groups of 2 and 3 black keys

[monluu]

My 5 yr old student cannot seem to identify the groups of 2 and 3 black keys.    He sees the black keys vs white keys, but how do you help a child differientiate between the groups of 2 black keys and groups of 3 black keys?   I tried telling him there is a group of 2 friends (2 black keys)  and then there are a group of 3 friends (3 black keys), he couldn't seem to see this.

[kaelcol]

You could try something along these lines ...

Tell your student that there are animals hiding on the piano and that you're going to find them together. Play a group of 2 black keys (one after the other, not the 2 notes together) as you say, "Gir-affe" (one syllable for each note). Then find another 'Giraffe' on the piano, and then another.

Then say, "Look, here's an 'El-e-phant'" as you play a group of 3 black keys. Find another 'Elephant', and then another.

You could then play a 2 or 3 group of black keys without saying anything and ask your student if it's a giraffe or an elephant. If he/she gets the hang of this, you could extend it to getting your student to find the giraffes and elephants.

It's possible that your student is struggling with the concept of dividing up the many black keys they can see into 'groups' and 'numbers'. Removing these concepts from the process of differentiation may provide the intermediate step they need.

HTH

[monluu]

Great idea.  Thank you!  I will try that and see how it goes at the next lesson.

[a-sharp]

I have heard people use "twins" and "triplets" ... and, "chopsticks" and "forks" [of course, this might be confusing if the child has never seen a 3-pronged fork!].

[monluu]

thanks for the suggestions.  i tried the giraffe and elephant and that helped but i think the student has trouble seeing the separation on the keyboard of the 2 and 3 black keys.  he keeps pressing the E-flat and F# together as the 2 black keys (giraffe).

[kaelcol]

Ah-ha - you could try pointing out the lines between the groups (as in, the lines made by keys in between two adjacent white notes). You could use brightly-coloured pipecleaners and place them over the 'lines' on the piano. Groups of 3 black keys are then those that are together - a '2-group' black key couldn't belong to this set because it is apart.

[monluu]

thanks you, that is a good idea.  i will try that at the next lesson (in a week) and let you know how it goes.

[andric_s]

I don't know any tricks-- except patience.  I've had that experience with very young students, too.  They eventually get it, but it takes a little time.  I wonder if it's because numbers and counting are so new to them... seeing two and three is obvious for us, but probably isn't for every 5-year-old.

Huh, I'll try the giraffe thing next time