What are Hanon exercises and how can they help me improve?

Hanon exercises help drastically improve THREE key areas of your playing...


Hanon exercises feature in households all around the globe, and for good reason. These piano exercises, which have been in existence for over 150 years, are proven to massively improve THREE key areas of your piano playing. In this article, we’re going to tell you what Hanon exercises are, how they can help you improve, and we’re also going to give you some of your own to try out.

M FOR MOTHER 專訪

話說一直以來, Miss Carol 每個月都收到不少爸爸媽媽的電郵電話，為家中年約兩、三歲的小寶寅寶，查詢學琴安排，但由於香港一直缺乏專為學習鋼琴而設的幼兒課程，Miss Carol  每次都只能很抱歉的，請爸爸媽媽待小寶寶長大一點，到了五歲再作打算，有些熱心的爸爸媽媽，會WAITING LIST 排候補名單，待足歲數再AUDITION 面試。直至上年，Miss Carol  四出探訪，終於找到WUNDERKEYS PIANO FOR PRESCHOOLERS，這個課程是專為三至五歲的學前兒童設計，亦是專門針對往後學習鋼琴的預備課程，更意想不到，引入香港不久，傳媒M for Mother 便已經風聞這個課程，上月更特意訪問Miss Carol ，讓更多爸爸媽媽認識到這個在美國、加拿大等地已經流行了十多年的老牌課程。

What You Need to Teach Piano Successfully

Most of my readers probably don’t know that I teach piano. I like to call myself a writer, but in truth I’m a lot of things. And one of those things is a piano teacher.  I don't have a teacher's license, and therefore can't be called a "professional piano teacher," but for some reason people still seek me out (without me advertising) to teach their children music. I love to share what I know about music, and teaching kids (and adults) how to play the piano has a lot of rewards. Of course, I’ve been burned out several times before, and I know that teaching piano can be difficult.

Teaching piano doesn’t need to be all that difficult though. There are some things that you need to remember, that you need to keep telling yourself, if you ever want to see success from teaching piano. I’ve gathered from the harvest of my mistakes and deficiencies, and what I’ve reaped is a little experience. We all learn from our mistakes. So, here is what you need to have if you want to teach piano successfully.

Music for Little Mozarts is a good series to teach very young children

Music for Little Mozarts: Lesson Book 1

 

Imagination

When I say you need imagination, I don’t mean that you should become Peter Pan and fly away. Imagination means the ability to see outside of the box. When teaching piano, there will be many opportunities for you to get trapped in a ditch, the ditch of one-way thinking. Teaching requires at least two people: the teacher and the student. You need the imagination to reach out to the student where he or she is. Sometimes you might need to put the book away and just tell a story.

Knowledge

Obviously, if you want to teach piano, you need to know how to actually play the piano. If you are an experienced pianist, you might need to refresh yourself on the basics of playing before you start to teach. Remind yourself about the order of learning. Before you are able read a book, you learn how to recognize the letters. In piano, before you can play a masterpiece, you need to learn the basics of piano, from fingers to keys to notes.

Patience

Teaching anything takes patience, but teaching piano takes an extra measure. There will be times when little Jimmy will be more interested in kicking the bottom of the bench than in putting all five of his fingers in perfectly curved order. There will be times when Mrs. Jennings will want to talk more about her twenty-five amazing grandchildren than about how tempo relates to expression. There will be times, and you will need to breathe deeply, smile, and say what you need to say over and over again. Patience is a hard-earned virtue, not something you’re born with.

Optimism

You need to think positively when you teach piano. There is always a sunny side to look at; you just need to find it. Sometimes your student will get discouraged if he can’t accomplish something new right away. You need to encourage him, and help him to try harder. If your student is depressed that he can’t play a certain phrase without stumbling, praise how good his posture is or how wonderful the rest of the piece went or how great his determination is.

