VOICE AND SINGING PEDAGOGIES - 2025/6

Module Overview

This module is intended to introduce students to a wide variety of leading spoken and singing voice practitioners, providing a broad historical overview of pedagogic principles. Students will engage with a range of approaches and methodologies both in practice and research; deepening their understanding of Voice and Singing pedagogies and, ultimately, developing their own tools and practice in the disciplines of Voice and Singing. This module will build upon the fundamentals of Anatomy and Phonetics, and afford students the opportunity to begin to build specialist pedagogical interests.

Module provider

Guildford School of Acting

Module Leader

PALMER Chris (GSA)

Number of Credits: 60

ECTS Credits: 30

Framework: FHEQ Level 7

Module cap (Maximum number of students): N/A

Module Availability

Year long

Prerequisites / Co-requisites

N/A

Module content

Students will explore a broad variety of pedagogical approaches, engaging with the work of key Voice and Singing practitioners both theoretically and practically.

Students will present and demonstrate the work of practitioners within seminars, and then move into leading peers in practical exercises and/or warm ups. There will be the opportunity for students to progress into fully supported and supervised participation in the leading of warm ups and exercises within other classroom settings. This will enable the student to move from personal practice towards leadership and guidance in the practice of others, in addition to developing bespoke interests and specialisms as a teacher/coach.

Assessment pattern

Alternative Assessment

N/A

Assessment Strategy

The assessment strategy is designed to enable each student to develop a unique, individual teaching and/or coaching style that has been informed by the pedagogic principles and practitioners studied. The students' teaching and pedagogic process will be marked in a class-based setting.

The Summative Assessments consist of the following:

Teaching of Singing

Teaching of Voice

Formative assessment and feedback:

The seminar-style delivery of classes in this module includes dialogue between students and tutors, enabling ongoing opportunities for formative assessment of and feedback on students' knowledge, understanding, and application.

Module aims

• To gain a clear understanding of key pedagogical practices in the teaching of Voice and Singing
• To equip students to apply knowledge of current and historical pedagogy to their own teaching and/or coaching practice
• To link theory to practice
• To develop critical evaluation and analysis skills

Learning outcomes

Methods of Teaching / Learning

The learning and teaching strategy is designed to enable students to strengthen foundational knowledge of vocal function alongside critical evaluation skills, with an emphasis on connecting the theoretical and practical within micro-teaching settings. Students will participate in seminars, practical classes, and masterclasses as part of this module. Within the module students will undertake guided learning through the observation of and participation in additional classes. Development of knowledge and skills will be reliant on independent learning and practice, and space will be made for this within the module.

Indicated Lecture Hours (which may also include seminars, tutorials, workshops and other contact time) are approximate and may include in-class tests where one or more of these are an assessment on the module. In-class tests are scheduled/organised separately to taught content and will be published on to student personal timetables, where they apply to taken modules, as soon as they are finalised by central administration. This will usually be after the initial publication of the teaching timetable for the relevant semester.

Reading list

https://readinglists.surrey.ac.uk
Upon accessing the reading list, please search for the module using the module code: POVM017

Other information

GSA delivers its provision across three teaching blocks, within the University of Surrey’s existing semester structure.

Resourcefulness and Resilience

TaPoVaS students will be encouraged to develop a motivated, self-starting attitude towards their academic studies, and to their professional practice alike. They will be expected to engage with other students, seek out opportunities for further research, case studies, and participate in activities that develop self-awareness and their own unique professional brand.

Employability

Throughout the program students will be taught by, and exposed to, a variety of internal and external practitioners, exposing students to the variety of specific roles that voice teachers have in the workplace. Students will cultivate a uniquely diverse set of professional level skills that cater to a wide range of related career opportunities. These skills will best equip students with the tools to succeed in meeting industry expectations and allow for career advancement.

Global and Cultural Capabilities

Students will engage in both study and work relationships that will represent a range of ability, cultural background and gender from expectation, and experience. Students will develop and demonstrate sensitivity and respect within all contexts.

Digital Capabilities

Students will engage in numerous formats of teaching and learning, including online lectures and discussion forums. Following contemporary trends, students will learn to deliver methods of teaching and coaching online and to develop an online profile within the professional sphere of work. through the module students learn to navigate and utilise the Virtual Learning environment at Surrey (Surrey Learn) and other digital resources and online databases to aid their learning and undertake research. Students are encouraged to use media such as Teams, Zoom, and cloud/file sharing for communication and team working. Appropriate use of digital media and communication platforms is increasingly important for the modern voice/singing teacher/coach and, through use and discussion of these platforms, students will gain an awareness of their roles as well as their limitations and misuse which can have a wider impact, including digital wellbeing.

Programmes this module appears in

Please note that the information detailed within this record is accurate at the time of publishing and may be subject to change. This record contains information for the most up to date version of the programme / module for the 2025/6 academic year.