Instructor: Madeleine LaFollette

Email: lafollettemp@lamarpa.edu

Phone: 409-984-6524

Office Hours: TBA or by appointment

Additional Contact Information: n/a

Singing tonal music in treble and bass clefs, and aural study of elements of music, such as scales, intervals and chords, and dictation of basic rhythm, melody and diatonic harmony.

Manual for Ear Training and Sight Singing, Second Edition

by Gary S Karpinski (Author, University of Massachusetts, Amherst)

ISBN: 978-0-393-61447-3

Textbook Purchasing Statement: A student attending Lamar State College Port Arthur is not under any obligation to purchase a textbook from the college-affiliated bookstore. The same textbook may also be available from an independent retailer, including an online retailer.

Staff paper

Note-taking materials (iPad or pencil and paper, etc)

Folder/Binder

Blackboard Access

Office 365 Access

Online Access Code (comes with required textbook)

none

1. Apply a method of sight singing to diatonic melodies in treble and bass clef, and oral demonstration of simple rhythms. 
2. Classify elements of music, such as scales, intervals and chords. 
3. Transcribe aural rhythms and diatonic melodies.
4. Transcribe and analyze aural basic harmonic progressions. 
5. Read and reproduce rhythms in various simple meters.

1. Communication skills: Students will demonstrate effective written, oral, and visual communication. 
2. Critical Thinking Skills: Students will engage in creative and/or innovative thinking, and/or inquiry, analysis, evaluation, synthesis of information, organizing concepts, and constructing solutions. 
3. Teamwork: Students will demonstrate the ability to work effectively with others to support a shared purpose or goal and consider different points of view. 
4. Social Responsibility: Students will demonstrate intercultural competency and civic knowledge by engaging effectively in local, regional, national and/or global communities. 
5. Personal Responsibility: Students will demonstrate the ability to connect choices, actions, and consequences to ethical decision-making.

This course focuses on chapters 1-19 of the course textbook.

1. The Fundamentals of Meter and Rhythm
2. The Fundamentals of Pitch
3. Combining Pitches with Meter and Rhythm
4. Error Detection and Correction
5. More about Meter and Rhythm
6. More about Pitch
7. Notating Rhythm and Meter
8. Notating Pitches
9. Combining Rhythm and Pitch Notation
10. Dictation in Longer Contexts
11. The Fifteen Major Keys
12. Ties and the Dotted Beat
13. More about Intervals: Number and Quality
14. Skips to ^7 and ^2 as Prefix Neighbors
15. Tempo
16. Compound Meters
17. Introduction to the Minor Mode
18. Lower Chromatic Neighbors
19. More about the Minor Mode

Students are expected to complete homework, such as prepared excerpts, patterns, and dictations on a weekly basis.

The Major Assignments schedule is subject to change based on semester events and course pacing, at the instructor's discretion.

Students will take one oral exam per month, called a hearing. Dictation exams will be announced throughout the semester, paced by students’ progress. Students will be assigned prepared excerpts and pitch patterns weekly.

Hearing 1: September 24th, 2026 (Week 5)

Hearing 2: October 15th, 2026 (Week 8)

Hearing 3: November 12th, 2026 (Week 12)

Hearing 4: December 3rd, 2026 (Week 15)

Hearing 4: December 3rd, 2026 (Week 15)

90-100 A, 80-89 B, 70-79 C, 60-69 D, 0-59 F

Hearings- 50%

Class Performance- 20%

Assignments and Quizzes- 20%

Attendance- 10%

The contents of this syllabus (schedule, major assignments, instructor policies, etc.) are subject to change at the instructor’s discretion.

Academic Dishonesty: Academic dishonesty is never tolerated in this or any course. Students are always expected to submit original work and cite all outside sources. The instructor may use Blackboard tools such as SafeAssign and Respondus to ensure student work is authentic and original. Failure to maintain academic integrity may result in a zero grade or course failure.

Artificial Intelligence: The use of Artificial Intelligence tools (ex. ChatGPT, Gemini, Grammarly, etc.) for exams, essays, homework, quizzes, or listening journals is strictly prohibited unless explicitly stated by the instructor. Unauthorized use will be treated as academic dishonesty and may result in a zero for the assignment or failure of the course. If AI use is suspected, the instructor will assign a temporary zero and contact the student via email, Blackboard, or in person to schedule a meeting. During this meeting, the coursework will be reviewed and appropriate action determined.

