If you were at Thurston last year, I'm sure your children are very familiar with "audiating" music. Mrs. Krohn talked a lot to the students about audiating. Audiation is to music as thinking is to language. Audiation takes a child from imitating musical sounds around them, to engaging in, understanding, and creating musical sounds. A student who audiates music is giving meaning to music. In other words, it is “thinking music with meaning.”
In 1st grade, tonal and rhythmic patterns are an important part of audiation development. In every music class, there is some kind of pattern instruction happening. Similar to learning vocabulary of a language, patterns are our “music vocabulary.” Pattern instruction is tailored to each student’s ability to encourage musical growth. It is a great way to differentiate instruction and be able to allow each student to grow and develop at his/her own pace.
In 1st grade, tonal and rhythmic patterns are an important part of audiation development. In every music class, there is some kind of pattern instruction happening. Similar to learning vocabulary of a language, patterns are our “music vocabulary.” Pattern instruction is tailored to each student’s ability to encourage musical growth. It is a great way to differentiate instruction and be able to allow each student to grow and develop at his/her own pace.