Advantages of Group Piano Instruction
Music educators and piano teachers have enumerated the many advantages of group piano teaching including the valuable learning atmosphere it fosters. Studies have also found that group instruction is effective in developing both performance and musicianship skills.
Advantages include:
1. Develops confidence in playing for others.
Weekly performance opportunities
2. Aids students in developing rhythmic security.
Playing together and rhythmic games
3. Develops concentration by maintaining ones own part while hearing others play.
Ensemble playing
4. Allows students to broaden their musical experiences.
Improvisation, arranging, composition, ensemble playing
5. Exposes students to a variety of music.
Both piano music and other genres
6. Provides a friendly and encouraging atmosphere
Students learn and experience teamwork
7. Allows the teacher to present music fundamentals in a shorter time and more effectively than if she were making the presentation to individual students.
Magnet board, reading and theory games
8. Fosters an atmosphere that is conducive to the effective teaching of skillssuch as listening, pitch matching (ear training), singing, rhythm, movement, and music appreciation.
Activities that are fun to experience with others
9. Facilitates the performance of ensembles leading to the study of voicing and orchestration.
Experiencing the joy of making music together
10. Establishes a sense of group spirit and group dynamics that increases motivation.
Positive peer pressure
11. Fosters the development of communication skills.
Speaking and playing in front of others
12. Allows students to learn from peers as well as from teacher.
Relating to students of similar age and level
13. Provides a setting where drills and exercises can be more interesting and motivating.
Challenges students to keep improving and try harder
14. Increases attention span, allowing the lesson time to be longer than private lessons.
Varied activities and learning experiences (multi-sensory learning)