Absences and Late Arrivals: All classes begin promptly at the start time. Students are expected to be seated and prepared at the beginning of every class. If a student arrives to class more than five minutes late, they will receive HALF attendance credit. If a student departs from class more than five minutes early, they will receive HALF attendance credit. If a student misses more than twenty minutes of a class period due to a late arrival or early departure, they will receive ONE FULL ABSENCE. Two late arrivals or early departures will count as ONE FULL ABSENCE. If a student accumulates more than 5 absences in this course, they will receive a failing final grade. If a student knows that they will be late or absent from class, they must contact the instructor via email at lafollettemp@lamarpa.edu. Exceptions for extreme circumstances (illness, injury, death, etc.) will be granted on a situational basis.  

Technology and Electronics: Students are not permitted to use electronic devices (such as phones, laptops, Chromebooks, etc.) during in-person class meetings unless otherwise specified by the instructor. If the instructor observes any student using electronic devices during class time, they will ask them to put away their electronic devices. If the student continues to use their electronic devices, they will be asked to leave class for the day, and they will not receive attendance credit for that day.  

Grades and Late Work: All grades will be posted in Blackboard. Students must meet with the instructor to discuss grades and grading policies. All work must be submitted on time. Late work will be subject to a 5% grade reduction after one day and a 10% grade reduction for every day after. (For example, if an assignment with a grade of 100% is submitted one day late, the grade would be reduced to a 95%. If the same assignment is submitted two days late, the grade would be reduced to an 85%. After three days, the grade would be a 75%.) The instructor will not accept any work turned in more than one week (7 days) late. Any work submitted more than one week (7 days) late will receive a zero. Submission extensions may be granted in extreme circumstances and must be discussed with the instructor.

The instructor takes attendance promptly at the beginning of every lecture.

Students are expected to attend and participate in all lectures for this course. If a student is late or absent from class, they must inform the instructor via email (lafollettemp@lamarpa.edu).

Attendance counts for 10% of a student’s overall grade in this course. Failure to attend class may result in a student failing this course. If a student accumulates over 5 unexcused absences in this course, they will automatically fail. Any student with perfect attendance (no unexcused absences) will receive an automatic 5-point bonus added to their final exam grade.

An absence is only considered excused if it is unavoidable (illness with a doctor’s note, bereavement, injury or accident en route to class). 

A planned appointment will not be excused by the instructor.

Students are expected to arrive on time for all lectures. A student will lose half of their daily attendance credit for any late arrival or early departure exceeding 5 minutes. Two late arrivals or early departures are the equivalent of one absence. A student more than 20 minutes late to class will be counted as absent and unexcused.

Students are encouraged to utilize the resources provided by LSCPA Student Services (https://www.lamarpa.edu/student-services/index.html) such as tutoring, counseling, career coaching, and the food pantry. 

Be sure to check your campus email and Course Homepage using MyLSCPA campus web portal. You can also access your grades, transcripts, academic advisors, degree progress, and other services through MyLSCPA.

Academic honesty is expected from all students, and dishonesty in any form will not be tolerated. Please consult the LSCPA policies (Academic Dishonesty section in the Student Handbook) for consequences of academic dishonesty.

The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) is a federal anti-discrimination statute that provides comprehensive civil rights for persons with disabilities. Among other things, this legislation requires that all students with disabilities be guaranteed a learning environment that provides for reasonable accommodation of their disabilities. If you believe you have a disability requiring an accommodation, please contact the Accessibility Services Coordinator, Room 119, in the Ruby Fuller Building. The phone number is (409) 984-6241.

No food or tobacco products are allowed in the classroom. Only students enrolled in the course are allowed in the classroom, except by special instructor permission. Use of electronic devices is prohibited.

This syllabus is part of LSCPA's efforts to comply with Texas House Bill 2504.

As per Texas law and LSCPA policy, all LSCPA employees, including faculty, are required to report allegations or disclosures of child abuse or neglect to the designated authorities, which may include a local or state law enforcement agency or the Texas Department of Family Protective Services. For more information about mandatory reporting requirements, see LSCPA's Policy and Procedure Manual.

LSCPA is committed to establishing and maintaining an environment that is free from all forms of sex discrimination, including sexual harassment, sexual violence, and other forms of sexual misconduct. All LSCPA employees, including faculty, have the responsibility to report disclosures of sexual misconduct, including sexual harassment, sexual assault (including rape and acquaintance rape), domestic violence, dating violence, relationship violence, or stalking, to LSCPA's Title IX Coordinator, whose role is to coordinate the college's response to sexual misconduct. For more information about Title IX protections, faculty reporting responsibilities, options for confidential reporting, and the resources available for support visit LSCPA's Title IX website.

For more information about the Clery Act and crime reporting, see the Annual Security & Fire Safety Report and the Campus Security website.

If you have a grievance, complaint, or concern about this course that has not been resolved through discussion with the Instructor, please consult the Department Chair.