When I first started teaching piano lessons I loved drilling flashcards. With the help of flashcard drills I could quickly identify and then eliminate my piano students’ “stumbling blocks”. I felt like I had a good strategy to help struggling note readers during lessons and at home (“Take these home and drill them with your Mom”).
And it’s true… I did have a good strategy for many students, but not for ALL students. Some students would resort to using tricks to memorize the flashcards (crutches like “The F card has a bent corner”… I myself was guilty of this as one a child), some would get stressed out over the pressure of drills, and others would simply tune out.
So, I challenged myself to eliminate drills and find an alternative use for my flashcards. And I came up with the following eight strategies.
Help Struggling Note Readers Without Drilling Flashcards
While you may have some “flashcard junkies” who can rattle off an entire pack without a mistake, you may also have some students who struggle and stammer through the set. For these students, either put the deck of flashcards away or find an alternate use beyond drill, drill, drill.
Here’s what we would suggest:
- Play “find the note” within a current piece – Have your student draw a flashcard from the deck. Ask him to find the selected note on his sheet music, and then circle it, highlight it, or place a sticker beside it. Identifying the note within the context of what your student is learning to play will help him connect what the note looks like on his page rather than simply what it looks like on a flashcard.
- Sketch the note – Have your student draw a flashcard from the deck, examine it for five seconds, place it back in the deck and then draw the note from memory on a staff on a white board or piece of staff paper. Being an active part of the process is more memorable for kinaesthetic learners. Ensure the staff is large enough for little learners to draw the note accurately and see it clearly.
- Make connections – Have your piano student take five flashcards from the top of the deck and place them in his hands. Next, flip over the top card from the deck. Ask your student to make connections between the flipped over top card and the other cards in his hand. For example, ask your student if he has a note in his hand that is a third higher, fourth higher etc. than the selected card.
- Play “Find This Note’s Neighbors” – Have your student choose a card from the deck. Ask him to find the note in his piece PLUS the “note’s neighbors” (the notes that are a step below and above the chosen note). This helps reinforce “cues and clues” note reading.
- Connect a note to the actual piano key – Remove five cards from the deck and place them beside one another on the piano. Point to each note and have him play the correct key on the piano.
- Play a game! – Giving your student a reason to memorize those notes on the flashcards makes his learning experience much more motivating. If memorizing a note on a flashcard is required to complete a game task, your student will be much more likely to make quicker and stronger note-reading connections… because he really cares!
- Go on a Treasure Hunt – Some students fail to make the connection that the “D” on one piece is indeed the same “D” on the piece that follows. Sounds obvious to us, but for children learning this new “language” it’s not always the case. So… ask your student to choose a note from the deck and predict how many times it will occur in a given piece. Now you (the teacher) make a prediction as well. Next, have your student go on a “treasure hunt” through the selected piece, counting each time the note is found. Who made the most accurate prediction?
- Ask for student input – Some kids come up with ingenious ways of explaining how they can recognize and remember a note. Often the strategies we employ for our students may resonate with us… but not with them. Simply choosing cards from the deck and asking “How could you remember that this is E?” may generate some fabulous strategies that you can then put into action.
If you find your students are struggling with note reading in the same ways, a change in method book could be your answer! WunderKeys Primer Books use a unique scaffolded approach where our step-by-step approach to note reading is resulting in less struggles. A teacher recently wrote to say, “One thing I have noticed in my WunderKeys students is that their understanding of notation is stronger and more reliable compared to students using other method books.” Find out more at www.wunderkeys.com.
Janice says
These ideas are so helpful! Once again, you have suggested effective ways to use the stand-by materials that often are not as effective as we teachers would expect. Thanks a lot!
Karen Lander says
These are wonderful!
I have small metal discs and a “magic wand” which is magnetic. Students place the discs on the notes they are searching for, then swoop them up with the wand. Great fun. Will work well in the treasure hunt.
Andrea says
That sounds like a lot of fun Karen!
Abigail Jackson says
I like these ideas! Most of my kids don’t have much trouble with flashcards…maybe because I’ve already been doing a few of these? No matter what level the student is at, when we do flashcards, they have to name the note and then play the correct note on the piano. I came up with this variation because of previous students who thought that “E” meant any “E” they could find and didn’t seem to understand that a certain note on the staff meant a specific note on the piano. I also made a game out of it with my brother and sister students who come at the same time. Making them compete against each other really stepped up their game. The boy always hated losing to his little sister, so even though he is good at sight reading (playing almost intuitively), he started putting effort into remembering the actual notes. 🙂
Now I have even more ideas to try! Thanks so much for sharing them with us!
