Vocal Interactions During Informal Early Childhood Music Classes

Abstract

To describe the types and frequencies of adults? and young children?s vocal interactions during opening segments of early childhood music classes, three independent observers mapped the source, order, and content of participants? vocalizations from nine weeks? of videotaped recorded classes. Participants were 8 children ages 18 to 36 months (5 boys, 3 girls), their caregivers (7 mothers, 1 grandmother), the researcher, and assistant. Adults offered 587 vocal tonal events (e.g.: songs, tonal patterns, and purposeful silences), imitating or improvising after children?s vocalizations. Children?s vocalizations fit the first four stages of preparatory audiation theory, and most often contained tonal elements that related to adults? singing. Children?s 444 vocal silences after adults? vocal events perhaps indicated children?s need to listen prior to vocally interacting with others. Children?s slightly more frequent vocalizations after unfamiliar vs. familiar vocal tonal events might suggest that unfamiliar events encourage children?s vocal interactions. Continued research into music interactions might help us understand ways to encourage children?s vocal expressive abilities in music.

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