I have used the John W. Schaum series to teach elementary and middle school children

John W. Schaum Piano Course: Pre-A : The Green Book

 

Time

Teaching piano takes a lot of time and effort. There is no easy way to do it. Take time to prepare yourself before each lesson, reading up on what you are going to teach. Each lesson will be same amount of time, but the rate of speed can alter a great deal. Sometimes a student will surprise you and speed through a lesson. Other times, you will need to take slow time to teach a student one small principle. Take the time to make it work.

Organization

One of the hardest parts of being a piano teacher is getting organized. Organization is very important however if you want to be successful. If you teach from home, make sure your piano studio is clean. If you travel to your students' homes, make sure you are punctual. Keep your schedule written down, not in your head. Keep track of how much people owe you. 

Professionalism

Never forget that you are the teacher. You are the one in authority. Yes, you can be friends with your students. In fact, I encourage you to do so. But never let the student take over the lesson. In a sense, you need to have your hands on the steering wheel at all times. Treat yourself with respect. If you do not act like a teacher who knows what he or she is doing, the student will not listen to you or respect you. Be professional in the way you act.

Kindness

Kindness is key. Your attitude changes the whole atmosphere of a piano lesson. Be sure to smile, to let your student know that you are on his side. There are teachers that hold to a law of structure and boundaries. Structure and boundaries have their place, but if a student is so scared that he is uncomfortable, he won’t enjoy learning to play piano. And if he doesn’t enjoy learning to play piano, he won’t enjoy playing piano and another musical soul is lost.

Written by Rose West

from HubPages (21/11/2013)

How to Teach Piano: Note Recognition

Teaching piano is like teaching a new language, only instead of words and sentences, there are notes and symbols and lines. As with learning a new language, it may be take music students a long time to be able to read notes proficiently. Remembering notes, or note recognition, is a very important skill for a student to gain, but it can often be a struggle for the beginner student to feel comfortable and confident in this skill. My fellow hubber zanin has asked me for some tips to help her son remember his musical notes, and I hope to give some helpful suggestions for parents and teachers to use when teaching piano.

From the Beginning

Note recognition training should start from lesson one. Basic principles can be taught from the beginning, such as the differences between quarter notes, half notes, and whole notes. I use flashcards that demonstrate how these notes can go up or down the keyboard - they look like they are going uphill or downhill. At this point, when the student looks at a simple piece of music, he should be able to see which direction on the keyboard the notes are moving. Ask him if they are going up the keyboard (to the right) or down the keyboard (to the left).

The piano student should also start to learn the letter names of the physical keys. Start with A and have your student spell up the alphabet until he reaches G. Explain that the musical alphabet stops at G and starts over at A again. The student should begin to see the pattern that the black and white keys make. Have him find all the A's on the keyboard, then all the B's, etc. Point out Middle C, which will be the starting point in learning to play piano.

Your piano student also needs to learn the finger numbers. Thumbs are Number 1, index fingers are Number 2, and so on. Once the student is introduced to note images, letter names on keys, and finger numbers, he is ready to begin to read music. 

Middle C

Middle C

Show your student Middle C on the keyboard and Middle C on a sheet of music or a flashcard. Point out the little line that cuts it in half. Once the student is able to recognize and play Middle C, he can move on to D and E as played with the right hand. The next notes to learn are B and A as played with the left hand. From there add the notes F and G in the left hand and F and G in the right hand. Let your student become comfortable reading these notes before you move on to the rest of the notes on the staff.

Acronyms

On the musical Grand Staff, every line and space is a certain note that corresponds to the keyboard. The easiest way to remember which line and space is which note is to memorize acronyms. If you notice on the staff imaged below, there are two separate sets of lines and spaces. The top set is known as the treble clef, and the bottom set is known as the bass clef.

On the treble clef, the notes of the spaces spell out F-A-C-E. The lines of the treble clef have the notes E-G-B-D-F. The most popular acronym for memorizing the lines of the treble clef is: Every Good Boy Does Fine. Of course, the student can make up his own acronym with the letters - the important thing is to remember the letters in the proper order.

