Sight Reading Strategy

[fleetfingers]

On this forum, when questions arise regarding sight reading, many respond by saying that accompanying is a good way to improve. The main reason being that you are forced to keep going at a steady tempo, playing as many notes correctly as you can.

This got me to thinking . . . what if I play along with my students when they are sight reading a line or two of music during their lesson? Their goal would be the same as when accompanying: to keep up with me and get as many notes right as they can. I wouldn't do it every time, just sometimes. Has anyone ever tried anything like that? Do you think it would be a good idea?

[bleicher]

Sounds like a good idea, as long as you keep to tempo and don't wait for them. Another idea would be to conduct them.

[crazybluearmadillo]

I've found sight reading with a metronome to be very successful.  The key is to never "skip" beats but force yourself to keep going.  Accompanying is great, good idea with the students.  What about even recording something for them to play along with during the week?  If your student's are practicing the same sight reading it might be worth it.

[dcstudio]

Love your idea about playing along with your students!!  I do it ALL the time, in fact it has improved my sight-reading by leaps and bounds--and my students (and parents) absolutely LOVE IT!!! Happy students tend to learn much more than bored ones 

[pianowolfi]

Love your idea about playing along with your students!!  I do it ALL the time, in fact it has improved my sight-reading by leaps and bounds--and my students (and parents) absolutely LOVE IT!!! Happy students tend to learn much more than bored ones  

True, but you have to be sensitive and not "overteaching". I myself hate nothing more than teachers who always play or sing along! I try to react very sensitively to signals of my students, when they want to play alone, try it alone, listen to themselves, get rid of the teacher's "noise" and start to discover independently, out of silence and an atmosphere of concentration

[bleicher]

I don't think anyone was advocating playing along except for teaching sight reading.

[pianowolfi]

I don't think anyone was advocating playing along except for teaching sight reading.

The OP didn't but it seemed to me that dcstudio emphasized she'd ALWAYS do it.

[dcstudio]

I don't always do anything for each situation is different.