Ukulele: Method Book or YouTube?

• Kate Hagen
• Posted 2/19/24
• 0 comments

If your goal for teaching ukulele is to have students accompany themselves while singing, the internet is my go-to source. I love to use these sites after my students have learned a new chord and need practice shifting from previously learned chords to new ones.  Singing along to their favorite songs takes the tedium out of practice.

This is a site based out of Wales.  The site has traditional folk songs and cover songs for students to play along with. When you look in the Playlists, the songs are leveled by difficulty.  I love to use this site after my students have learned a new chord and need practice shifting from previously learned chords to new ones.  Additionally, since this site is for the creator’s students, I know they are school-appropriate.  I also recommend this site to my students when they seek songs to practice at home. 

This channel provides play-along and tutorial videos to help train musicians, for the casual musician who wants to learn songs, and play-along videos that work in the classroom. There are some great cover songs, however, not all are school-appropriate therefore, you will need to preview anything you want to share with your students. 

This is one of my favorite sites for improving my own playing.  There are tutorials, helpful hints on teaching different concepts, chord play-along videos, and fingerpicking tutorials on melodies.   Again, there are some great cover songs, however, not all are school-appropriate therefore, you will need to preview anything you want to share with your students. 

The ukulele can be used for more than strumming while students sing.  The resources below add the ukulele to individual lessons with singing games, Orff ensembles, children’s literature, recorders, body percussion, and more. As a bonus, each resource has a downloadable example of a lesson from their book!   

This book, in my opinion, is geared toward middle and upper elementary grades.  This resource also comprehensively explains the tips and tricks for incorporating the ukulele into music class and the importance of researching the origin of song material.  The lessons presented include movement, utilizing classroom instruments, singing while accompanying yourself on the ukulele, and a few lessons incorporating the ukulele into ensembles, including digital resources. 

This collection of 21 lessons integrates ukuleles with other classroom instruments, including full Orff-style orchestrations.  These lessons span a wide range of grade levels. In addition to PDF files, there are lyric sheets, videos, and additional resource materials.  Lessons include movement/ dance suggestions, Polynesian instrumental suggestions, a Hawaiian Language guide, and strumming techniques.

A new book of songs integrating recorder, drums, ukulele, movement, and barred instruments. These activities offer hands-on activities while differentiating instruction for varying ability levels. 

This publication is a compilation of orchestrations featuring the ukulele. The arrangements in this book allow students to practice ukulele skills within the context of a larger ensemble. Teachers with only a limited number of ukuleles will find this publication particularly useful because the lessons feature multiple ways for students to participate in music-making. The orchestrations are adjustable to fit each classroom’s needs, allowing the teacher to remove parts or change the instrumentation. Songs range from single chords to three-chord accompaniments using varied strum patterns. This resource includes digital files and is recommended for grades four and up. 

Ramos, A. (2009, April 4). Andy Ramos. YouTube. Retrieved September 30, 2022, from https://www.youtube.com/c/AndyRamos 

Webley, R. (2017, October 9). Ukulaliens – Ukulele Club. YouTube. Retrieved September 30, 2022, from https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCZjDV_1UEbVsAQA_q9tyTWw 

YouTube. (n.d.). Ukulele underground. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/@ukuleleunderground  

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