Method Books for Young Students

Author: admin

19 Mar

I am teaching a 5 year old who is still learning to read. We use “My First Piano Adventures for the Young Beginner” by Nancy and Randall Faber. It’s a great introduction to piano for that age group. In the beginning, several characters are introduced as piano friends. They then show up on each page to teach new concepts. It’s very easy for my student to learn this way. Plus, the pictures are fun and colorful. And bonus: there’s a fun CD to go along with the book. Each new concept has a fun (and sometimes silly) song to listen to on the CD. The book also strongly encourages exploration and discovery of the piano, which I really like. It helps my student be creative.

What books do you like to use for your young beginners?

Filed under: Resources, Sheet Music, Song Reviews

4 Responses for "Method Books for Young Students"

Avriella March 19th, 2009 at 8:51 pm 1
I also love My First Piano Adventures! It goes at such a great pace for pre-readers and some young readers, and the songs are FUN! Usually my students don’t get excited about the words of piano songs, but with this book they come in laughing about the funny stories and characters. I’ve tried The Music Tree’s “Time to Begin” with younger students as well, but with not nearly as much success—it lacks the variety (found in Faber) that my students seem to thrive on.
Jon March 19th, 2009 at 9:28 pm 2
Thanks for highlighting this series, Rebecca! Note to teachers and parents: visit http://pianoteaching.com/myfirst for a course overview and video lesson guide.
Carol Hung March 21st, 2009 at 12:36 am 3
I’m a piano teacher in Canada. I’m teaching a little boy who is almost 5. He came to me last year in June. He started piano when he was 3 and his former teacher used Leila Fletcher which I think is way too advance for a 3 year old. Then I used the Primer Piano Adventure. It works fine for him. Now he’s able to read music and is using John Thompson’s Easiest Course Part 2. He’s using A dozen a day mini book for his technique and Bayer for his study.

I have a set of “My First Piano Adventures for the Young Beginner” which I found too complicated for little ones. Too many characters and too many things presented in one page. I found it a bit distracting. I like the primer book more coz it’s cleaner and clearer in terms of the presentation.
Jill April 15th, 2009 at 3:42 pm 4
For students both young AND old or as a teach along and learn along method for parents and child, I really found value in The Bollywood Piano, which begins teaching by ear and gradually moves you into sight reading. But by the end of just ONE book you can begin to play familiar songs and even compose your own music and train your ear. http://www.bollywoodpiano.com/