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Tempo: Call and Response

Goal: To incorporate group exchanges and leadership flexibility into the classroom dynamic.

Out of Tempo

First me then you, first you then me.

Spoken

Beginning

Teacher leads

  1. Teacher speaks a sentence quickly.
  2. Students speak the same sentence quickly.
  3. Process continues until fast, medium, and slow tempi have been exchanged – imitated.

Intermediate

Student leads

  1. Student speaks a sentence quickly.
  2. Teacher speaks the same sentence quickly.
  3. Process continues until fast, medium, and slow tempi have been exchanged and imitated.

Advanced

  1. Teacher prompts, “Students work in pairs and choose a leader and a follower."
  2. Students pair off and repeat the above process.

In Tempo

Same exercise – spoken, but in two-four, three-four, or four-four time.

Students in metered tempo, one syllable or word per measure, conducting as they speak.

Beginning

  1. Teacher speaks a sentence in x meter, in x tempo.
  2. Students speak the same sentence in the same meter and tempo.
  3. Process continues until fast, medium, and slow tempi have been exchanged – imitated.

Intermediate

  1. Student speaks a sentence in x meter, in x tempo.
  2. Teacher speaks the same sentence in the same meter and tempo.
  3. Process continues until fast, medium, and slow tempi have been exchanged.

Advanced

Going around the room – one student at a time.

  1. Teacher prompts, “Students work in pairs and choose a leader and a follower. Students repeat the above process.”
  2. Students pair off and repeat the above process.