On the bass clef, the notes of the spaces are A-C-E-G, which have the acronym:All Cows Eat Grass. Another acronym that you could use is: All Cars Eat Gas. The notes for the lines of the bass clef are G-B-D-F-A. The acronym for this is: GoodBoys Do Fine Always. This can be easily confused with Every Good Boy DoesFine however, so an alternate acronym may work better.

Labeling Notes

In the beginning, the student will have a hard time looking at a note on the page and recognizing which letter it represents. I try to bridge the gap by labeling the notes in pencil on the first pages of the piano book. I do this with the student, having him or her think through the acronyms to figure out which letter I should write down. Eventually, the student should be able to see a note in the music and recognize the letter quickly. It is easy, however, for the student to become dependent on the letter labels. For this reason, letter labels shouldn't be used for too long - just long enough for the student to feel more confident in reading music.

Alfred's Basic Piano Library Flash Cards Levels 1A-1B

 

Flashcards

One time-tested resource for training a student's mind in memory is using flashcards. These can be a helpful tool that allows the student to look away from the music book for a little while. Flashcards can be purchased online or printed off of websites. You can also make your own using colorful 3x5 index cards. Having a single note on each card separates the image for the student, and over time he or she will be able to recognize the picture and the note name at the same time. 

Key Stickers (Ez Play Today)

 

Keyboard Stickers

I know from personal experience that keyboard stickers can be extremely helpful for a beginner student in remembering the letter names of the keys. Of course, this is probably better if you have an electronic keyboard as opposed to a shiny grand piano, as I can't promise that the stickers won't leave marks on the keys. 

Music for Little Mozarts: Lesson Book 1

 

Curriculum

A good curriculum is important in providing a good foundation for the beginner student. I recommend the Alfred's Basic Piano Course, because it moves at a good pace for elementary aged children. For younger students under the age of six, I would recommend Alfred's Music for Little Mozarts series.

In Conclusion

As with most worthwhile things in life, note recognition takes a lot of time and practice to perfect. Spending extra time in practice and repetitive drills (such as flash cards) will help your student get over this hill and into the wonderful world of music.

written by Rose West
from HubPages (21/11/2013)

How to Teach Piano: The First Lesson

The first piano lesson can be very intimidating for both teacher and student. Everyone knows how important first impressions are, and no one wants their first piano lesson to go badly. The piano teacher is anxious to start off on the right track - the student's musical future is in the hands of his teacher! The student is nervous about starting something new and completely foreign. All these nervous feelings combined can be rather distracting, and the first lesson can end up a mere show of education - simply a social introduction between student and teacher. This isn't necessarily a bad thing, but a little learning can never hurt. Here I've compiled some information for piano teachers to remember on their first lesson.

Put your nerves aside, breathe deeply, and plan your first piano lesson in advance. There is no need to "wing it." Remember, this is your first impression on your new student, and you want to begin your journey together headed in the right direction. Being organized in your mind first will help you be organized in your lesson. Know what you want to introduce on this first lesson; write it down if you need to.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/seriousbri/4148739768/

The first piano lesson is basically an introduction to the keyboard and to music in general. Sit your student down at the piano with good posture and point out the pattern of the keys - the blacks on whites. The pattern is determined by three black keys (triplets) then two black keys (twins) then three then two, etc. Talk with your student about the number of keys, and let him or her play around on the keys.

Show the difference between high and low sounds by having your student play up and down the keyboard. Also point out which direction is "up the keyboard" and which is "down the keyboard." Have him or her play one key soft and loud alternately.

If you have a grand piano, raise up the lid and let your student look inside at all the workings while you play high and low sounds. Show how the vibrations are slower on the lower keys and so fast you can't see them on the higher keys. Point out the way the hammers hit the strings and the way the "brakes" stop the music.

Use flashcards to introduce notes. On the first lesson, you can introduce quarter notes, half notes, and whole notes. The quarter note is basic; it helps to explain to small children that the quarter note simply means to play once. Make flashcards that have different patterns of quarter notes and quarter rests, and have your student play these on the keyboard on any key.

