When teaching piano scales to a six-year-old, is there more than one approach (scales as a system versus rote memorization of each individual scale)?

I like to classify by fingering type, so typically I will teach C#, F#, and B in parallel first, then follow it up with C in contrary. Then I go through the Big Five. I cover F before jumping into the Bb-Eb-Ab group. That covers the majors.

The minors are great until c#, f#, and g#. I think those three are the biggest pains ever.

Edit: This is all of course backed up with theory. I never go into scales without covering the major scale pattern.

For a 6 year old, it does depend on how well they know their finger numbers and how coordinated they are. You get a feel for this in working with them, and if a student is deficient in either or both, I'll work with them to get them ready.

One way I prepare them is I have a 3rds exercise I do. It's in a C-major 5 finger pattern, and they play 1-3-2-4-3-5-2-4-1-3-1 in RH, and 5-3-4-2-3-1-4-2-5-3-5 in LH, one hand at a time. I get them to memorize the pattern an how it looks on their hands as soon as they are able before asking them to put hands together (yes, for this I want them to look at their hands). This really seems to help prepare them for scales.

I also do a staccato/legato exercise with hands together, playing a c major 5 finger pattern. We have one hand playing whole notes and the other playing a staccato quarter note followed by 3 quarter rests, both hands playing the same pitch going up and down the 5 finger pattern. Then the tricky part is to switch, so the other hand plays the whole notes and the other plays staccato. Then they work on shortening the note values to one hand playing half notes up and down and the other playing staccato quarter notes, and then finally both hands playing quarter notes, one legato and one staccato. This series of exercises helps them to learn to work the hands independently. I usually wait to introduce this until they encounter a similar skill needed in their repertoire.

After these exercises, they should be ready to start a C major scale, hands separately, one octave. Sometimes the children will surprise me by the next week with trying to play hands together. If they don't take that initiative, then it's usually a good indiction they aren't ready for it, other times they need a little nudge and we try it just to see. When they play hands together for the first time with me, I talk them through it and tell them which hand to pay attention to at which time for crossing under/over. We may work hands separately for up to 3 weeks before attempting this, depending on the practice habits of the student and their coordination.

I like this idea very much..

(also remembering how much trouble I myself had when learning scales in 3rds... 13 24 35 13 24 13 24...why that was hard to get under my fingers (years ago).. i don't know.

I like to approach it as a simple math problem....especially since the young learners only know simple math....for example....a c scale [ 1 octave] ascending is a 3+ 5 combination...I lay three fingers on
c-d-e and then 5 fingers on f-g-a-b-c- and then show them how clever the thumb is...then apply to left hand....easier to show them contrary motion first....then the challenge of parallel.....2 - 4 octaves if for another lesson...

rada

I am curious if this relates to the other thread on chords vs. scales? And whether the two things also relate to each other?

I have used this in the past, but it depends on the student. Some of them don't seem to get it. I mus prefer a more organic approach, where they figure out for themselves how to solve the problem of playing all the white keys from C to C with only 5 fingers. I love watching the creative ideas they come up with to make it happen, and most of them come to understand the logic behind the standard fingering as most efficient.

With 6 year olds I simply group the notes, in music, for any scale pattern. Most of the time it is 5 + 3 or 3 + 5, but for me the underlying principle is always really 4 + 3 or 3 + 4.

I prefer students to absorb scales through reading and learning what guide fingers mean.

What are guide fingers?

5C B A G F 3E D C

The 5 and 3