Tips for Teaching Tempo Terms in Music Lessons

Creative Ways to Teach Music Tempo Terms

Last year I posted a few tricks for helping students remember musical tempo terms with Unforgettable Tempo Term Songs. Today I'm sharing these free printable tempo posters that I'll be using at our Tempo Themed group lesson for this month. 

Engagement Speeds Learning

When students get to fully engage as they hear, see and feel in the learning process they are much more likely to remember what you teach and have more fun in the process as well.  By pairing these songs with some hand clapping and cup tapping activities, students can experience the various speeds of the music at the same time as they sing the definitions to really reinforce the concept in a multi sensory way. 

Allegro

Sing the "Allegro's quick" lyrics to the tune of Three Blind Mice.

Andante Walking Pace

Sing "Andante" to the tune of "The Ants Go Marching."

Adagio Play Slow

Sing Adagio to the tune of Edwin McClean's "Ghost Waltz" (from FJH Federation Favorites Book 2).

Click here to print all 3 Tempo Song Posters!

Another activity that most students enjoy is creating their own theory poster artwork to illustrate the various tempo terms.  I like to associate tempo with a speedometer and ask my students to illustrate their speedometer poster with their own animals or objects to represent the various speeds.  After watching this Largo Presto video, one student decided his perfect example for Presto was a photon!  For students who prefer a hands on experience, Wendy Steven's suggestion about using animal erasers could also work well.  

Related Posts:

More Music Games and Activities to Hear See and Feel the Fun!

The Value of Singing in Music Lessons: Theory and Tempo