Chapter IX. An extra interest will thus be added to the lesson, and the
child will have its first initiation into 'self-expression' through the
art of music.




CHAPTER VI

THE TEACHING OF SIGHT-SINGING


Instruction in sight-singing should begin by teaching the staff notation
through the Tonic Sol-fa method. Objections to this are sometimes raised
by very musical people, who have no recollection of any 'method' by
means of which they themselves learnt to sing at sight, and who
therefore think their pupils can pick up the knowledge in the same
instinctive fashion. Experience proves that this is very rarely the
case.

With very little children it is well to keep entirely to hand signs and
ear tests until all the notes of the scale are known, through their
'mental effect'. One reason for this is that such children cannot read
or write, so no musical work can be done with them which implies this
knowledge. Care must be taken to vary the lessons as much as possible.

At one lesson the teacher can give the hand signs and ear tests herself.
At the next, one of the class can give the hand signs for the rest of
the class, and the teacher the ear tests. At the next, a child can give
the ear tests, and so on. An experienced teacher will find plenty of