Here are 3 effective strategies for reinforcing note names at home. Use these techniques frequently and consistently and you'll help your child become a fluent note reader.
- Say the Note Names Out Loud While Practicing - Practicing with a purpose (we call these practice goals) means doing something intentional each time you play a piece. The first two times they play the piece, have them say the counts out loud while playing. The next two times, have them say the note names out loud (if there is more than one note, the melody note should be said, or they can pause and say ALL of the note from lowest to highest which is also known as bottom to top). The last time, they can play just thinking the note names.
- Hold Flashcard Challenges at Home - This works great whether you have one piano student in the family or several, especially if there's a reward at the end! And it only has to take a minute. Susan Paradis has a ONE MINUTE CLUB (you can even print your own mini flashcards from the One Minute Club) in which students must be able to "play and say" all the notes on the grand staff in one minute or less. The parent holds up a flashcard and the child plays the note on the piano and says the name of the note. It may take your child a long time to do this, so a series of milestones keeps students feeling excited about their progress and helps motivate them to push a little harder to make it to the next level. To complete a level, students must be able to name (out loud) and play the notes in one minute or less. The time requirement ensure that they really know the notes. To be fluent note readers, students need to be able to recognize the notes immediately by sight without counting lines and spaces nor using mnemonics. To advance to the next level, students must complete their level at two separate instances, separated by at least 1 day. This also ensures comprehension and that it wasn't just a one time fluke.
- LEVEL ONE BRONZE: A-G - These are the 7 notes surrounding Middle C, above and below. All beginners use these notes so students get double reinforcement when they 1) Say the Note Names Out Loud While Practicing and 2) do the Flashcard Challenge.
- LEVEL TWO SILVER: C-C - Two octaves from Bass C (second space on the bass staff) up through Middle C and upwards to Treble C (third space on the treble staff).
- LEVEL THREE GOLD: G-G - This covers the entire grand staff from Low G (first line on the bass staff) all the way up to High G (space note above the last line of the treble staff).
- 'Spot the Note' is played by giving your child THIS WORKSHEET of note names and small bites of their snack or small treats. But, wait! You call out a note name. When your child spots the correct note, they place their treat on it. After answering correctly, they get to eat their treat!
When we reinforce note names with our kids and help them gain mastery early in their studies, we'll see much faster progress and less frustration when they learn new pieces. I encourage you to try out a new activity this week!
Click here to hop on over to the kid-friendly printable worksheets and fun gamesthat are free on my website.