Show your student where Middle C is. This is where the first finger position begins. Use your desired lesson book to demonstrate the first simple song, which will probably only use the first three fingers of the right hand. Also tell your student the finger numbers for each hand.

These tips will get you started on your next musical adventure. Every student is different, and sometimes you might not make it this far; other times you will need to go farther. Below I will list some recommendations for piano lesson books. You might also like to check out:

Music for Little Mozarts: Deluxe Starter Kit

 

Music for Little Mozarts

Music for Little Mozarts music books are a lot of fun and are geared for little children 4 to 6 years old. They focus on finger coordination and move at a good pace for young children.

Alfred's Basic Piano Lesson Book: Level 1A (Alfred's Basic Piano Library)

 

Alfred's Basic Piano Course

Alfred's Basic Piano Course is my favorite book series for elementary aged children. It starts off with teaching how to play before fully introducing staff reading. The books move at a good pace while introducing all the important concepts.

John W. Schaum Piano Course: Pre-A : The Green Book

 

John W. Schaum

John W. Schaum piano lesson books work well for older children, around 6 to 12 years old. This is your standard piano course; it has worked well for me in the past. The Schaum series focuses on note reading.

Bastien

A friend of mine recommends Bastien piano course. 

• Review of Bastien Piano Books
  The Bastien piano books series bring fond memories to me of my early lessons using these books. I would examine the colorful pictures of children and notes, play the "Chocolate Cake" song with my mouth...

Fletcher Theory Papers

 

Fletcher Theory Papers

Fletcher Theory Papers are a great way to teach your students theory. These can be given out as homework for your student to complete during the week.

written by Rose West
from HubPages (21/11/2013)

How to Teach Piano to Young Children

Although teaching piano to children of any age takes skill and patience, giving lessons to younger children has unique challenges that many struggle to overcome. Kids ages 4 to 6 are energetic and easily distracted. They are still developing motor skills and probably have not learned how to read yet. But despite these challenges, young children have qualities that older students may not have, making lessons with them very rewarding. I have been teaching piano to young kids for years now, and I've learned a few things from experience that not all of the teachers' guides will tell you.

Children can start learning to play the piano at an early age

Source: Rain0975 via Flickr

The Advantages of Teaching Young Children

• Young piano students approach piano lessons with a fresh perspective. They don't have much experience with music at all, and what music they have heard has most likely been fun songs that appeal to their innate love of play or lullabies that express a calm safety. Therefore, most young children, in my experience, approach their first music lessons free from the stereotypical expectations that older children might have.
• Young children are storehouses of energy, making lesson time a fun experience for both student and teacher. Young students rarely find music a chore when taught from a play-oriented perspective.
• With minds like sponges, young students have amazing memory skills and learn new concepts surprisingly fast. They have no preconceived ideas as to what piano lessons are, and therefore soak up anything you teach them.

Young children love exploring the piano

Source: woodleywonderworks

When to Start Piano Lessons

My personal studio policy is to accept students no younger than four years old. Kids who are 3 and under are typically not ready for private one-on-one lessons. They have difficulty sitting still for any amount of time, and a classroom setting is still a foreign concept. If you would like to get your children younger than four into music in some way, consider finding a group music class where they can be involved with other children their age. These classes will focus on singing, basic rhythm, and hands-on activities that are suited for children under four.

 

The Benefits of Starting Piano Lessons Early

The progress of a young piano student will most likely be slower than that of an older student. So why start so early, you might ask. Music lessons are not just an ends to a means, that of learning to read and play music; it is an experience that enriches the lives of the student of any age. Besides being fun and exciting to make noise on the keyboard, piano lessons help develop motor skills, memory skills, and general learning skills. Students who take piano lessons are known to have strengthened self-motivation as well as better school grades. They learn to think logically, figure out problems, and apply their knowledge.

Another benefit to early piano lessons, young students grow up with the idea that music is a good thing. They won't have negative ideas of music or lessons, but see music as the blessing and gift that it truly is. Being able to participate in music will hopefully influence their lives for the better.