Julia says
I have a very bright, talented 2nd year student who I just recently learned didn’t know her notes! These activities will be fun and non embarrassing for her. Thanks.
Jennifer says
Thanks for these great ideas to practice note naming! I look forward to trying some of these very soon!
Barbara says
Thanks for these ideas! One twist on flashcards [similar to #5] that my students have been enjoying is placing a baby marshmellow or small candy on each key as they turn over the flashcards. This helps them know which key is C3 versus C5 etc. Then they get to eat them, which they love of course.
Andrea says
Great idea Barbara!
Anne says
I do not think it would be hygenic to eat the marshmallows. I also think it would not be good for your piano to place food on it
Andrea says
Hi Anne! Usually teachers have a little ziploc baggie of marshmallows that have not been a part of the game that their students can have as a treat once the activity is over (if you choose). If you have a read through the directions you’ll see that no food is placed on the piano – instead you are using the free printable staff that is linked in the post and they are placed on staff positions. No marshmallows on the keys 🙂
Karen says
Great ideas! Thank you!
Milla says
This are wonderful ideas. I love the ones that connect using the cards in connection with the piece currently played. #5 kind of goes along with Susan Paradise’s “One Minute Challenge”, where students try to identify and play as many cards as they can in one minute and work on improving their results. As always, I’m so grateful to you for making me a better teacher!
Nancy says
Thank you for these suggestions. I will be using them with several students.
Karissa says
This has got to be the most helpful post, ever. I have a few students that I received from other students that missed learning the notes. They are pre-teens and into the second and third books in their series, so I don’t think I can bring them back to primer level books to work on notes. But this, THIS gives me so many things to try! Thank you!
Andrea says
Hi Karissa – that is always the trick thing isn’t it? When you know you need to go backwards, but you don’t want to hurt pride or motivation. I’ve always found that turning to games or other “off the page” ways of learning are more effective anyway so hopefully this helps in your situation! 🙂
Evelyn says
These are wonderful!
I’d like to add a variation to flash card….my students love music note roulette. I give them a white board (with grand staff that they have drawn on it). Then I glissando my hand up and down keys stopping on a note appropriate to their level and have them draw it. I LOVE the WHITE BOARD because they can quickly erase and redraw, but If you don’t have one, a simple manuscript page will do.
Andrea says
That’s so fun Evelyn! Music Note Roulette with glissandos – love it! 🙂
Linda says
I needed these great ideas! Thank you!
I will definitely be using these next week whe lessons begin.
Jan says
Love your ideas! They are always wonderful! I have started using your Nuts About Note Reading to Supplement beginners’ music when they are struggling with note reading. I am introdicing it close to the end of the first piano adventures book with some students so that they aren’t suddenly thrust into having to learn so many notes on the staff. Used it in first lesson with Bastien with a 7-yr-old recently also. Having that extra resource is wonderful. If I still need more music for them to take home and play, I pull out Noteflight and we write our own music during their lesson with notes that need reinforcing. Your strategies are wonderful for those times when there isn’t enough lesson time for that activity. Thank you for another great blog post!
Andrea says
Hi Jan – love how you incorporate composing into learning. It’s SUCH a valuable way of reinforcing concepts – the kids are much more invested if it’s their own piece and, as you mention, you can direct them to exactly what needs work in the process! Thanks for sharing – and happy to hear you’re getting such great use from Nuts About Note Reading 🙂
Karin says
Awesome! Thanks!
Amanda Turner says
I just teach my students to read shapes, intervals, triads and scales. I use scale structure very early on, and I also use the Faber & Faber Pre-Reader “My First Piano Adventure” books which do a good job introducing one note at a time, and also teach students to read note patterns (ex: they will use the same motive over and over throughout a song with 2 different endings – one in the middle of the song, and one at the end). They learn fairly quickly.
I teach my students scale/chord structure and the basics of harmony (Tonic -> Dominant -> Tonic) as early as possible.
Barbara says
You guys are absolutely amazing and I don’t know what I would do without you!!! I love the marshmellows that the other Barbara does. I do a similar thing with my piano tests using whatever I know to be their favorite candy or treat. If they get it right they get to eat the treat. If they get it wrong I get to eat it. Even if they start out not knowing it, when it comes back around they will get it because they don’t want me to eat their candy. I’ve only been sick a few times in over 8 years!!!
I don’t think I am familiar with Nuts about Note Reading. Is that one of yours or from another source?
I teach in my home studio but also teach class piano in a school setting. Jump starting note reading is one of my biggest challenges. My other big challenge is teaching piano to a pre-K 3 class. Their little fingers are just not ready to do a 1-5 scale. I really need suggestions for keeping a wee group interested, stimulated and learning.
