Teaching Young Children, pt. IX – Reading Music

The last several posts in the series Teaching Young Children (pt. VI, VII, VIII) have introduced the building blocks note reading. This month students will begin to combine the rhythms they have learned (quarter and eighth notes) and pitches/strings (G and D) in order to develop the skills necessary to ready music notation.

In the following worksheet the student will write in the notes and counting of these simple one measure musical examples. Furthermore, after each example is “analyzed” the student should play it and count out loud as they play. Prior to the worksheet the teacher should review how to count the rhythms and identify the pitch/string. 

Young students learn from doing things for themselves and should be free to write in the counting of rhythms and names of pitches above/below the notation. The more young learners are allowed to operate independently the more mastery of the material they will demonstrate. The teacher is there to guide the student and not do the work for them. Allow students to make mistakes and help them by asking pointed questions rather than give them the answer.