How to teach a 5-year-old to read music?

[NetherMagic]

Well I'm not actually the one teaching but my friend is a brand new teacher and this is his first student, a 5-year-old girl who has no knowledge about music whatsoever and cannot locate the middle C on the piano

so this is the question, can somebody please give some of their methods to teach a new student how to read music and locate and middle C and all the other basics?  thx

[MzrtMusic]

See if your friend can find some pre-reading music. That generally works with younger children. There are also some method books designed for young children. The two that I can think of are Beanstalks Basic's and Alfred's Music for Little Mozarts. If you get a child used to the concept of notes going up and down on the page and the keyboard, it will be easier for them to understand that each note has it's own line or space.

As far as getting her to find middle C, there are several things you can do. Show her how to find all of the C's on the piano by using the set of two black keys. After she has found and played all of these, have her see which one she thinks is in the middle. Another thing that sometimes hels, on the fallboard of a piano, a makers name is written. Middle C falls really close to the middle of that name. If you tell her to find the C by the name, that will give her something consistent to look for.

I hope this will help your friend!

Love,

Sarah

[NetherMagic]

ooh thx so much Sarah I'll tell my friend right away

this should also come in handy when I start teaching too  

again thx!

[pianomama]

Hope this info helps. I've started teaching 2 months ago and found that Alfred's Basic Level 1A for Beginners is a good book for my young students. Mind you they are not 5, they are a bit older but , the method starts out using the black keys then gradually works up into the white keys, the staff, etc. and the book has bright child-friendly illustrations to go with the lessons. The Teachers' Guide is also very informative. good luck to you and your friend....and your students....
Marie

[herbert_von]

1º sorry for my english...


Did you learn to read before to speak...?

First consider the piano as a game. Let your  pupil to up and down with glissandos and games on black keys, illustrate stories with the appropriates sounds  (childrens never play the  "wolf" with the upper notes) and thing a lot, and try to discover the melody on a C or a F or...
And after begin to recognize notes on the keyboard, then on the paper.

Ciao a tutti

[teacher]

Another suggestion:

There is a new method book out called: Celebrate Piano published by Frederick Harris Music and is written by Cathy Albergo, J. Mitzi Kolar and Mark Mrozinski.   It is really neat and colorful, very appealing to kids.  There are flashcards and a teacher's guide.

I've just started using this method and really like it so far.

You can probably get more info from www.frederickharrismusic.com.

[natasha]

when i was about 3 i cud play a piece, but only if it had the fingering written above the notes! as i got older i learnt to concentrate on the notes instead.

[frederic]

Alfred's music for little mozarts.... ha thats so cute...

[lea]

get their parent to participate, and then when they get the grasp of it then their parents can just sit back in the lesson. Getting them to listen to it helps aswell, as theny canpick it up more easily. Also a basic introduction of theory helps

lea(well im  not actually a teacher, but hey!)

[Jo]

Don't start a child with reading straight away, especially at that age. Their ear is their best tool. Teach them to listen first, then imitate you. Get them to sing, clap rhythms, slap their legs etc etc. Then they play, then after they've played they learn what the notation looks like.

First attempts at writing should be done with a magnet board and not with pencil and paper.

Do some reading on Kodaly and Dalcroze who have some excellent ideas on teaching beginners.

[annelie_wiman]

I love teaching pre school children. I start them as early as 4 and I use Music For little Mozarts book 1 and 2. I also recommend Alfred for young beginners for age 5 to 6. Put a sticker on middle C until the student has learned where it is. I find that sometimes a 5 year old can read and say the notes quite fast. I always have my students sing the notes as they play. I am singer so I sing as they play all the time to achieve phrasing and they move with the music and get really into it. They are so cute! Parents has to help with flashcards and learn along with the child to ensure proper practice habits. I also use some pre reading methods as soon as they learned the music alphabet.
good luck

[julibug]

My youngest student is a 5 yr. old boy.  He's actually doing better than I thought he would.  The first thing I did was to make sure he could find all of the C's.  Then I showed him the "C" position.  He knows his finger #'s, and can play by number.  Now, we are beginning to work on recognizing notes.  I started with the Bastien Piano Basics - primer level.  I am also working with him in John Thompson's Easiest Piano Course - Part 1.  Excellent for young beginners.  With a student this young, patience and repetitiveness (and stickers & other fun stuff) - are the key!

[allchopin]

Easy; to find middle C:
put left hand on the lowest note, right hand on the highest note and plunk your nose right down in the middle and thats b the middle C

[pianomagic]

ROFL!!  Wow, allchopin!  I never thought of that!  I bet the students have just a blast and a giggle with that!  

Thanks for the tip!

[PianoProfBonsWay]

I have taught piano to even 3 year olds. I have taught for 40 years ~ my system that I publish is like the great master's learned and taught ~ AND YOU DON'T HAVE TO READ A NOTE AT FIRST!! My 3-4-5-6 year olds were like child genius' because the way it begins and it is a FUN piano program for younger children.

Currently I am training piano teachers in USA, and have a Bon's Way Teacher who is training piano teachers in this system in Canada.

Maybe your friend/piano teacher would like to see this system, FREE Demo' and piano lesson with FREE downloads.

Email me: fastwaypianomethod@yukontel.com
Bonnie W. Author, Teacher & Publisher.
Bon's Way is FUN!

[Greg_Fodrea]

The key is stories and play.  That's how the brain works (even for us "grown-ups").  I associate stories with the names of the notes on the piano (the Dog lives in the "Doghouse" formed by two black walls, the cat is off to the side trying to get in, and the elephant stands guard on the other side.  And so on and so forth (the Cercone Method uses such mnemonics to teach 3 - 5 year olds).

When teaching younger students (and, by the way, I usually don't go younger than 8, although I have in the past), I use their ear for high and low notes, stories to name the keys on the piano, and fingering to help them play from set hand positions (and, yes, I write the finger numbers on their fingernails with wax pencil.  Hey, it works!).  Kids love to play on the piano, and I try to make everything as fun as possible.  Good luck to your friend!

[bernhard]

Have you ever heard of the Tobin Music System? It was created by Candida Tobin, and it uses colours to teach children to read music. It is incredibly well thought out, and worth a look.

Unfortunately I lost her website, but I am sure Google Search will get it for you (Try Candida Tobin or Tobin music System). She also has an intereative CD-Rom that is absolutely brilliant.

Best wishes,
Bernhard.