With the start of music lessons early on in life, students develop a natural understanding of music, including rhythm and sound. They grow up being able to listen to music in an understanding way and will be better able to learn more complex theories of music in the future.

piano keys

Source: copyright Rose West

The Shy Factor

One thing that many children struggle with is being shy. However, if you as the teacher approach piano lessons with a sense of adventure and fun, the student will eventually follow. Once the young student starts learning new concepts and plays music games with you, he or she will be more willing to open up to you, allowing the student-teacher relationship to flourish. Just remember that each student is an individual. Try finding something that he or she likes, whether it's a toy or an activity, and talk a little about it with him or her. Once your young student learns to trust you, piano lessons will become more enjoyable for both sides.

Teaching Music to Young Children

Motor Skills

Remember that your young students are just now growing out of toddler-hood. They are still developing motor skill coordination and will probably need extra time to learn how to actually physically play the piano keys. I like to focus primarily on finger coordination before teaching note reading. Jumping straight into reading music on the first lesson will only confuse and frustrate your young student.

With piano, the primary focus is on the fingers. From the very first lesson, teach your student the finger numbers of the hands. By example, put your palms together and wiggle fingers two at a time, the number ones, the number twos, and so on. Then, have your student copy you. Repeat this process with hands separated. This last is very important because you want the student to understand how the finger numbers go in different directions. Review this with your student every lesson for a while till he can do it by himself. This will help your student be able to differentiate individual fingers on command.

Bringing this finger differentiation to the keyboard is a more difficult matter. Starting out with the black keys helps, but it takes time for a young student to learn how to play with individual fingers. Start small, with only two fingers walking on the two black keys (the twins), then move to the three black keys (the triplets) with fingers 2, 3, and 4. Music reading is not important at this point, but always having the music you are playing up on the rack does help emphasize reading skills for the future. Eventually move to white keys, slowly introducing different keys with different fingers. Middle C position is an easy position to begin with. The process of learning to play all ten fingers will take quite a few lessons, so don't get discouraged if your student seems to be making slow progress. He is learning finer motor skills and applying them to make music. It just takes time!

Tips for Making Music Fun for Kids

• sing some familiar songs and play them on the piano
• play clapping or drumming rhythm games
• make up silly songs on the keyboard to describe animals or stories
• let the student play teacher for a few minutes
• march around the room to music

Short Attention Spans

Young children have especially short attention spans and can only listen to one thing for so long. Because of this, I always recommend brief 15-minute piano lessons for children ages 4-6. There are definitely exceptions to this rule, as some children tend to find serious learning easier than others. So sometimes I increase the lesson time depending on when the student is ready to handle more in-depth lessons. However, it is surprising how much you can achieve with weekly 15-minute lessons. Switching topics frequently is a must to keep the young student attentive and excited to learn. In one lesson, I usually review the songs and topics from the previous lesson, teach a new concept and one or two short pieces, help with a worksheet or theory book, and if there's time, drill with flashcards.

Teaching Rhythm

Rhythm is something that all of us need to learn. Sometimes, we have an innate sense of beat, but oftentimes we don't. It's important to start teaching rhythm early on in piano lessons so that it becomes a habit in the student's practice. One fun way to teach rhythm to young children is to bring along a small drum to the lesson. Kids love making noise, and a teacher asking them to make noise will make their day. Make up rhythm cards with basic 3x5 cards, using colored markers and big notes. Make one set of rhythm cards in 4/4 time, and one set of cards in 3/4 time. There are a number of ways you can practice rhythm with the drum and flashcards, making games up as you go. After a student becomes skilled at reading the cards and beating the rhythm out at the drum, I usually introduce a listening game in which I play the beat and the student gets to guess which card I'm playing. And then we reverse so that the student plays and I can guess. Young children are especially drawn to learning rhythm this way, and it helps make lessons fun and interactive.

examples of flash cards you can use

Source: copyright Rose West

 

