I've been reading "Sight-reading Strategies" by Pamela Pike in American Music Teacher.

She concludes that most students need chunking drills that accompany sight-reading exercises. She suggests that we need to instruct students to sight-read each time they sit down to practice. And that we ought to make sight-reading a priority during lesson time. She suggests placing importance on being able to play music well after very little rehearsal.

I am curious about how you teach sight-reading. Do you drill using homemade drills, or have kids use sightreading books? Or only bring in sightreading books when they are having obvious reading problems?

I'm hesitant to routinely have students purchase sightreading books in addition to other books, yet I think it would be helpful for them. Or I could use appropriate level books for sightreading just during lessons (using studio books for the drills).

What does she mean by chunking drills?

When taking test such as CM test, there are five areas: Sight-Reading, Repertoire, Technique, Theory and Ear Training. Sight-Reading is the area that I emphasis the most among all my students. I use Lin Ling Ling Sight-Reading Book and Four Star Sight-Reading Book. Each of these series comes in 11 levels. During lesson, my students have to read at least two examples up to eight examples from the books. Each example is about 2 lines. I told my students that they can only make 2 mistakes the most. Most my students make 2 mistakes, but some of my transfer students will make about 5 mistakes for each sight-reading exercise.
Most transfer students that I accept are very good in repertoire, able to memorize the pieces perfectly but not able to sight-read the material at their level. In the other hand, students that have me as their first teacher will be able to sight-read material at their level with less than 2 mistakes because I emphasis sight-reading from the first day of piano lesson.

blocking chords, seeing patterns etc.

ezpiano, thank you for your response. It's a very clear explanation of how to include sight reading in lessons.

Do you use your studio books? Or do students purchase a copy? Do you assign sightreading for homework?

Transfer students whose sight-read below their current repertoire level will be asked to buy a copy of sight-reading book. I usually gave them 45 seconds to look at each example and play right away on the piano. I will write how many mistakes they make on the top of the sight-reading example. I usually give around 6 to 8 examples each week (it takes about 50% of the lesson time just to do sight-reading). Once we complete the sight-reading first time attempt during lesson time, they are asked to practice those sight-reading example by them self at home as it is their repertoire. The following week, I will randomly pick two out of eight examples and ask them to play for me. Usually students will make less mistakes the following week compare to the first attempt because they practice at home.
At the other hand, students who have me as their first teacher will never need to purchase a sight-reading book. They will use a studio copy. We only spend 3 minutes every week in sight-reading to read 2 examples. We spend more time in method book, theory, technique and repertoire. These students will not have sight-reading as their homework.

Thanks ezpiano for explaining how you do this.

You are welcome. Happy Valentine's Day!

What's the point of practicing these sight-reading examples at home??? The main idea of sight reading is to be able to play new material instantly.

My absolute worst readers are bad at sight reading because they don't practice!!! I don't care how "smart" these kids are--if they don't practice piano, they will never be good sight readers.

In my experience dealing with transfer students who can't read, I noticed a pattern: their previous teacher spend ALL their lesson time on repertoire and ZERO time on sight reading. They also spend the entire year learning 2 pieces. But the biggest common factor is that these kids are "memorizers" who stare at their hands like the keys will just get up and run away from them. If you take a book and cover up their hands, they suddenly can't play piano anymore.

The point is, they need a lot of new materials every week to practice. This is an add-on on the top of their repertoire and their method books. Transfer students from other teachers in my studio is not good in sight-reading. I need them to sight-read instantly during lesson with those example then later practice at home as if it is their homework of the week. One of my student came to lesson with 1+2+3+4+ (the counting) on some of the example, but wrong! It shows that she is trying to practice at home, but still get it wrong. It has no negative effect to practice the sight-reading example that we already try during lesson. And, do not worry, they won't practice the one that I have not assign, students, usually not as hardworking as you think they are.

Thank you.

Yes, a lack of practice impedes reading. I think sightreading books can be useful in teaching these kids who do not practice. These drills are each so similar that it forces kids to read what is on the page instead of memorizing.

I've worked on my own sighreading over the last few years simply by playing a lot of material. Now I'm thinking focused work using sightreading books is a better way to improve.

Recently I worked through "Sight Reading & Rhythm Everyday" (2B and 3A) by Marlais and Olson to see what they are like and to see if it would be helpful for one adult student in particular. I intend to get the next few levels for my own continued improvement in sight reading.

There are a lot of good materials lately for sight reading. Until recently I only was familiar with the primer and level 1 supplements. Now I'm seeing the value of additional levels. I intend to start including sightreading in lessons, and evaluate who would be likely to use the materials at home if it's assigned.

