Teaching Music Using VARK Learning Preferences

Each person's learning style is unique. Music teachers can teach more effectively with a basic understanding of VARK learning preferences and teaching strategies.

Every student learns differently. Teachers can tailor music lessons to tap into individual learning styles. Photo by woodleywonderworks.

Although there are several learning style models, this article will focus on the VARK Model. VARK defines four learning preferences: Visual, Aural, Read/Write and Kinesthetic.

The Visual Learner

Visual learners learn by seeing. In her August 8, 2008 "Moulding with Modalities" presentation at a piano pedagogy workshop in Calgary, Alberta, clinician Victoria Chow explained that visual learners are good sight readers, favor Impressionistic and Contemporary Classical music, and enjoy music theory and analysis. They are easily distracted by movement and have a weak ear. They prefer written instructions over oral.

The VARK Learning Styles website states that visual learners like to learn through:

• PowerPoint

• Internet

• video

• colorful posters, graphics, diagrams, pictures, flow charts, handouts

• symbols and white space

The Aural Learner

Aural learners learn by listening. Chow said aural learners have a strong musical ear and enjoy listening to music and discussing its style and tone. They like to sing and listen to recordings. Auditory learners think melodically and prefer music with a strong melodic line, such as music by Chopin and Schubert. They are easily distracted by noises.

The VARK Learning Styles website and Amanda-Makenzie Braedyn Svecz's article "Learning Styles - Visual, Auditory, Kinesthetic" explain that auditory learners learn by:

• listening to and participating in discussions and tutorials

• listening to interesting examples, stories, jokes

• listening to recordings

• verbal repetition

• giving presentations or speeches

• creating jingles or mnemonics

The Read/Write Learner

According to the VARK website, Read/Write learners learn by:

• reading

• written activities

• closed book tests

• essays

• making lists

• taking notes

I have searched in vain to find pedagogical ideas on how to teach this group music. The ideas that I have listed are a combination of general Read/Write learner traits and study ideas, as well as my own observations and experiences, having worked with several students who are "pure" Read/Write learners.

They prefer to put instructions into their own words or follow step-by-step instructions over oral or visual demonstrations. Those that enjoy reading enjoy sight reading new repertoire while some who prefer writing do exhibit an interest in composition. They tend to prefer to keep their musical score as neat and uncluttered as possible.

The Kinesthetic Learner

Chow described the Kinesthetic learner as one who likes to try things out and cannot sit still. They prefer repertoire with clear chords and enjoy music with chordal harmony such as pieces by Brahms and Schumann.

In Ann Marie Dinkel, RLATG's June 25, 2011 article "Training the Kinesthetic Learner" for ALN Magazine, she recommends hands on activities and discovery projects. "Think “show me.” Demonstrate, diagram, point out, manipulate; encourage the learners to touch, trace, point out, rearrange, build, model, or map a process," she elaborated. She also recommends using flashcards and wet labs, the latter gives students a chance to touch and handle equipment and instruments.

Learning Preference Assessment

It is beneficial to conduct a learning preference assessment prior to incorporating VARK teaching strategies into music lessons. Youth and adult students can complete a printed or online questionnaire available on the VARK Learning Styles website as well as several other sites.

A student may exhibit more than one learning preference. Teachers can employ teaching strategies that engage all the modalities a student is strong in. There are other learning style models, which may provide a more accurate assessment. A brief description of these can be found in Alice Luxton's article "Successful Study Habits for All Learning Styles."

VARK-Related Music Teaching Strategies

Once an assessment has been completed, a music teacher can employ any of the following teaching strategies based on VARK learning preferences:

Visual LearnerMusic Teaching Strategies

• Keep motion distractions to a minimum.

• Give students a clear view of the teacher to watch his/her body language during explanations.

• Use highlighter or highlighter tape on the score to mark patterns, structure and important points.

• New techniques should be demonstrated to show what the desired effect "looks" like.

• Make video recordings of lessons or provide video examples for students to review at home.

• Use charts and pies when teaching concepts such as note values.

• Encourage students to make a drawing to depict their piece to aid in memorization and expression.

Aural LearnerMusic Teaching Strategies

• Students should make audio recordings of their lessons and practices to review at home.

• Keep written instructions by the teacher to a minimum.

• Incorporate verbal analogies.

• Read out instructions and theory questions.

• Minimized noise distractions during lessons.

• Introduce new genres or musical forms by playing audio recordings and engaging the student in a discussion about the various elements of music.

• Use solfège, humming or encourage the student to make lyrics for their piece.

• New techniques should be demonstrated to show what the desired effect "sounds" like.

Read/Write LearnerMusic Teaching Strategies

• Give students one minute to write down an assigned task in his/her own words.

