Now it's the summer holiday, I've been having a rest, but also doing a bit of planning for next term. If I don't do it before I go on holiday then I'll go back in September completely unprepared!!!!!

I've been having a nose at 'A common Approach' to get some ideas. It suggests using 5 skipping ropes laid out as the stave. Now I think this would be a great way for kids to get better at learning to read music. They need very visual and fun things to remember what's going on.

I was wondering if anyone else had tried this, and what help it had been. Also, can anyone think of games etc to play on the skipping rope stave. I think it's a great concept but not quite sure how to make it successful

Kx[QUOTE]

[COLOR=purple]Woodwind Teacher/Flute specailist
Piano ish!!!!

I've come across this idea as well - have you ever read Sheila Ogglethorpe's book on music for dyslexics. It has some great ideas that will work with all pupils. She gave a talk when I did my CTABRSM and was inspirational.

I start with one skipping rope and a soh/mi song that the kids know well. They sing and step above the rope for soh, below the rope for mi. If there are too many in the group to do this all at one then divide them up and take it in turns (the ones not stepping can be singing and signing or singing and clapping the pulse or singing and clapping the rhythm)

Next (probably after quite a few weeks of different songs and games) I'd move on to a doh/re/mi song, still with one rope only - doh below, re on the rope, mi above it. Later I would do the same doh/re/mi songs with two ropes...doh on the bottom rope, re in the space, mi on the top rope.

THEN we're into pentatonic songs then up to full stave.

Have fun - we do!

THis sounds great. What songs do you use?

In school I use the Essential String Method books for violin - these are full of good songs, almost every piece the kids play is sung before they play it. Have a look at them for song ideas, even though you are a not a string teacher I'm sure you will like the approach.