I have a keyboard pupil who I've entered for London College step 1 exam, he is age 9 and into his THIRD year of lessons, and I've entered him in order to push him forwards, and because the other kids in his year and the year below have all taken step 1 and passed, and this lad is not strictly speaking special needs. His teacher tells me he's very bright, I know he's one of the top readers in his class because I hear them read, and he's definitely not dyslexic and has no problems with attention or concentration. he is also pretty musical - can sing beautifully in tune and can copy rhythms back exactly. So why, every week in his lesson, does he appear not to know the first part of Exercise 1 which goes CDEF GFED, 5 finger position up and down? He crosses his fingers over, ends up on A and all sorts, and makes similar mistakes on the other exercises/pieces, all of which are in the key of c and range of 1 octave. After I demonstrate each week,by about the 3rd attempt m he gets it, but he needs to get it 1st time in his exam. (By the way he can just about manage the 3 finger chords with his left hand - otherwise i wouldn't have entered him.)The only reasons I can think of why he might have problems, is that he is smaller than average physically, and English is his 2nd language, he arrived in the school 4 years ago with no English but obviously picked it up quickly. In many ways he's a super little lad - polite, quiet and always tries hard in his lessons. I don't think he practises much at home but even with no practice he should have made more progress than this. How can I help him in the last few weeks up to his exam so he gets through? Ideas please.

I'm not sure it's much help, but I have a pupil who similarly forgets even the basic of things which we have gone over and over. I was worried he was dyslexic but he isn't. I've been tearing my hair out with him because tone wise, he is very good. Anyway, after 2 years of teaching him + a previous teacher, he passed grade 2 at Christmas. We were surprised because the way he was playing had deteriorated since being entered into the exam He doesn't get nervous, so I think his self confidence carried him through. Anyway, we suddenly seemed to have made a leap because now he does remember things and we're starting to rocket on
So the only thing I can say is, is that he might make it through, and it could be the kick up the ha hum needed, as with my pupil and it might be all hunky dory.

Sorry, not a technical answer but thought it might help

Can you make contact with parents to express concern about lack of practice? Could you also have a practice exam very soon, so that he has a few weeks to get his act together?

It sounds to me very much like a girl I have who will be taking LCM grade 3 soon. I thought she was practising as hard as she could at home, but in a later conversation with Mum she said "Oh, do you think Jane should be practising more?" and it transpired that Jane had been doing very little. Mum paid attention a bit more and Jane came on by leaps and bounds. (In my defence I inherited this girl from someone else after a rather poor showing at grade 2)

It is perhaps difficult if English is this pupil's 2nd language - perhaps the ethos is a bit different at home - but could you ask the class teacher to have a word?

It could be that because he is so bright he needs to be challenged more musically while he learns the all important technical foundations set out in Step One. I had a pupil who tended to be very slow at reading music but was ever so keen to explore sounds on the piano. We found it fun to bend the notation rules a bit. For example, playing C D E F G as written then by adding an Eb - so C D Eb F G, then an F# - C D E F# G then C D Eb F# G etc. It sounded somewhat 'weird' to say the least, but the child enjoyed having to use correct fingering while 'bending' the notes - and such a relief when we arrived back at CDEFG again. He can even do this hands together now with 'The Woodchuck' in the Red Schaum Bk A and is practising a lot. Result stronger fingers!

Hope this might be an idea you could try.

Good luck

Ideas? - (You probably do this already, but,) .. a Practice Diary, signed by the parent each week.

Also, I read a brilliant book in my local library (sorry, can't remember the title) about getting children to practice and one of the things that was recommended for a teacher (working from a base or home) was to have a special certificate on the piano each week for the child who did best / practiced most / showed most improvement / whatever - then all the others who came for lessons would see that child's name on display.

Can you try movement, standing in front of him shuffling to his right as he moves up the keyboard and vice versa. Perhaps this student will need to commit these tunes to memory. Perhaps you could talk to the parent about extra lessons to help him do this. More practice will only help if he is practising correctly.

You are obviously in communication with his teachers and I would urge you to express your concerns to them.

I really like this idea! Anyone got a link for online certificate making?

Try here or here for some certificates.

The crossing fingers over etc rings "dyspraxic" bells. Does he seem a bit uncoordinated in other areas? If so, he could genuinely be having difficulty sequencing his fingers (and with no practice will feel as if he is doing it for the first time every lesson). Chords could be easier because the fingers go down together so once he has got the shape he doesn't have to worry.

I often talk in the early stages of learning about one finger per note - imagine they are glued on, etc...

Good luck!

Do you know for sure that he isn't dyslexic? Even if a child reads well and has no problems with writing or numbers etc, the child could still have dyslexia. There are many types that can affect different things and in particular, structures.

As the previous poster said, perhaps dyspraxia could be considered. It might be worth considering an investigation if only to rule it out.

thanks Alison, yes i think he may be dyspraxic cos he's a bit like a 12 year old I teach whose mum told me he was dyspraxic when he started age 7. He gets a lot more support at home than this other lad so has made some progress, (has scraped passes at grades 1 and 2) although he doesn't do fingering and learns everything by ear. So i don't really know how to help a dyspraxic student - especially one without the home support. Any tips would be gratefully received.

As he sings have you tried getting him to sing, then sing and play at the same time, then remember the singing? Also how does he do remembering an exercise from the beginning of the lesson to the end? As others have mentioned he could be bored- you might try him with something much harder for fun!