As I have said, graphic scores are such a useful device for showing in pictorial or indeed musical terms, musical elements and ideas from  a composition, using colour, texture, shape and line to interpret melody, rhythm, timbre, texture and structure in music.

However, they are also an effective and wonderful way to help very young learners with their reading and writing skills using music as the learning medium.

I’ve often used this way of helping 3-4 year olds with their musical ideas and have found it nurtures several aspects of creativity, reading, understanding, mark-making and writing. Here are some examples:

• Learning to read signs and symbols from left to right.
• Making the connection between written symbols and sounds.
• Incorporating phonics, letters and indeed musical symbols into the graphic scores to reinforce work being covered in literacy.
• Incorporating numbers into the graphic scores to reinforce work being covered in numeracy.
• Mark-making using shapes and colours, developing fine motor skills.
• Creating beautiful and meaningful representations of musical sounds.
• Writing – musical signs and symbols as well as letters, numbers and other signs.
• Being creative!

The fuzzy felt shapes you can see in two of these images have proven to be particularly popular with children and teachers – they are not messy like paint, and they do not use up resources like paper and pens do. However, they take a bit of making in the first place!
Small or large whiteboards and coloured markers are also good for these early years activities. At one school we had a carousel of activities using different media for producing graphic scores – the fuzzy felt was the most popular!

You can find more of my activities using graphic scores here!