Developing a Progressive Chunking Technique in Music Literacy: An Analysis of the Method Books and Sight-Reading Materials for Beginner Piano Students

Abstract

Chunking is a cognitive process that re-organizes information into groupings, promoting efficient memory storage and recall. Due to the complexity of music scores, music reading requires both knowledge of the individual notes and recognition of musical chunks for rapid and accurate reading. For young piano students, it is especially important to systematically introduce and develop connections between individual notes and chunks. However, despite the importance of chunking, few studies have examined the development of chunking techniques in music reading for younger students. The objective of this thesis is to investigate how beginner piano method book and sight-reading book series for young students address chunking and provide a guide to develop chunking techniques that influence both reading and playing the piano. This study analyzes the contents of ten method book series and seven sight reading book series, examining the types and sizes of patterns introduced within the series, and the frequency of reinforcement. The study also examines pattern-related instructions, concepts and visual cues included in the series. The results reveal a lack of systemic chunking technique development, the importance of pattern recognition and the need for incorporating written instructions and visual cues to encourage chunking. Although the present study affirms the lack of development on chunking techniques in the evaluated teaching materials, the findings demonstrate the areas that could be developed to form chunking processes. Based on this research, suggestions are made to improve teaching materials to include chunking techniques and processes.