Include ALL Children in Singing Time

One of the challenges in teaching in Primary is dealing with readers and non-readers.  Depending on the size of your primary, there could be half or more that aren't yet reading.  How can we be more inclusive for all children?

When teaching new songs, many music directors default to a would chart of some kind.  As they teach the song, they wonder why the young children are not paying attention, or they are fidgeting or somewhat rowdy. What would happen if you were the student and all the words and/or notes were written in a foreign language?  The teacher would be speaking in English but the notes were not.  At what point would you "shut-down" and let your mind go elsewhere?  This is exactly what happens to non-readers - they have not yet learned to read the written word.

On the other hand, you don't want your readers to feel that singing time is for "babies."  Next time you choose to make a word chart, make a list of all the words that could be substituted with a picture or symbol. Write the words but let a non-reader hold the picture or symbol that belongs in the phrase.  This way you are involving the youngest children and the older children can exercise their reading ability.  Every time you sing the song both picture and words are in front of the children.  As you learn it better, remove more and more words but keep the pictures.  You will find that the children will then be able to use the pictures as a prompts for the phrase. This method keeps all children involved.