media study package

Abstract

This research concerns the design of a multiple-media study package for sight-singing and how national standards for sight-singing can be realised by using this study package. Sight-singing is a skill which can be of great value for singers, choristers and other musicians. Unfortunately this skill has been sadly neglected in South African schools. The result is that a great percentage of society (and in particular, choristers) is not able to read music and then sing it. The researchers is responsible for sight-singing tuition at the Drakensberg Boys’ Choir School, which is the only choir school in South Africa. The ages of new choristers vary from 9 to 13 years and there is a considerable variation in their music backgrounds. It is therefore essential that every learner can work at his own pace to master sight-singing. The author did research on this subject to compile a sight-singing programme which will enable learners to reach a high standard of sight-singing while progressing at their own pace. By making a study of relevant literature, the author gathered information on sight-singing, reading, communication, educational media as well as Outcomes-Based Education and instructional design. The author formulated criteria for a sight-singing programme and for the use of educational media in such a programme. These criteria are used to evaluate seven different sight-singing programmes. The evaluation indicated to the researcher how other authors approached the subject. He identified the strong and weak points of every programme. The researcher designed a multiple-media study package for sight-singing according to Dick and Carey’s systems approach model for designing instruction (1996). The study package consists of a workbook, a textbook and two audio CDs. The author did action research by using the study package to teach sight-singing to the new choristers at the Drakensberg Boys’ Choir School. Various problems in the study package became clear while using it for teaching. The study package was amended a number of times to eliminate the shortcomings. This research indicates that sight-singing is not only possible when a competent teacher is present. Students can learn sight-singing independently by using a multiple-media programme.