A Differentiated Approach to Teaching Music Literacy

• Karla McClain
• Posted 4/25/22
• 1 comments

Have you ever sat in a faculty meeting or PD about reading and thought, “I think that would work for music, too?” The question I started pondering was, “Why don’t I think more strategically about using sight-reading levels when teaching music literacy?”

My school uses the NYSSMA levels for music literacy assessments. However, not all 7th graders are ready to read at Level 2.  

• Level 1: Intermediate School  
• Level 2: End of 7^th Grade 
• Level 3: End of 8^th Grade 

Frequently, I have students who are new to choir, new to our district, or new to the U.S.! They may not all have a Kodály background like students who have been in our district since elementary school. Several years ago, I decided that instead of assessing all students at the same level, I would assess students at their “just right level.” This made things more equitable for students and easily allowed me to make modifications or accommodations for anyone who needed it.  

Once I gave students a baseline assessment for sight-reading, I gave them specific feedback, which might include, “Great pitch and rhythm accuracy — you are ready for the next level, “ or “You struggled with matching pitch to solfege — continue to work on that and stay at Level 1 for now.”  

I also allowed students (even if they don’t have accommodations or modifications documented) to use examples labeled with solfege if they needed it. I find that students are honest, know their skill level, and don’t take advantage of this assistance. For our following assessment, I use Google Classroom to assign students to the specific level at which they should complete.  

Digital Tools for Music Literacy

In the past, I used “paper” sight-reading examples at different levels, but I’ve recently started using Sight Reading Factory. This program has been a game-changer for students because the metronome and multiple exercises help students build their skills.  

I use musictheory.net to practice solfege identification. I assign exercises and include multiple links, allowing students to self-select their level. The first link might have “helpers” where Do is labeled in one key; the second link has no “helpers,” and the last might have no helpers in multiple keys. Not only do I direct students to pick the level where they think they are, but as I monitor students working, I can see how they are doing and suggest a switch if something is too easy or too hard.  

Flat.io Boomwhacker™ notation is another excellent tool for differentiation. My dyslexic student discovered that her eyes focus better using color-coded notation. The result is that she can sight-read with higher accuracy.  

Mastery-Based Learning for Music Literacy

Another critical aspect of how I differentiate for students is allowing them to retake any assessment. Mastery-based learning is a crucial component of my district and my philosophy. Musicians do this inherently, so why make grades contingent on one-time tests?   

I find that using game-based methods to work on essential note identification and rhythm motivates students because they are fun and engaging. As a bonus, students can see their stats just like the video games they love playing at home.  

Quizizz is fantastic because you can embed audio examples — there is nothing like a room full of my voice singing “Sol-Mi-La” as students work on decoding!  

Blooket is another great tool where you can create your own game sets. There is a vast selection of games to choose from, and you can play games as a whole class or set homework links. The reports show the whole class percentage, so I keep track of each class as we master a skill like solfege identification in the key of C, and then my classes compete against each other and themselves.  

When our class average is above 90%, we know we are ready for an assessment. I also appreciate Blooket because you don’t have to be good at the skill to win the game. The gameplay is compartmentalized from the skill, so all students have a chance to win the game. It is so important for our struggling learners to be on a level playing field, even if they don’t have the skill set.  

Using these tools simultaneously is another differentiation technique. For example, recently, I had students taking an assessment working on a “homework” Blooket. Students who needed a reteach watched a video on Google Classroom before taking a retake of that Blooket. The rest of the class finished their assessment and did a live Blooket on a previously learned skill for fun. Forty-five students were engaged in the appropriate activity for their current learning level. And because all of these games “run themselves,” I could be free to monitor students and assist those who were struggling.  

Using these different tools, from leveled sight-reading to these websites, has become integral to my teaching. It has been so amazing to see the growth in my students and their music literacy. It takes a little time on the front end, but it is worth it when I see my students motivated and grow their musicianship skills.  

References

Practice sight-reading and sight-singing exercises online. Sight Reading Factory®. (n.d.). Retrieved April 2, 2022, from https://www.sightreadingfactory.com/  

Online collaborative music notation software. Flat. (n.d.). Retrieved April 2, 2022, from https://flat.io/  

The world’s most engaging learning platform. Quizizz. (n.d.). Retrieved April 2, 2022, from https://quizizz.com/  

Musictheory.net. (n.d.). Retrieved April 2, 2022, from https://www.musictheory.net/  

Blooket. (n.d.). Retrieved April 2, 2022, from https://www.blooket.com/  

---

Shop This Lesson