"Jim, if you want English Trad music to survive you're going to have to teach people how to do it."
Frank
I don't believe folk singing can be 'taught' but I do believe it can be learned - it really has to be a joint effort
MacColl, Seeger and the Critics Group mooted the subject for nearly a decade and produced a mass of study material in the shape of recorded group discussions and working sessions - theoretical and practical work, voice, singing and relaxation exercises.... all up for grabs if only there was the interest
Our personal archive alone covers the British, Irish and American oral Traditions - our own personal field recordings contain many hours of source singers talking about their art

I've recently been dipping into other archives - Lomax, Wilgus, School of Sottish Studies, Helen Hartness Flanders.... all on line and listenable to... virtually untapped resources of songs, music and information
It's been my experience that the best way to 'teach'folk singing is to get a bunch of folk-loving folkies together and create an atmosphere where they can discuss each others singing critically (positively and negatively) - once you get over the initial nervousness of the idea that people are not going to tell you that your singing is the best thing since sliced bread everybody present begins to learn and develop.
That will never happen, of course, while people chase their tails deciding what folk song is
When the Irish decided what Irish Traditional music was here in Ireland 'A Thousand Flowers Bloomed' and the music was guaranteed another two generation lease of life - youngsters in their thousands are now flocking into the music and playing it as well as I've ever heard it played - there's a lesson to be learned there, I think

'Participation' has to fit in with the understanding that, like any other art form, to participate requires a degree of dedication and commitment
I believe anybody can sing - to become a singer needs work - the more work, the better the singer

Dave
Folk songs aren't written, they evolve and are absorbed - you can no more plan to write a folk song than you can a hit-song
You can only make your song and see what happens to it
That's why I put a large question mark over football songs
Jim