In an effort to encourage my students to concentrate on maintaining a pulse and correct rhythm, rather than stopping for every wrong note, I have tried various methods. I recently came up with a 'score out of 10' system that works as follows:
5 for keeping going and maintaining the pulse
2 for dynamics
1 for articulation
1 for getting the general style of the piece eg dance, march
1 for right notes

This gets the point across that you score more points for keeping going rather than correcting mistakes.

Yesterday, had a bit of a brainwave with a rather po-faced student. I got him to clap the rhythm first, then play completely random notes with both hands but in the right rhythm - we did this together. Then we put in the dynamics as well as the rhythm - hey presto 7/10 with not a single right note - you get the idea. By the end, he made a passable attempt at the sightreading piece and had a smile on his face (result - believe me!!)

Brill ideas. My old teacher struggled to get her Quick Study passed for a Dip and was played some sightreading just as you described by her teacher - rhythms all correct but not a correct pitch in sight! The phrase we learned is 'the correct pitch in the wrong place is still an incorrect note.'Keeping going and observing the pilse is the main thing examiners look for.

Of course, I mean PULSE!!!

Thanks for a jolly good idea. I have a hard time convincing my French pupils of the minimal importance of a few wrong notes because the school system is so hot on mistakes it becomes burnt into their psychology and they all want to start the sight reading again the moment something goes wrong. I might slightly change your marking system -they will never believe me if I only give 1 for right notes - but the idea really appeals.

Does anyone use Flip a Rhythm? This is great for developing understanding of rhythm, I find that my students can actually play their pieces in time (most of the time!) without me having to go on about it and this must be due to Flip a Rhythm. They sometimes even play their sight reading in time!

Yes! And my students absolutely love it! I'm so glad I heard about it (from someone on this forum) and am using it in every lesson. Some of my students are surprisingly good at even the most difficult rhythms.

I think if you are sight-reading outside an exam context then the pulse, the rhythm and keeping going is what is essential - it is essential when sight-reading a piece in a group context.

I just charge them a quid for each mistake/omission. Works brilliantly Never had a pupe fail sight-reading....

Bag-on-the-pink x

What's Flip a Rhythm?

Really useful books - one has 3/4 and 4/4, other has 6/8 and 9/8 - pages of 4 bar rhythms in 2 halves s you an mix and match and play rhythm duets, complex rhythms against an ostinato etc etc. Very good for playing wiht percussion instruments, body percussion and so on. Recommended!
See Flip-a-Rhythm

Thanks SueHM - I didn't know about the 6/8 9/8 one. Have just ordered it.

Great idea! Will be giving it a shot later!

Hi,
I am very supportive of my son's music practice and always try to improve his quality of playing. What is articulation?

Articulation refers to how joined or otherwise the notes are. In very basic terms, the difference between staccato (detached) and legato (smooth, joined), although there are many shades in between.

Which you quickly learn when you have to play in a group with someone who doesn't keep going or to the same pulse. Not that I'm always perfect at this, but at least I'm aware that I'm supposed to be doing it.

Exam sight reading and 'real life' sight reading are not very closely related!