Sight Reading Flashcards
I use these with every beginner I teach. Honestly, I wonder how I ever taught without them!
They start with the simplest possible rhythmic patterns on the Landmark notes Middle C, Bass F and Treble G. Each set becomes difficult by the tiniest increments. Only one thing changes from card to card. For students who need lots of practice or have trouble with visual processing, these cards are perfect. Quicker students fly through them solidifying their reading and move onto more challenging materials. I use them with all my students.
Teaching Tips for Sight Reading Flashcards:
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Encourage students to write in their own fingering. This paves the way for making personal fingering choices later.
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Circle the thirds before starting to play. This helps the student focus on the difference between steps and skips.
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Help your student write in staccatos and slurs — let them experiment! Discuss how articulation affects the sounds they're playing.
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Help your student add dynamics and phrase marks.
Print the Sight Reading Flashcards:
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In their entirety and use them as a book.
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On heavy paper or card stock and cut them into separate cards. If I'm using them as actual flashcards, I send home a set or two with a student and ask them to get good at playing each one. Then, at their next lesson, we mix them up and play them in random order. It’s a clever way to combine practicing and reading. They're practiced them all, but which one is which?
Sight Reading:
Piano Music for Sight Reading and Short Study
These handy books begin with simple four measure pieces and progress through material suitable for an advanced pianist to sight read. Levels Prep and Level One were written by me, Level Two was a joint effort with Keith Snell. The other books contain short works by master composers and are super useful as well. I keep several copies of each on hand, especially the lower levels.