My Feelings about Primary Songs

I truly love the messages and truths that are taught in our wonderful primary songs. There's something about the marriage of music and text that sinks truths deep into all of our hearts, and when they are deep into our hearts the foundation of our testimony is strengthened.. It has extraordinary and immeasurable power and touches the spirit in a way a lesson cannot. Our Primary songs can influence lives and change behavior. It puts the gospel into a form the child can memorize and take home with them. For this reason, it’s important that we use our time wisely.
 

Elder Boyd K. Packer said, “We are able to feel and learn very quickly through music... some spiritual things that we would otherwise learn very slowly” 

What a wonderful opportunity we have to help the primary children learn the Gospel of Jesus Christ through music.  By being well prepared, and using the right tools, we can create a loving  environment where the spirit dwells, and our children’s testimonies can grow. 

Except for the wiggle songs, primary songs are sacred hymns. The songs are testimonies set to music, and we want the children to sing it accordingly. These primary hymns should always be done in a reverent way to help children learn respect for Heavenly Father. When they sing reverently, they can feel the spirit and increase their testimonies.

I’ve noticed that when music time is reverent, all of Primary is reverent. When music is rowdy, it may be hard to regain the attention of the children. Music can calm, soothe, and bring the spirit to a room in powerful ways.

We should be prayerful as we seek ways to engage the children and remember that singing time should not be thought of as the entertainment portion of the day. While we do want them to enjoy singing time and learn the songs in a variety of creative ways , you have been called to use your talents and gifts as stated in the handbook, to “invite reverence, teach the gospel, and help children feel the influence of the Holy Ghost and the joy that comes through singing.”

As the ward Primary Music Leader, you have been called to minister as the Savior would, and  To teach HIS Gospel in word and in music. The primary songs contain the pure and simple Gospel, and are a valuable teaching tool as you strive to point the children of the Church to continue on the straight and narrow path. 

Singing in Primary is a unifying activity that brings children and their leaders together in a oneness of purpose.  Music sets the mood for learning, fortifies principles taught and allows the children to experience the joy of singing.

I know as we foster these good principles in our Primary, these children's lives will be enriched and blessed through the songs of the gospel, and with this they will be given strength to resist temptations and have a commitment to live the commandments of the Lord.

D&C 6:8  8 Verily, verily, I say unto you, even as you desire of me so it shall be unto you; and if you desire, you shall be the means of doing much good in this generation.

Leader Responsibility

Primary Music Leader Responsibilities

from Handbook 2: Administering the Church

Under the direction of the Primary presidency, Primary music leaders and pianists have the following responsibilities:

• They plan, teach, and direct the music for sharing time, including songs that will be part of the children’s sacrament meeting presentation.
•  They help with music for the nursery class and other Primary classes as requested.
• They may organize and direct a children’s choir as requested.
• Members of the Primary presidency help the ward Primary music leaders and pianists understand how music contributes to Primary. The melodies, words, and messages of Primary songs can teach children the doctrines of the gospel and stay in their hearts throughout their lives.
•  Music in Primary should invite reverence, teach the gospel, and help children feel the influence of the Holy Ghost and the joy that comes through singing. While the children sing some songs, music leaders give them opportunities to move physically and stretch appropriately.
• The Children’s Songbook and the current sharing time outline are the basic resources for music in Primary. Hymns from the hymnbook and songs from the Friend and Liahona are also appropriate. Occasionally children may sing patriotic or holiday songs that are suitable for Sunday and for the children’s ages. The use of any other music in Primary must be approved by the bishopric.
• For information about teaching music to children, see the Children’s Songbook, pages 300–304. See also chapter 14 in the handbook, the current outline for sharing time, and “Music Callings and Resources” in the Serving in the Church section of LDS.org.

Preparing to Teach

The following information is combined from:

The Children’s  Songbook, pg 300 , .

"Teaching Children to Sing" Video Segment (from lds.org)

“How to Teach a Song”  (from lds.org)

Know the song:

•   Before you can teach a song effectively, you must know the song yourself. You can become familiar with the words and melody by playing the song on the piano, listening to a recording of the Children’s   Songbook, or listening to the music on the Internet, Study the song and decide what message the words convey. 

Practice the song

• Practice the song over and over practicing it until you really know it. 

Study the scriptural reference

• Study the scriptural reference included at the end of the song. Study the song to learn what message the words convey. Ask yourself how you might use any scripture references at the end of the song in your preparation or in teaching the song. 

Pray for inspiration

• Prayerfully find ways to teach the gospel through the song!  