Stuffed Animals

Stuffed animals are a good way to reach out to young students. Using them in lessons communicates that you as the teacher are willing to enter their world and explore new things with them. I like to use the Music for Little Mozarts books with my 4-6 year-old students, and as you may know, the main characters of these series are Beethoven Bear and Mozart Mouse. You can actually buy stuffed animals from the publishers to go with the books, but I just use a small stuffed teddy bear and call him "Beethoven Bear." Kids can us Beethoven to demonstrate music concepts, like jumping the stuffed animal on just the low notes or just the high notes. The student can "teach" Beethoven Bear things he or she has learned, or play a song just for him. There's no need to feel silly playing make-believe during a piano lesson; it just creates a fun learning atmosphere.

Color the Notes

Young children usually recognize colors more readily than letters or numbers. One way to help them learn how to recognize notes or keys is to assign a color to each one. Maybe put some colored stickers on the keys if you don't mind having them on your keyboard. I find that coloring in the notes on the staff on a worksheet is helpful, especially with children who tend to be more visual.

In Conclusion

Just like any piano student, a young student has huge potential for learning how to create music. As teachers, it's our responsibility to learn more about our individual students to be able to cater to their specific needs. Young children may be challenging to teach, but the rewards are endless and the lessons are fun if you just relax a little and show your students that music is an entire world that is exciting to explore. Please comment below to share your experiences with teaching young children!

written by Rose West
from HubPages (November 21, 2013)

只學考試歌

如果一位學生由1級考到8級，可是但他只學考試要求的三首曲目，他好可能順利考上級程度，可是到此為止的音樂學習，他只學習了24首歌。

數百年的古典音樂發展，內裏值得學習的樂曲及知識，應該花一生都學不完。如果只是為了一張證書，只學24首歌，實在有點兒浪費，猶如入寶山空手而回。何況目前有很多學生並不會考齊8級，所學習的曲目就更加少了。

到底只學考試歌，會有什麼影響？

學習音樂就像學習駕駛汽車那樣，駕駛者若要取得資格在路面行走，必須考獲車牌。駕駛者只需熟認其中一條駕駛路線，何時轉彎，在那位置切線，何時加速，何時需要減速，如何泊位等，只需將要點記熟，再找師傅相伴在該路段實習多次，便可輕易取得車牌。就像學生找老師不斷修正學試曲目，什麼位置要加點感情、大細聲的控制等等，加上基本的音階聆聽練習，就可以考取8級。

考獲車牌後，只將車牌放進錢包內，駕駛者就以為自己有駕駛資格。可是當他真的要駕車的時候，才發現，除了考試的路段，其他路面的情況、路線、交通規則一概不曉，坐在車上，緊握著軚盤的手還在顫抖，根本不能將車駛到馬路上，更遑論駛到目的地。

就如學音樂一樣，當學生考獲8級以後，以為自己音樂旅程已完結或達到某個里程碑。可是他真的可以駕御樂譜、控制音色嗎？同樣是考獲8級的二人，其程度可以有天淵之別。更有甚者就是不論級別，如二人喜愛音樂程度不同，所演奏出來的音樂也會有很大差別。

若學習數年音樂，考獲8級資格，但回首看看書櫃，只得潦潦數本單簿的考試書、音階書、聆聽書及視譜練習時，這真的是你想學習的音樂嗎？

音樂空間很大，就像一名經驗的駕駛者中可以隨意在道路上行走。可能會偶爾迷路，但能駕車到遠遠無人陌生的地方探險也是樂趣之一。手中的樂器，就是汽車，而駕御樂器的你，就是駕駛者。你想只在考試預定路段上奔馳嗎？還是想帶著你心愛的樂器四處遊覽歷險，這就視乎你當下的決定。

轉載自《Music and Story》(14/10/2015)

另類小歌手寶寶頻走音怎麼辦

最近的中國好聲音很火紅，看著寶寶和著音樂又唱又跳，家長也可以幻想一下寶寶有天站在萬人矚目的舞台上高歌的模樣。但是，寶寶唱歌頻走調真的很打擊媽媽的幻想呢！難道寶寶是個另類小歌手嗎？還是寶寶天生五音不全？

