Helping students become musically literate is central to the school and church music curriculum.  The workshop will focus on implementing a sound before symbol approach to teaching music literacy resulting in independent musicians rather than savvy symbol decoders.

Working from the premise that students learn musical skills in much the same order as they do language skills, participants will explore how we ‘learn’ music through hearing and imitating patterns before reading (translating notation into sound) and writing (translating sound into notation). The pedagogy also includes a sequence of instruction that results in a strong link between sound and notation.

The TAKADIMI rhythm-pedagogy system, a beat-oriented system whose originators see it as evolving from Gordon’s syllables, will be incorporated. The rhythm syllables can easily be adapted to elementary through adult choral and instrumental rehearsals in the church and K-Collegiate setting.

Workshop participants will also be presented with teaching strategies and techniques for integrating and applying literacy skills to appropriate repertoire. Special attention will be given to development of curriculum maps.