Make a plan.  Ask yourself:

• “How can I use the scriptural references to insure that the children understand the message being taught in the song.?” 
• How can I capture the children's attention? (Perhaps with an object, a picture, a scripture, an experience, or simply a whisper.)
• Are there any key words?  What words will need to be explained so the children will understand?
• Are there any similar melodies that will make the song easier to learn? 
• What questions can I ask that will encourage the children to listen to the song? (Ask questions that help the children understand the gospel message—for example, What? Where? Who? When? Why?—and state the questions in such a way that children can discover the answer as you sing the song.)
•  How can I encourage the children to sing the song? (Invite the children to sing the phrases that answer the questions. Vary the tempo and the volume to add meaning. Ask the children to listen to their singing without accompaniment. Expect the children to sit tall and to watch you carefully.) 
•  What testimony can I leave with the children that will strengthen them? (Bear your personal testimony, or read testimonies recorded in the scriptures.)

Planning Sheet Examples

Coming Soon.

Teaching Songs to Children

Most of the following information is combined from: 

( have added some personal thoughts or examples)

The Children’s  Songbook, pg 300 , .

"Teaching Children to Sing" Video Segment (from lds.org)

“How to Teach a Song”  (from lds.org)

  

Sing the Song

Children generally learn songs by the ROTE method- that is, by HEARING the words and music and then IMITATING what they hear. The most effective teaching methods and aids are those that help the children LISTEN carefully to the music, ENCOURAGE them to sing the parts as they hear them, and REINFORCE the message of those words.  In order to  learn by the ROTE method, children need to HEAR the song sung several times, words and music together.  As the LISTEN, they should be ACTIVELY INVOLVED, either by LISTENING for some specific words or musical idea or by DOING something with their hands, bodies, or with objects. Sing, sing, sing! 

Capture Attention

Capture the children’s attention with an object, a picture, a scripture, and experience, or simply a whisper.

Direct Children’s Listening

Questions:  It is an established fact that children will long remember songs that they have learned to sing from memory.  Questioning is an important technique for encouraging children to actively listen so that they can learn a song quickly.  Teach a song using questions that will encourage children to listen to the song and help children understand the gospel message…for example, What? Where? When? Why?…and state the question in such a way children can discover the answer as you sing the song. Directing the listening with questions reinforcing the message of the song and direct their attention to the melody.

 EX:  With the Song “Families Can Be Together Forever” I want you to listen for how long families can be together.  When you here the answer put your hand to your ear.

 EX: “I Love to See the Temple” I know a beautiful song about temples. As we sing this song, listen carefully to find out what we do when we go to the temple.

Did you discover why we go to the temple? (Answers may include that we go to the temple to feel the influence of the Holy Ghost, to listen, to pray, to make covenants with Heavenly Father, and to be sealed as families.)

Now let’s sing the song again. This time, listen to discover whose house the temple is.

Did you discover whom the temple belongs to? (It is the house of God.)

Continue with similar questions until you have emphasized the parts of the song that will help the children understand its message.

Use Teaching Aids

The best teaching aid for music in Primary is your enthusiasm, actions and eye contact with the children. However, pictures and other audiovisual materials can help FOCUS children's attention, STIMULATE interest in a song, and CLARIFY the message. Teachings aids should always teach correct gospel concepts.  Children are easily confused about concepts that are misrepresented.  Words should be represented accurately and not be with sound –alike pictures.  The word “I” for instance, should not be represented with a picture of a human eye.

Children enjoy singing time more when the songs are presented in a variety of ways.  

• Words and pictures
• Dramatizations, costumes and props
•  Movement
•  Visual Aids
• People resources
•  Audio Visual 

Use Musical Ideas

You can illustrate the melody line of a song or a phrase of a song in several ways to help the children become comfortable with the melody and rhythm. 

Review the songs

After the children have learned a new song, it is important for them to sing it frequently to implant it firmly in their memories.  Sometimes use the song they have already learned as the opening , closing or reverent song. 

Help Children to Sing Correctly

“You should help the children sing clearly and with a natural childlike tone quality.

Bear Testimony

Bear your personal testimony, or read testimonies recorded in the scriptures.  As children hear the testimonies of others they will be strengthened.

Sing at Home

“Encourage them to sing at home.  When we strengthen a child we help fortify a

  family.

Some researchers have found that we remember only a small percentage of what we hear in lecture form.  Recall increases when stories or visual aids are included.  But if we teach a child a song and they memorize it, they will recall most of it indefinitely (Spectrum, May 5, 1982, Bascom, Hanks).