There are several aspects to sightreading that need to be addressed before someone can be very confident at it (and Helen Marlais gets at this in her series): note recognition, pattern recognition, rhythm recognition, and keyboard topography. Then add in experience. If you can do all of these well, then sightreading shouldn't be so bad, in theory.

I do work with my students on sightreading, but I prep them before we just jump in. We play rhythm games and drill rhythms much in the same way I did in eurhythmics as an undergrad. I give them exercises that contain common patterns found in music (and for this, Czerny is excellent). We improvise in certain keys. And I always, ALWAYS emphasize the value of scales and basic technical exercises.

Before we do sightreading in lesson (and we'll do several examples), I do a "guided sightreading" with my students. We sit and look at the piece, figure out the key signature and time signature, look for patterns like 5-finger patterns or triads, discuss what spots may be tricky and then pick a tempo that is appropriate. Then for the next one, the student is on his or her own. Preparation plays a huge part so I feel like it's very necessary for me to show them things they might miss.

I can't wait until they're old enough and at a high enough level to read some duets with me.

I do this as well. Whenever I assign a new piece, I will have them try sight reading it, but not just jump in and start playing. I'll ask leading questions to hopefully get them to realize that these are the things they need to ask themselves when sight reading.

The sight reading books (Marlais in particular) are great, but I don't use them with every student. If I do, however, I do have them purchase it definitely. If you treat it like a necessity like the rest of their materials, then no one will balk at paying for another book. Especially if they are purchased at the same time and you give them a total price for all instead of individually over a period of time. It feels less like being "nickeled and dimed".

One thing that surprised me in working through the books was that speaking in rhythm was a bit challenging. To be able to speak in rhythm (especially with dotted quarter notes), I had to tap my foot to keep the beat. (This is likely something most of you had in college courses, but it was new to me.)

In other words tapping and counting a certain rhythm may be no problem, but speaking a series of words in rhythm suddenly changes the game. Obviously you cannot count verbally and speak words at the same time. So you find another way to keep time. (But in reality my students will do well to be able to tap and count.) Still, this is one of the types of exercises that has me impressed with Marlais' books.

I think "guided sightreading" is what the books are teaching.

I'm wondering whether to drop down a level from a students current level for suitable sightreading books (except for primer and level one books that coordinate so well with those levels).

Ideally, students should be able to sight read material that is two levels below their repertoire. The great majority of piano students I've seen/heard can't even do that.

Of course, it's no fun to get a "level 6" student who can't read level 2 music to save his life. And then you get the parent's asking, "Well, he passed level 5, so shouldn't he be doing level 6?"

Our state testing starts this coming weekend. Sight reading will be sooooo much fun!

Thanks for your comments AZNpiano.

Here's an update. Just taught an afternoon adult student. He's at Level 3A. For sightreading practice I used Marlais' 2B book because that's what I had on hand. We ended up having a great time (and it turned out to be a suitable match for his ability).

Instructions say to "count with energy". After we counted and clapped, my student asked "Was that energetic enough for you?". We laughed. And the next piece you get to snap your fingers to the rhythm.

So what can be tedious when you're going it alone, turned out to be fun for two. I can see that working through a few sightreading pieces during lessons will be a good plan.

I agree with you. Last September I received a student who pass CM Level 4 (Path B) and looking forward to take CM Level 5 (Path A) this year who cannot read Sight-Reading book Level 4. That means his reading level is only Level 2?

I do this too. The students have to tell me what fingering they'll use (or at least start with) before the begin playing! (Most of my students are sight-reading very easy stuff.)



Yes, I do this too. Often the students don't seem to realise that their "sight reading" or "note reading" skills are useful (necessary) for attacking a new piece unless I prompt them!

Some of the drills in Marlais' books have kids clap for stems up notes, and stomp for stem down notes. There is clapping, tapping, snapping fingers, stomping, counting aloud, and speaking given words in rhythm.

I like the variety of ideas which enhance learning to keep time.

Do you have other suggestions for teaching eurhythmics?

Not surprising; she and I went to the same school, so we had the same core curriculum.

The prep school at our alma mater has young kids stand and swing their arms to and fro to find a beat in the body. Other classic beginner exercises include passing a ball from person to person in a circle (or if you're by yourself, from hand to hand) and stepping a pulse while speaking a rhythm.

I'm heading back to my alma mater this summer for a 3-week intensive certification course in eurhythmics, so if you wait until after August, I'll have plenty to say about eurhythmics! I'm super excited to get this certification started. Been meaning to for years, but life got in the way.

Yea! I look forward to hearing what you have to say after your certification course. Thanks for your comments.

Tossing a ball reminds me of a Suzuki workshop I attended many years ago. Somehow I'd gotten through lessons without ever hearing the word "downbeat". We were to toss a ball to our partner on the downbeat. Very quickly I learned what downbeat meant.