Solfege is not every music teacher’s FAVORITE subject to teach. But in Texas, it’s part of the standards that are required to teach our students. Solfege is also great because it is breaks through to multiple learning styles, including visual, kinesthetic, and auditory. It helps students learn to hear pitch more accurately and is helpful in learning intervals. Also, some of my former students, who went on to middle school or high school choir, have come back to visit me to specifically exclaim that they are glad I taught them solfege. This is most likely because, in our district, secondary teachers are required to use solfege for sight-reading, interval training, and UIL competitions.
So, whether solfege is your FAVORITE SUBJECT to teach in elementary music, or you struggle in that department, here are some helpful videos that my students and I love.
1.Twinkle Twinkle Kodaly–
I love that this song shows the hand signs so close up, and that the students can instantly recognize the melody of “Twinkle Twinkle”. This is one of my favorite “introductory” videos to show students. I do have to remind them to position their low-do near their belly buttons, and go up each pitch.
2.Call and Response Solfege (with a hip-hop beat)
When the students hear the hip-hop beat, they are instantly engaged by this video. This youtube channel, “blagmusic” has a lot of educational videos that are relevant to the kind of music my student’s listen to. Which is mostly hip-hop.
3.Do Re Mi So Challenge!!!
Have you ever met a kid that wasn’t slightly intrigued by a CHALLENGE?!? This song is fun because it offers a call and response between teacher and students. It also offers 6 levels of challenge. If you can make it a competitive game, the kids will get really excited about solfege!!! “Visual Musical Minds” is one of my favorite youtube channels for music ed. They also have a “Sol-Mi” challenge, and “Sol-Mi-La” for the younger students.
4.”What Song Is This?” Solfege Game
This video will sing and sign familiar nursery rhymes with JUST SOLFEGE and then have the students guess which song it is. It’s a great video for ear training, and making solfege relevant to the students. Again, if you make this into a competitive game, you will engage the entire classroom. You can stop the video after each song and give them time to think of what song they hear.
5.Zimbole- a song with Solfege and instruments!
YA’LL. I literally just introduced this song to my students last week and they LOVE IT. I always fast forward to the part of the video that includes solfege and teach them that part first. I usually make the first lesson all about solfege, and then the next week I will add in all of the instruments included such as xylophone, piano and drums. Honestly, I have taught this song for 30+ lessons and it still has not got old. And that’s saying a lot for me. Aka-I get bored easily.
Well, friends, I truly hope that the next time you gear up to teach Solfege, you get SUPER EXCITED because of one of these videos.
I also hope you are enjoying the lovely transition to Fall weather as much as I am. And that you are taking some time for yourself. Have an excellent week, friends!!
Paige