Using Questions

Use Questions

It is an established fact that children will long remember songs that they have learned to sing from memory.  Questioning is an important technique for encouraging children to actively listen so that they can learn a song quickly.  

• Ask the children a question that can be answered by some exact words of the song.  Invite the children to try to discover the answer as they listen to you sing the song. 
•  Accept answers from the children.  If there is any doubt about the correctness of the responses, sing the song again so the children can check the answer.
• Invite the children to sing the phrase of the song that included the answer to the question.  You may need to sing the song for them up to the part that has the answer to the question.
• Continue to ask questions, one at a time, each time singing the song for the children and inviting them to join in adding each new phrase that they learn, until they are able to sing the complete song with you.
• Feelings:  Some of the greatest questions you can ask are:

a.      I liked how that made me feel?  Did you feel that warm feeling?

b.      Didn’t that music help you feel happy?

c.       I like how the rhythm of the music, it made me feel like skipping down the sidewalk.

d.      I love the way the accompaniment makes the song feel so ……..

e.      What did you feel when were singing that song?

f.        Etc….

Teaching Aids

Use Teaching Aids

The best teaching aid for music in Primary is your enthusiasm, actions and eye contact with the children. However, pictures and other audiovisual materials can help FOCUS children's attention, STIMULATE interest in a song, and CLARIFY the message. Teachings aids should always teach correct gospel concepts.  Children are easily confused about concepts that are misrepresented.  Words should be represented accurately and not be with sound –alike pictures.  The word “I” for instance, should not be represented with a picture of a human eye.

1.      Words and pictures.

a.      Children can arrange keywords or pictures in correct order. 

b.      Identify rhyming words

c.       Count the times a word or phrase is repeated.

d.      Alternate words; Use alternate words that can make the songs more appropriate for specific occasions.  (Se “Rain Is Falling All Around.” CS 341)

e.      Answer the questions “who?”  “what?”, “where?” and “how?” of a song.

2.     Dramatizations, costumes and props.  The children could:

a.     Pretend to be characters in a song.  They could use simple props when appropriate.

b.     Use the whiteboard to draw pictures of characters or objects in a song.

c.     Make simple puppets to represent characters in a song.

3.     Movement

a.     Teach songs with suggested actions, or have the children help you improvise actions where indicated. Young children who have not yet found their singing voices may participate through movement. (See " Head, Shoulders, Knees, and Toes, " p. 275.)

b.     Move to rhythms, melodies, and phrases of the music by clapping hands, tapping feet, nodding heads, or snapping fingers.  They could also use their entire bodies to show the up-and –down direction of the melody.

c.     Use sign language for words in a song.  Sometimes you may choose to teach a few keywords for a song instead of signing the whole song.  Lds.org has a link that will take you to a site that will show you how to sign some primary songs.  You can also use a signing website to help you figure out words.

4.     Visual Aids

a.     Use a “clothesline” to hang keywords or pictures.

b.     Use wordstrips

c.     Objects on sticks for children to hold.  Pictures, words, etc.

d.    Flip Charts with pictures or key words.

e.     Puzzles

f.       Letters to a keywords, to be unscrambled or hidden in the room

g.     Objects that relate to a song

5.      People resources

a.      Children in Primary are often the best visual aids for many of the songs.

b.      Invite a guest actor to represent a person mentioned in a song.

c.       Tell stories about the author or composer of a song.  Best to keep this short and sweet.

d.      Have a family, Primary leaders, teachers, a class or a soloist introduce a song.

e.      Groups or solo: Assign small groups to sing different sections or verses. For special occasions, have a child sing a solo, or ask a group of children to sing as a chorus.

f.        Invited a quest to come in and bear testimony of a gospel concept taught in a song.

g.      Two parts: Use songs that have two parts to sing together or optional parts such as descants, ostinatos, and obbligatos. These additional elements challenge the children and allow them to experience harmony. (See " I Am a Child of God, " p. 2.)

h.     Medley: Arrange a medley of two or more songs that have similar messages or that tell one story. Interludes between songs could be created from the suggested introductions.

6.      Music Arrangment

a.      Two parts: Use songs that have two parts to sing together or optional parts such as descants, ostinatos, and obbligatos. These additional elements challenge the children and allow them to experience harmony. (See " I Am a Child of God, " p. 2.)

b.      Medley: Arrange a medley of two or more songs that have similar messages or that tell one story. Interludes between songs could be created from the suggested introductions.

7.      Audiovisual equipment

a.      A  “tape” recorder can be used in several ways. You might play a recording of a song to help teach a song or record the children’s singing so they can listen to and evaluate themselves, or record sounds or clues to help the children identify an idea from a song.