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Teaching in groups - some advice and tips

 A good group lesson should aim to include:

• development of technique on the instrument or voice (see notes attached)
• listening
• performing, both solo  and with others
• improvising / composing and communicating musical ideas (see notes)
• responding to and evaluating their own and others' work

How do you begin a group lesson?

 The beginning of a group lesson should have all pupils involved. There are many ways in which to do this but try and make it lively and fun if you can. Try to vary the group exercises you choose to start a lesson, e.g.

• physical warm-ups (see notes attached)
• playing/singing long notes - competition for who can play the longest (and nicest!) note (see notes attached)
• breathing exercises (see notes)
• teacher plays a phrase, pupils copy in turn or give an answering phrase (see "Explorations")
• pupil plays a phrase, others copy in turn or give an answering phrase
• play scales and arpeggios in unison, contrary motion or in 3rds or 5ths or both, or (more fun) as rounds.

 What can the other pupils be doing practically when one pupil is playing?

• tapping or clapping the beat
• tapping or clapping the rhythm
• joining in with certain phrases, bars or even one note
• Share the tune - taking it in turns to play the next phrase (see notes attached)
• follow the music and finger without playing
• playing a drone to fit the piece
• playing a rhythmic or melodic ostinato
• conducting
• singing the piece
• one pupil demonstrates a technique to the others (see notes)
• check each other's posture
• focused listening (see below and notes attached)

 What other group activities can I use?

• Ensembles - rounds, duets, trios, quartets
• Improvising (see "Explorations")
• Group composition based on one interval, a rhythm, melodic motif, story, mood etc etc

 What is focused listening?

 Before you ask one pupil to perform their piece, ask the others to focus on one or more aspects of the performance for them to tell you at the end, such as:

• were the dynamics performed correctly? If not, how and where could it be improved?
• Was the performance fluent? If not, how and where could it improve?
• Were the note durations / rhythms correct? If not, how…………..?
• Were the pitches correct? If not, how……………..?
• Did they keep a steady beat? If not, how……………?
• What mark out of 10 would you give that performance and why?
• Describe the character of the piece
• Describe the form of the piece