What is Internalized Learning?
Why Reading Skills are Important
By Laura Styer Kirk

The Kirk Book series promotes internalized learning which means "to make a part of one's own patterns of thinking" (Webster). This is achieved through the use of an unusually high volume of same-level and very gradually graded, multi-key pieces where 5 finger hand placements are varied right from the start. Internalized learning allows the student the opportunity to become fluent in the language of music. At increasingly difficult levels, it becomes easier and easier to pick up a piece of music and play it right away, in any key. The need to "learn" or "be taught" each piece gradually decreases. It means giving every student the opportunity to "get it" before moving on.

How to Promote Internalized Learning

The Kirk Books were written with careful consideration as to how we assimilate and eventually internalize knowledge and skill. Years of writing and studio testing were involved. The Kirk Books introduce lots of level-appropriate pieces that vary 5 finger placements on a regular basis right from the very 1st lesson. This prevents the student from ever associating a certain note with a certain finger - which is what happens in other methods when a limited number of positions are given priority. In the Kirk Books, the student learns to use pattern decoding and note identification to read in any 5 finger placement right from the very beginning.   A template for developing excellent reading skills is established.

As the student progresses through the Kirk Book series, the practice of playing a constant variety of multi-placement, multi-key pieces is maintained. Multiple sharp or flat keys are introduced in easy-to-play pieces and then reinforced over and over again in pieces that are manageable for the student. With the "internalized learning" approach, a student never develops an aversion to keys with multiple sharps or flats. Theoretical skills including interval and pattern recognition, note identification, rhythmic notation, and

harmonic and melodic structure become a part of the musician's pattern of thinking. Technical skills such as fingering, phrasing and artistic expression have the opportunity to become automatic. Listening skills have the opportunity to become fine-tuned. As a student internalizes basic fundamentals, memory and performance playing are enhanced.

Why Are Reading Skills Important?

The ability to read well at the piano is one of the most pleasurable, rewarding and musically practical abilities that a musician can develop. “An ability of playing from sight is an invaluable asset to music students and amateurs, because it opens to them a wide field of music literature beyond the necessarily limited “repertory” of pieces that have carefully studied. Unfortunately, music teachers generally do no realize the importance of sight reading.” Will Apel and Ralph T. Daniel -The Harvard Brief Dictionary of Music

My own studio experience has taught me that the process of learning to read well promotes better overall piano performance skills. This process can be effectively combined with attention to certain performance pieces. Unfortunately, a time-established approach to piano study is to concentrate on only a few pieces of music at a time, often for extended lengths of time. This procedure is detrimental to internalized learning and does little to promote competent reading skills. For “Internalized Learning” to take place, it is crucial to provide a large volume of same-level reinforcement pieces so that skills become automatic. Certain pieces can, naturally, be targeted for memorization and performance, but playing only a few selections each week does not promote internalized learning. Moving too quickly - playing pieces that are too hard, too soon, is detrimental to internalized learning. Such approaches not only limit the exposure to a variety of keys, but they also limit the opportunities to internalize rhythmic, melodic, technical and harmonic patterns.

Providing the Tools for Internalized Learning

To meet the needs for internalized learning the Kirk Book series provides an unprecedented volume of multi-placement and multi-key support. No other method comes close to the amount of reinforcement provided. Each piano skills level has 6 consecutive 60+ page books.

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Kirk Books - P.O. Box 4606 Oceanside, CA 92052-4606

Copyright ©2004 Laura Styer Kirk

The More Music Method of Piano Instruction for Teachers and Parents