I was searching for some sight reading examples last night and stumbled across this site by Rebecca Stewart: http://sightreading.com.au/buy-online.html.
The books are available for purchase, but I love that I can see a glimpse into each book and what it covers. There are some ‘free’ sight reading lessons as well which covers basics (stuff we should be teaching our students anyway). I especially love the fact that the books are graded. It makes it so much easier to help those students who are struggling a little with their sight reading. I think you can never have too many sight reading books! (or repertoire!!).
I also have Samantha Coates’ Sight Reading books (see here for more information: http://blitzbooks.com.au/Books/SightReading.aspx) which have sticker keys, so when your students have correctly done their sight reading, they get to ‘mark it off’ with a sticker. You can do this in class time, or assign them weekly sight reading homework. These books are also graded and have lots of helpful hints to ensure students are ready for AMEB examinations (as long as you are also doing the right thing as a teacher and not sticking to 3 pieces per year – not such a good thing to do).
I assign my students a shorter, slightly easier piece to learn for Homework. Their job is to come back the next week week with what I have assigned learned. It could be a popular piece currently in the Top 40 charts, The Spongebob Squarepants theme, a duet or something from my ever growing Hal Leonard collection. The point is that they are constantly learning new songs and maintaining their sight reading. The bonus is that they get to play songs they love and are exciting to them.
One response to “Sight Reading or Fright Reading?”
Thanks for mentioning me! I think your frog practise system is a winner. At the school I teach at I have had a “House Competition” using the same house teams they have at school. There’s a chart on the wall and they love to see their practise counting towards glory for their team – particularly the sporty boys!