ABSTRACT

In learning English, French, or any other language, reading and writing are intertwined. It is the same in learning music—reading music and writing music are two parts of the process of associating symbols with sounds. Formal reading and writing of standard Western music often begins in first and second grade. Younger children’s experiences are primarily pre-reading and pre-writing experiences. For example, a pre-reading experience is hearing, clapping, and moving to rhythm patterns that will later be used in reading (for example, stick notation or dashes and dots). Another pre-writing experience is using flat wooden sticks to represent rhythm patterns. Children less than 6 years of age are able to manipulate music notation. However, there is no reason to believe that reading and writing experiences before 6 years of age are necessary or desirable. Children taught standard music notation after they receive a substantial pre-reading base may catch up and surpass children who have learned to read earlier. The national standards addressed in reading and writing are reading and no-tating music (National Association for Music Education 2007). It is important to note that studies indicate that improvisation experiences transfer to a child’s comprehension of music performed from notation (Azzara 1993; Montano 1983).