It is commonly understood that reading literacy is the gateway to a solid educational foundation. Without the ability to read, students would find it difficult to learn without direct instruction. They would rely upon information that would be either experiential or told to them directly by another person. If a student wanted to gather information without outside help, it would be nearly impossible.


Imagine a classroom in which the following happens:
A Ninth Grade student is studying a passage of Shakespeare. One the first read, the student struggles to pronounce some of the words. On the next, the student is able to pronounce all of the words smoothly and without pause. On the third read, the student finally recognizes a few of the words and their meanings. Not until the fourth and subsequent readings is the student able to comprehend anything that is being written. It is long after that before the student is able to grasp for deeper meaning and plot points.


I have come to believe that when my students cannot have any grasp of sight reading, it is similar to the student who struggles reading Shakespeare. Without the knowledge of how to smoothly get from measure to measure, my student does not understand the larger intent of the piece. Once the student learns to read music, however; interpretation, analysis, and style are no longer things reserved only for memorization. A new world has been opened in which the student can truly become an independent musician.


The question of what (sight reading proficiency) is so much easier to talk about than the how. There are so many "If Only's" (Time, money, staff, to name a few) that seem to work against us as teachers that the task seems daunting. After watching Jerome Upton of Duluth, MN work with his choirs, I am convinced that sight reading can be accomplished. His group sang pieces with concert appropriate interpretation on their THIRD DAY of reading the music. His students came alive with expression and with questions and comments about how to better perform the music. Instead of taking time to read and re-read the piece, the students were making music right away! 


As I go on with my musical journey, I will try and share insights into anything I learn about sight reading. Until then, I would love to hear from anyone who has ideas!


-Andrew Beard 
 


Comments

Neal Raskin

Wed, 30 Sep 2009 14:15:23

You have some great ideas. I'm wondering if you are talking about being able to sight read music accurately or to be able to sing with musicality in the early stages of learning a piece?

If I were to be teaching a choir, in addition to the basics of warming up and voice technique, I would include sight reading exercises. Being able to sing a simple tonal melody or even a pair of intervals seems very important. This is why basic music theory needs to be a part of every musician's training.

Students need to be taught how to teach themselves. It is my goal to teach students how to learn music long after they leave my classroom.

 

Andrew Beard

Wed, 30 Sep 2009 15:38:59

I'm talking about reading a piece of music like we would read a book. For instance: In reading, students are encouraged to "Sound out" words that they do not understand. They have to break apart the chunks and then put them together. It would be great for a music student to have all the tools in place to understand what it took to "break apart" a musical phrase and then put it back together again.

On a first read, I think it is critical that students could at least get the notes and rhythms correct. Then, just like one adds emphasis to reading a poem, the student would soon be able to interpret a chunk of music.

My biggest question comes in the line of the order of teaching. Do we teach music theory to the students right away (simple triads, solfege, etc...) or do we immerse them so much in sight reading that they understand the theory before we tell them what the are actually doing (singing in minor, major, etc...).

 

Neal Raskin

Wed, 30 Sep 2009 17:25:57

I like your latter suggestion. I think that trying to teach theory to early in the process might cloud the minds of students. Maybe just getting them to sight read and work things out, and then at a later date, explaining to them what they are doing.

 

Dan Leeman

Wed, 30 Sep 2009 19:44:49

I think one of the beautiful things we can borrow from Kodaly is "sound before the symbol." Getting students to be able to produce quality sounds and mimic aural examples is something we foster long before students can sightread music.

On the other hand, the example about Shakespeare is not quite the same as learning to sightread. By 9th grade, most students can glean content, sound out words, and use context to help ascertain meaning (even without knowing Old English). Students in choir who are being fed solely on "rote memorization" aren't connecting the music on the page with what they are singing. Easing this connection (with solfege, etc.) helps forge the bond between performance and notation. I agree with Neal though, too much "theory" discussion right away will more likely frustrate your young musicians- ease it in so that they will continue to form a greater appreciation for what they are learning.

 

Dan Leeman

Thu, 01 Oct 2009 09:40:25

Hey Andrew... how ironic is this?

http://travisjweller.com/2009/09/177/#more-177

Theory and Shakespeare again :)

 

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