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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:

  • Encourage students to write in their own fingering. This paves the way for making personal fingering choices later.

  • Circle the thirds before starting to play. This helps the student focus on the difference between steps and skips.

  • Help your student write in  staccatos and slurs — let them experiment! Discuss how articulation affects the sounds they're playing.

  • Help your student add dynamics and phrase marks.
     

Print the Sight Reading Flashcards: 

  • In their entirety and use them as a book.

  • 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?

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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.

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© 2019 by Diane Hidy

You'll wonder how you ever taught without this 32-page book. I made these cards for my students to give them plenty of opportunities to practice all the different skills they were acquiring. This series starts with the simplest possible rhythmic patterns on the Landmark notes Middle C, Bass F and Treble G. Each set becomes incrementally more difficult.

Here are a few of the many different ways to use these cards:

  • Encourage students to write in their own fingering. This paves the way for making true fingering choices later on

  • Circle the thirds before starting to read the flashcards. This helps the student focus on the difference between steps and skips.

  • Help your student write in their own staccatos and slurs. Try them out. Talk to them about why they do or don't like them. 

  • Help the student add dynamics and phrase marks.

  • Print these in their entirety and use them as a book.

  • Print them on heavy paper or card stock and cut them into separate cards. Trying sending home a set with a student and ask them to become proficient with each one. At the next lesson, mix them up and play them in random order. It’s a nice combination of preparation and reading.

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