每當聽到孩子咿咿呀呀的唱歌，相信每個人都感覺很開心，但有些孩子唱歌卻讓人聽起來發音不準、走音，對此當家長的也很著急，如何解決這個問題呢？

有關專業人員說，我們所說的走音就是指唱歌時的調子與歌曲本身的旋律是不一致的，就讓人產生的聽覺上的不舒適感，也就是唱歌時發音不準。當然這種情況也是有解決的辦法的……

》不同年齡階段的孩子音準發展
讓我們先從相關專家那裡了解一下不同年齡階段的孩子音準發展的水平是怎樣的? 6歲前，孩子最容易掌握的是歌詞，節奏次之，速度第三，呼吸第四，最難掌握的就是音準。對音準的把握能力是孩子歌唱能力中發展緩慢的一種能力。

若要不走音，除了要聽辨音的高低能力強以外，還要有對發聲器官進行精確調控的能力及對自己所發出的聲音進行自我監聽、反饋、調節的能力。這對孩子來講是有困難的。不過如果發現孩子唱歌會走調，可以考慮以下措施。

1、選對歌是前提
想要讓孩子唱歌，就在為孩子選擇歌曲時，先考慮自己孩子的音域特點，避免所唱的歌曲音域過寬，孩子唱不上去；在歌詞方面上，要盡量簡單短小、易記，避免孩子在學唱歌時，為了記憶歌詞，而忽略旋律、音準，導致走音現象。

2、正確的發聲練習
讓孩子有好的嗓音，就要幫助孩子學習正確的發聲方法及輕聲唱歌的好習慣。輕聲唱歌既可以把歌曲裡的情感詮釋出來，又能保護孩子的嗓音，使傾聽者和歌唱者都有一個美的享受，而且避免了大聲唱歌這種非自然的發聲方法導致走音情況的發生。

3、要有伴奏音樂
在孩子唱歌時，要盡可能為孩子提供伴奏，可以是樂器，也可以是帶伴奏。為什麼呢？因為經過我們調查發現，如果在沒有伴奏的情況下，很多孩子不能把握獨立唱歌時的音準，有時因為自己起調過高或過低，都會導致走音。

4、寶寶有異常表現嗎？
讓孩子唱歌時，要注意孩子是否有異常，比如注意孩子的身體健康狀況是否良好、情緒、態度是否積極等。因為身體的不適、情緒不穩、精神不振、興趣不濃厚、注意力不集中，都會導致孩子唱歌時的走音。

其實，讓孩子學唱歌還要在乎孩子的興趣愛好，如果孩子喜歡唱但發音不準、唱起來走音，會在專業老師的指導很快更改過來。但如果孩子不喜歡，再怎麼教孩子還是不會達到理想的狀態。

所以說，唱歌像其它的娛樂一樣，只是用來表達的一種方式，一切還是按照孩子的興趣來培養，不能一味的給孩子壓力，讓本來輕鬆的歌唱變成孩子的一種負擔，還是要讓其快樂的成長，讓孩子想唱就唱，這樣也能在唱歌中充分享受到自由和快樂。

》小編提醒
——樂曲的選擇應符合寶寶唱歌的特點，節奏要簡單，篇幅要短小，歌詞以像聲詞為最好，易引起寶寶模仿唱歌的興趣。

——成人應化抽象為具體，並用遊戲的方式訓練寶寶模仿唱歌。如《小雞和小鴨》這首歌曲比較形象化，可先教會寶寶小雞和小鴨的動作：把雙手握在一起，伸出左右手的食指，兩食指並在一起做雞嘴;小鴨只需兩手 心相對，手掌根靠在一起，讓一隻手的手指朝上，另一隻手的手指朝下，這就成了鴨嘴，還可以手指開合動起來，邊唱邊做動作，對寶寶的模仿有很大的幫助。