• Assign written projects such as a composer report or writing a story to describe his/her piece.

• Have the student transcribe a piece by hand.

• Write out learning goals and objectives in steps or as a checklist for younger students.

• Incorporate melodic and rhythmic dictation exercises in the lesson.

• New techniques should be demonstrated but students need to read a handout outlining the steps prior to the demonstration or write out the steps for execution in their own words.

Kinesthetic LearnerMusic Teaching Strategies

• Move around the studio frequently during the lesson, e.g., from the instrument to a desk to the floor.

• Encourage students to move around in time to the music during ear training exercises or when listening to a piece.

• Block broken chords when first assigning a piece.

• Encourage students to try their piece in different registers of their instrument, on different instruments or if playing a digital piano - different instrument settings.

• Difficult sections can be taught by by rote.

• When demonstrating a new technique, the teacher can explain what the desired technique "feels" like.

• Ask the student to place his/her hand on top of the teacher's during a demonstration of a technique.

• Demonstrate a finger technique by "playing" on the student's forearm and then ask the student to to try the motion using the teacher's forearm as the piano.

• Use three-dimensional teaching aids such as pie pieces when teaching note values.

Additional strategies can be found in Susan Carney's article "Identifying Students' Learning Styles."

As each person learns differently, music teachers can benefit from using a learning styles assessment tool. Using the VARK Method, a student's primary learning style can be identified as visual, aural, read/write, kinesthetic or multi-modal. By choosing repertoire that engages a student's learning preferences and by employing teaching strategies that complement those preferences, music teachers can capitalize on a students' strengths and build upon their weakness, while music students will find it easier and more enjoyable to study music.

References:

Chase, Gregory. "Keeping the Momentum and Excitement at the Intermediate Level", APTA News, Volume IX no. 3, Spring 2002.

Chow, Victoria. "Moulding with Modalities", Piano Pedagogy Workshop Presentation, Calgary Arts Summer School Association, 2008.

Dinkel, Ann Marie (RLATG). "Training the Kinesthetic Learner", ALN Magazine, 2011.

Originally published on Suite101.com on May 5, 2010. Updated April 18, 2013. All rights reserved by Rhona-Mae Arca.

Volunteering in the Community

Volunteerism is one of those gifts that keeps on giving. There are countless special needs organizations, special interest groups and non-profit organizations that can benefit from the gift of your time and talents.

Why should you volunteer? Well, everyone has their reasons. Some students need to volunteer to get course credits. I know others who volunteer as a family activity. Sometimes, I volunteer because it's the only way I can contribute.

Regardless of your reasons, volunteering is good for your health. Your PEMS health, that is:

• Physical benefits: Have you ever signed up to do a charity fun run or walk? You can get into shape and collect pledges for a worthy cause. Or, you could help someone less mobile by running errands or carrying items for them.

• Emotional benefits: When I feel like the world is beating me down, there's nothing like helping someone else to put my life into perspective. Also, I find that volunteering enables me to meet a variety of people I wouldn't normally meet through my line of work.

• Mental benefits: Volunteering can be as mentally challenging or as easy as you wish it to be. You can serve on a committee or a board. Or be an event volunteer. It's up to you. Plus, it's a nice brain break from your regular routine.

• Spiritual benefits: There is something to be said about raising someone up who could use a helping hand. It's the Golden Rule, really.

These are some ideas for volunteering in the community:

• Schools: Let's face it, our education system is getting cut down left, right and centre. Teachers would gladly welcome assistance during field trips, sports games and practices, band trips, musical theatre productions, science fairs, school club activities and so on.

• Churches: You can serve in various capacities at church - from helping out in the office to lending a helping hand at special events. You can also serve in the various church ministries.

• Non-profit organizations: Choose your area of special interest: fine arts groups, the environment, animals, the homeless, the disadvantaged, victims of abuse - these are just a few examples.

• Hobby-related groups: Are you an vintage airplane buff? Volunteer for an airplane preservation society. If you love history, contact your local museum. If you're a geek, consider volunteering at a convention, fair or expo.

Bear in mind that some volunteer activities require that you have reliable transportation (e.g. Meals on Wheels). Another caveat is that if you are working with children or vulnerable groups, a police check will need to be completed on you.

Here are a few places you can check out to explore volunteering in your community and beyond:

• Go Voluntouring

• International Volunteer Programs

• Single Volunteers, Inc.

