The following were investigated in this study: the effect of individual/small-group singing activities used within the traditional large-group setting on kindergartners' use of singing voice and developmental music aptitude; the strength of relationship between tonal aptitude and use of singing voice; the length of time over which instruction is needed to provide significant results. Songs, activities, and games were the same for both the control and treatment groups; however, instruction for the treatment group involved small-group and individual participation in the singing activities. Results showed that the treatment did have an effect on the children's development of use of singing voice, that an entire year of instruction was needed for the treatment to be effective, and that a very small relationship seems to exist between use of singing voice and developmental tonal aptitude.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the nature of the relationship between children’s use of singing voice (vocal register) and singing accuracy. In previous studies recorded examples of kindergartners’ (n = 37) and first graders’ (n = 38) singing were assessed with the Singing Voice Development Measure. For this study, these recorded examples were also evaluated for accuracy by two different raters. There was a significant correlation between children’s use of singing voice and singing accuracy, but no significant relationship for either variable with tonal aptitude as measured by Intermediate Measures of Music Audiation. When children’s accuracy was assessed based on their usable register, the influence of register on accuracy was very small suggesting that the relationship between vocal development and accuracy is a function of children’s access to, and control of, a wider singing range. Teachers interested in improving singing accuracy in their students are encouraged to work with them on expanding their usable vocal registers.

Singing has been a basic activity of general music since music was first included in the United States public school curricula in 1838. Consequently, teaching all children to sing has been a goal of general music instruction. In fact, the first of nine content standards included in the National Standards for Music Education is "Singing, alone and with others, a varied repertoire of music" (Consortium of National Arts Education Associations, 1994, p. 26). However, since some children do not seem to sing "naturally," teachers are continually searching for means of helping all children learn to sing. Researchers have also had an interest in this perplexing problem, and numerous studies have been conducted to determine effective strategies for helping children learn to sing. These include a "speech to song" method (Gould, 1968;

This chapter focuses on various tools and strategies that have been used in research studies for assessing singing voice development, particularly of children. The chapter is organized around the following: A definition of singing development, which includes use of the singing voice (vocal registers) and then pitch accuracy, is provided. An overview of approaches used in research to assess singing development is then presented. These approaches include singing tasks, such as echoing patterns and singing a song, which the children perform to have their singing assessed, human raters using rating scales/rubrics to assess children’s singing, and technology. A more thorough discussion of selected rubrics and rating scales as well as suggested protocols for using them follows. Recommendations for using these tools and strategies for applications in research and classroom settings are included.

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