Also I am so confused about your resources. I subscribe to this, The Newsletter, right? But I am seeing so many other things. Can you just list your resources and pricings in one list so I can see what next step I want to choose?
Thanks!
Barbara in FW
Andrea says
Hi Barbara – love your ideas 🙂 To answer your quesitons:
1) Nuts About Note Reading was a book released through PianoBookClub.com (a membership site where you sign up for $8 per month and receive a new book of supplementary repertoire every month)
2) Have you checked out our WunderKeys Piano for Preschoolers program (www.wunderkeys.com) this might be what you’re looking for for teaching Pre-kindergarten lessons.
3) The newsletter is free – it shares what we post to our blog. The other resources we offer are extras that are optional offerings and can be found in our store (link below) or through http://www.PianoBookClub.com or http://www.PianoGameClub.com.
TeachPianoToday Resource Store: https://www.teachpianotoday.com/piano-teaching-resources/
Drema says
These are fabulous ideas! Thanks for sharing =)
Nancy says
Can y’all suggest a link that has good flashcards that I can print? Thanks!
Andrea says
Hi Nancy – many of our PianoGameClub games come with beautiful sets of flash cards (for a wide variety of concepts too) that can be used “away from the game” for these kind of activities. There are free ones here too http://makingmusicfun.net/htm/f_printit_lesson_resources/flash-cards-tc.htm
Heather says
You are so creative thanks – this goes hand in hand with simultaneous learning which is a new approach I am going to try to take in 2016!
Andrea says
Wonderful Heather! 🙂
Betty Lange says
My teaching with very young students involves stickers and magnets note heads that I’ve made and we place them on a very large poster board staff on the floor and then find them on the piano. Also a paper frog at the left side of the keyboard and a star on the right side help them remember the low and high notes.
Andrea says
Hi Betty – Sounds like lots of fun! I like the idea of using a large manipulative to teach – for some children this makes a big difference 🙂
Melinda says
I have avoided flash card drills for struggling students because in my experience it just makes them feel horrible. Once I had a student do very well for every other part of her lesson, but when it was time to go home she sadly told her dad that she did terribly in the lesson, when really she only struggled with a quick flash card drill. It was heartbreaking, and definitely not how I want students to feel at the end of a lesson. Thank you for all of the great ideas for helping students learn the notes without embarrassment!
Jenna says
My students will love these ideas! I don’t play games with my students as often as I (or they) would like. Their faces completely light up when they know a game is next! I have a question though — perhaps you’ve already addressed this in a previous post — how do you make time for games? I find that half the time I don’t do them simply because I can’t “make them fit”! Any advice would be welcome!
Susan says
Wonderful ideas! I love the way you incorporated different learning styles. Can’t wait to try the treasure hunt idea with one of my students this week. I have a feeling it’s going to open a whole new world for her!
Georgina says
I love number 2 – definitely going to try that with some students next week! Thanks for the idea! 😀
Brecklyn says
Thank you for these wonderful tips! I don’t teach piano, but these are great ideas for any instrument.
JAHN Crews says
So great to have so many helpful….and fun ideas to help solve the eternal “learning to READ the notes!” When I was a Yamaha Music Teacher we were taught to teach note reading with groups of notes say C D E or C E G, etc. Teacher would touch note & say then students would copy. I would love some note reading cards that had several notes to use in that way. It’s like teaching kids to read words with words….not just 1 letter at a time. Of course, there needs to be familiarty with the individual letter/notes but I think for drilling purposes useing the group of notes is really helpful.
Judith says
Thanks for these ideas – really great. I also use the ‘noteworks’ app/game on my iPad as a special treat – the kids really love it. It’s also useful for when a student arrives early at the lesson, they can have fun practicing alone while they wait, once they’ve been shown how it works.
Ashley says
I love these ideas! definitely going to use them! Some of my students find it very helpful to memorize little sayings that coincide with the notes. ex Empty Garbage Before Dad Flips so you don’t get in “treble” (for the lines on the treble clef) and Green Bugs Drive Fast Automobiles/airplanes for the lines on the bass clef. There are other sayings for the space but I like just giving them one for each so it doesn’t get confusing and they have to think. Eventually they don’t even need to say the sayings!
Jahn Crews says
You keep my juices flowing with all of your wonderful ideas and additions the other teachers make. Look forward to 2017 and the new music and ideas that I know you will be sending our way! Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to you and yours!
Andrea says
Happy New Year Jahn – thanks for your long-time support of our blog and resources 🙂