teaching sight singing when they don't know scales

[Bob]

Is it possible?

I learned to sight sing but I already knew scales, so everything made sense.

Is it possible for someone to actually be able to pick out a melody at sight when they know very little music theory, let alone an actual major scale?

I think it must be, but if any has any ideas?...

[pianowelsh]

possible but crtainly not desireable.  ground them in solid scale technique.  they will thank you for it.

[pianistimo]

in highschool i remember a teacher who used a combo of solfege and the hand signs that you can find in the kodaly method.  he taught everyone all the hand signs and then used a moveable 'do' for exercises at the beginning of class.  i don't know if this works with band instruments - but, just getting them to move around and be able to hear intervals is great.  then they can start guestimating the intervals that they see. (he would have the kids guess the pitches BEFORE he played them - and go really slow the first time through and just take a portion of the song and not the whole piece).  that way- even if everyone was wrong about a pitch - it involved the brain.

also, he started teaching how to recognize key signatures and basic musical terms.  probably the first 10 minutes of class was warm-up and learn 3 things.   

[sarahlein]

This might sound strange but I never used my knowledge of scales when sight reading.

I was tought using intervals. 2major/minor, 3major/minor 4perfect/augm/dim, 5perfect/augm/dim and so on.

I don't know about my then fellow students but I don't recall thinking: " Ah so I'm in G major scale, Key signature F# so whenever I see and F I sing F#"

[timothy42b]

This might sound strange but I never used my knowledge of scales when sight reading.

I was tought using intervals. 2major/minor, 3major/minor 4perfect/augm/dim, 5perfect/augm/dim and so on.

I don't know about my then fellow students but I don't recall thinking: " Ah so I'm in G major scale, Key signature F# so whenever I see and F I sing F#"

That has been my experience too.

I have sung in church choirs most of my life, and used the interval methods, so it is clearly possible to not know scales and succeed.

However, in the last few years I've changed my strategy to consciously use the scales when possible.  I'm finding this to be more secure and precise. 

Wind instruments mostly require you to "find" the notes - you not only press the correct combination of keys, you have to think the pitch.  Most kids never learn to do that by using scales, but a few of the advanced players do use that strategy.