• Single Volunteers of Calgary

• Universal Giving

• Volunteer Alberta

• Volunteer Calgary

• Volunteer Canada

• Volunteer Match

Bandaging Your Dog

Maestro pulled a shoulder muscle earlier this month. It didn't seem like a serious injury, so brought out his Maestro-sized "ice" packs (frozen A & W take-out ketchup packs), cracked open his first aid kit and attempted to figure out the best way to wrap his leg. Here are some really vet videos that I tracked down to help:

ACE Bandage to Support a Dog's Shoulder

How to Apply a Bandage on a Wound on a Dog's Paw:

This video includes natural healing products, such as honey and aromatherapy:

Maestro isn't too crazy about the bandaging process. However, he seems happier now that I've figured out how to wrap the ACE bandage around his shoulder properly.

Trying to Not Lose Myself Giving Directions

Last week in Japanese class, we were studying how to ask for direction and how to give directions. Asking is so much easier than giving directions! Since I haven't had a chance to catch up on workbook questions, I decided to hunt for some Japanese language videos online to listen to while I am working.

If you are studying Japanese, you may want to check these out.

This is how I learned "left" and "right":

This is simpler than what we learned, so it's perfect for "survival Japanese":

This one shows the kanji and tips on how to remember them:

This is closest to what we covered in class:

THWOMP Interview: On Songwriting

Nintendo® cover band THWOMP has been rocking conventions, parties and bars since the early 2000’s. This is an exciting year for the Calgary-based group, with gigs at the Calgary Comic Convention, Otafest and Animethon 17. This fall, THWOMP will host a CD release party for their debut CD.

Band members Brad Stanton and Dave Marshall took time out from THWOMP’s rehearsal schedule to chat with Suite 101. In this segment, Brad and Dave explain the band’s songwriting process.

THWOMP and Music Transcription

THWOMP's band charts are faithful transcriptions made either by Brad Stanton (lead guitar) or Kirk McVean (keyboards). It's a painstaking process that challenges the musician's melodic and rhythmic dictation skills. The result is a product of their own creative talents.

"I always do it by hand," explained Brad. "One part for every player." Video game themes loop in two-minute segments, which helped in the transcription process. When transcribing the music to "F-Zero" (a racing game), Brad turned on his Nintendo® game console and paused the game just before the engines fired up. "I’ll get a bar, and then I’ll have to wait two minutes for it to come back around," Brad said. "It was an absolutely grueling process. Think of doing that for a drum track, a bass track, two guitar tracks and then eventually doing it for Dave too. It took forever, but it was it was an absolute labor of love."

There are software programs that pull the audio out of the game. "I did not know about that for the first two-and-a-half years," admitted Brad. "You can mute certain ones, you can slow it down. Oh my God, that saved my life a couple of times."

Two programs the group uses include a plug-in for WinAmp and Audio Overload. For some songs, the ability to slow down a track is essential. "Some of those arpeggiated keyboard lines are tough to figure out when they’re going 16th notes at 180 beats per minute," said Dave.

Having the Perfect Skill Set for Musical Transcription

All six members of the band work together at Sak's Music in Calgary, Alberta. Brad manages the McKenzie Towne location, while the other group members work as music teachers.

"We’re so perfectly situated to do this kind of thing," said Brad. "My job for 11 years was sitting in a room with a little kid and transcribing tunes for them so they could learn some tune that they like off the radio. I spent so much time doing that, that I got so fast at it, eventually."

The addition of Kirk McVean to the group gave Brad a chance to take a two year break from transcribing. "I was getting burnt out doing it. He’s taken over doing it and it’s such a blessing." This arrangement isn't without challenges, however. "I can’t believe how slow I’ve become at it," Brad admitted. "Stupid Kirk, being a keyboard player, he writes everything in standard. Now, the two guitar players, us idiots have to read actual notes. It makes us feel pretty stupid."

Why THWOMP Doesn't Play a Lot of Modern Game Music

"We don’t really do more modern stuff," said Dave. "It’s a different kind of music and it doesn’t suit our format quite as well."

Music from newer Nintendo® games are orchestral in nature. "They use a 64-piece orchestra when they record it, explained Dave. "They use straight digital audio. It’s almost MIDI the way it works (the old stuff)."

THWOMP is a Nintendo® band comprised of Calgarians Brad Stanton (lead guitar), Colin Mitchel (lead guitar), Scott Munro (bass), Scott Moffat (drums), David Marshall (keyboards/percussion) and Kirk McVean (keyboards). For more information about THWOMP, the band or to listen to audio clips, visit their website and Myspace page.

Originally published on Suite101.com on July 27, 2010. Updated on April 16, 2013. All rights reserved by Rhona-Mae Arca.

Full interview series: Part 1 – THWOMP’s Origins | Part 2 – Band Names & Niches | Part 3 – Songwriting | Part 4 - Hey! Listen! CD Release | Part 5 - On Gigs | Part 6 - Convention Gigs | Part 7 - Video Games | Part 8 - Fun & Food