How do you learn to read music?

Think about how your child learned to read English.  First, they learned to speak English by hearing you speak then copying you a few words at a time.  You drew their name in the sand on the beach and with textas on colouring sheets.  Then they started spotting the first letter of their name whenever they saw it on street signs or in books.  You sang the alphabet song until you were hoarse, and played with alphabet puzzles in many different ways.  And of course you read three million books every night at bedtime or whenever they asked you nicely.  Finally, they get to school, and they bring home "readers" so they can practice all the reading skills they've developed.

Learning to read music is the same kind of process.  The common thread in all the above illustrations is repetition and practice.  All children can learn music, and teachers understand that different students have different strengths and weaknesses.  Some students will find hand co-ordination hard but playing by ear will come easily.  Others will sing with expression and confident pitch but not feel brave enough to compose their own music.  Many students think that reading is the hard part of their music education, but with the right support, reading music is a skill that can be learned.