——由於寶寶的接受能力有差異成人應按照實際情況堅持由易到難的原則，而不能強求一步到位。

截錄自pcbaby／吳小熊

自《音樂講堂》(13/6/2014)

瑞吉歐教學法 發掘興趣創意

在傳統的教學模式外，本地幼稚園積極嘗試來自世界各地的教學法，當中以蒙特梭利、華德福較為人熟悉。家長對意大利的「瑞吉歐」（Reggio）教學法可能較陌生，但這種教學法早於十多年前已登陸香港，並融入在不少幼稚園的教學當中，近年更有playgroup打正旗號以此教學，是次與大家探討瑞吉歐的特色，等家長多個選擇。

源自意大利兒童主導
瑞吉歐教學法（Reggio Emilia Approach，簡稱Reggio）源自意大利，由路易斯．馬拉古齊（Loris Malaguzzi）所創，於1991 年獲美國Newsweek雜誌評為全世界十大最佳學前教育之一。瑞吉歐以小朋友的興趣主導，老師作為指導的角色，鼓勵小朋友自行探索，發掘興趣及能力，支持他們表達對事物的看法和感受。瑞吉歐視學習環境為兒童的「第三位老師」，重視環境和空間，鼓勵小朋友接觸大自然，以自然素材為教學工具，而且主張方案教學，沒固定的課程規範。這種教學法有助小朋友獨立，加強解難技巧，提升創意思維及與人溝通的能力。

老師在沙上鋪上美觀的擺設，如小動物玩具、石頭、貝殼等，吸引小朋友自行探索。

幼稚園融入瑞吉歐
家長可能很少在幼稚園聽到瑞吉歐，早有聽聞的家長則以為這種教學法已在香港消失，但其實瑞吉歐的理念依然在不少本地幼稚園或playgroup出現，由於大多融合在本地的教學模式中，學校不會標榜以瑞吉歐教學，故家長不察覺也不為奇。以下是部分採用瑞吉歐教學法的幼稚園及幼兒園。

選段轉載自《Sunday Kiss》(February 4, 2015 )

Reggio Emilia approach

 

琴要怎樣教，聽大師說分明

到底要具備怎樣的條件，才能成為一位好的鋼琴老師？不管是對於學生還是老師來說，答案都相當令人好奇。或許許多人會認為這個問題很難有一個標準答案，但身為演奏家、教育家，同時還是20世紀最偉大鋼琴家霍洛維茲（Vladimir Horowitz）入室弟子的堅尼斯（Byron Janis）在累積了近一甲子的教學經驗後所提出的意見，還是非常值得參考。

「好的老師，應該是要啟發學生養成自己的才份及創造力，而不是將自身的想法強加在他們身上。」堅尼斯日前在接受華爾街日報的專訪時這麼說道。而談起自己在霍洛維茲門下習琴的那段經驗，堅尼斯也分享了一些大師所留下來的經典名言：

「你的演奏要再多一點吟唱的感覺，多一點色彩。」

「你會成為一位了不起的浪漫樂曲詮釋者，也許一開始你會誇大這樣的特質，但別擔心，由多節制到少，比一開始沒有再往上加要來得容易。」

「當你對某個樂段有想法時，一定要把它強調出來，因為聽眾不是你，他們需要你來告訴他們你的想法。」

「你要當第一個堅尼斯，不要作第二個霍洛維茲。」

堅尼斯也舉了一個自己親身的教學經歷，來證明啟發學生的重要性。「我曾有過一個非常有才氣的女學生，但她似乎一直沒法讓他隱藏在內心中的真正感情給表現出來，於是有一天，我就問她平常回家是否都走固定的路，如果是的話，我建議她從當下開始，每天都找不一樣的路回去，並感受不同的風情和心境。結果幾週後，她的演奏明顯開始不同，感情也越來越奔放。」

好的老師，永遠都會找到對的方式來幫助學生克服困難，也許只是一句和專業無關的建言，你說是嗎？

自《MUZIK AIR》


Excerpts From The Byron Janis Story