Repeat short, easy rhythmic and melodic patterns by playing back from memory
Perform a piece and ask learners to respond to the music by clapping, tapping or moving with a regular pulse and at a variety of tempi.
Repeat, with learners substituting a different sound, gesture or action to indicate rests.
There is always scope to design new musical games in order to develop learners’ short-term memory. These can often be invented together as the activity proceeds, building on prior learning.
Engage learners in ‘copycat’ exercises, either with or without notation, maintaining a secure pulse and rhythm. Incorporate different musical effects, such as contrasts of dynamics and articulation.
Encourage learners to sing back what they are about to play to help them internalise the rhythms and intonation.
In whole-class teaching, pass the beat around the room with learners taking it in turns, using body percussion or instruments. Start with a beat and then subdivide the beat into 2s and then 4s, both with and without a metronome.
With pitched percussion, ask learners to sing easy intervals and match them to notes on the instruments where appropriate.
At first, limit the phrase to be copied to four beats, using only two notes.
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