Using the Animal Notes to Teach 8 and 9 year old Beginning Piano Students
The 8 and 9 year old children are starting to acquire a good data base of information and may not need the Animal Notes to find secure ways of learning Standard Note reading techniques. However, there are many that will progress much quicker and with more confidence if note reading is introduced to them through the Animal Notes.
I use both “Beginning Note Reading” and “Beginning Timing” with this age group along with a standard Primer Book. Using the Animal Note Flash Cards, we work on the word clues that will help the particular child remember the placement of the note on the Grand Staff. We then study one or more pieces in the “Beginning Note Reading” book. We then look at the notes we have studied on the back side of the Animal Note Flash Cards. If the child has trouble recognizing the standard note, we flip the card over and review the word clues for that note. Then I have them play one or more pieces in the standard note Primer Book. When it comes time to study the “Beginning Timing “book, I again turn to the flash cards. In each set there are three cards with the six basic note values. We play the notes they are studying in the book and count them out carefully. We work on listening to the various notes and training the child’s ear to hear the length of the sound of each note value. This is then applied to the standard music book they are studying.
This training goes more quickly with this age group, but its value in laying a strong foundation of knowledge for their future musical experience is invaluable. The time is well spent as the child will normally be playing note reading with confidence by the time they have finished “Beginning Timing”. You have the joy and rewarding feeling gained by how you have helped your student build a firm foundation on which to build his/her musical talent.
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