Reading Rhythm Insight
Found in: Curriculum, Reading
Nancy B., Kansas
I am in my first go-round of teaching Reading Rhythm. I think it’s going alright, and I have looked through the ECL archives, etc, but I still just would love to hear more ideas from you all of how exactly it looks in your studio, and in your home assignments for the students, and any tips or insights you have to share, if you have taught through it more than once!
I am currently only so far as at the point of introducing Read and Play, which is also wonderful. All the materials for RR are great, and I am so thankful. I am just nervous about incorporating them all together in the brief time allotted during the lesson. I would like to hear from others as to how it looks in your studio, to be sure I’m on the right track and not missing anything major.
Note Disc – I know that we cut this up as we explain the values of notes (prior to the names concept) –but do we give them one to take home, and if so, how are they to use it? Do we cut up additional discs at other times, or just use one cut up disc per class, occasionally to refer back to?
Laurie Richards, Nebraska
What I’ve done is purchase a few extras so that I would have a ready example of each type of note (one is left uncut, one is cut in half, one is cut into 4ths, etc.). In class we can readily see how two 4ths (quarter notes) fit into one half (half note) – they can match them up in class to quickly see equivalent notes. They have the one in their SHM to take home.
Nancy B., Kansas
In Class In-a-nutshell – I am trying to both go over new things and check to see how much they have fully gleaned so far from what’s already been taught, via MOR out loud together and then the written assignments the students do (right?).
Laurie Richards, Nebraska
Right – don’t be too quick to move on to the next project, though. They need a chance to get really comfortable with each step before moving on. You also have to continually manage the process…their homework feels a lot different than playing songs, and it may take a while to get them into the habit of spending time on it at home.
One thing you can do in class to make efficient use of time is train the class to immediately take out their RR writing assignment with their playlists so you can check it, and so they know you are going to check it. Or, train them to automatically copy a portion of their writing assignment onto the white board, which the class can then process together as MORs.
Nancy B., Kansas
**Transcriptions – do you do these in class only, or both in class and at home? How does this work/look for you?
Laurie Richards, Nebraska
I typically only do transcribing in the lesson. I want to be able to monitor that one. However, sometimes I will give a home assignment to write (transcribe) the rhythm to a song they know very well (Dreams, Night Storm, Minuet in G, etc.) I usually tell them ‘cycles of 3’ or ‘cycles of 4’ so they know how to fit it in. Then you can check it in class the following week. Or they can check it themselves against the written music.
Nancy B., Kansas
Homework – Students should be going over the MOR with CD, and also writing (once writing is assigned) several measures/lines each week, right? Are they to transcribe, write independently-thought notes, and process with the CD each week at home? I also encourage students and parents to give each other verbal SDQ quizzes. (I would love to know) Literally, what do your RR homework/notes look like for your students as you move through the process?
Laurie Richards, Nebraska
I typically assign specific lines in the RR book (w/cd) to process in the beginning stages. Later on, an assignment might be to process any 2 (or 3 or 4) lines w/cd a day.
Here are a few separate examples of what I might write on the board as an assignment, depending upon which project they are on:
• MORs 1.1 – 1.3 clap & voice w/CD
• MORs 1.1 – 1.6 process 2 lines/day (one note)
• MORs 2.1 – 2.6 RH 5SS w/ CD
• MORs – 3 lines/day w/CD
• Write 8/8 (they know this means 8 meas of 3 counts and 8 meas of 4 counts)
Plus any assignment from Read n Play.
Nancy B., Kansas
Any other tidbits or insights?
Laurie Richards, Nebraska
Yes – you really need to be very consistent with this material. It is easily forgotten and put on the back burner. I have opted to spend a bit more class time on it as they are going through the RR program. After they finish RR, it’s still important to regularly give writing assignments and do transcribing in class. Not necessarily every week, but enough to keep it immediately accessible in their brains.
Nancy B., Kansas
This is an exciting process!!
Laurie Richards, Nebraska
I agree!