Choral assessments in a rural middle school indicated students scored 14% below the district average in 2006, possibly caused by a deficiency in students' training. There is little research investigating sight singing and multiple intelligence instruction. The purpose of this study was to examine sight singing achievement and audition techniques of choral students. The language theories of Piaget and Vygotsky, Gordon's music learning theory, and Gardner's multiple intelligence theory served as the foundation. The research questions addressed multiple intelligence teaching strategies and the acquisition of sight singing skills. This concurrent nested mixed-methods study combined a quantitative and qualitative approach. Fifty-six students in grades 7 and 8 completed a pretest and posttest. Treatment groups were instructed using multiple intelligence activities 10 minutes/day during a 9-week period. The t test analysis indicated that students who received instruction employing multiple intelligence activities did not score significantly higher (M = 4.0; SD = 2.95) than did those receiving instruction without multiple intelligence activities (M = 3.46; SD = 2.84) on the posttest (t(54) = -.69, p =.493). During an audition, 12 participants were observed and interviewed. Students used audiation techniques, used methods that were consistent with their directors', and perceived that classroom materials were more significant than instructional techniques. Further study pairing specific intelligences with sight singing instruction is recommended. The study contributes to social change because teachers will have information needed to better teach musical literacy to students. Increased musical literacy may strengthen the quality of academic, civic, and religious performing groups which may enhance a community's aesthetic experiences.
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