Information in the SPKM1 Teacher Book

General information is provided on pages vii to xii of the Speaking Music: Musicianship & Aural Training Level One 3rd Edition (SPKM1) Teacher Book.

This section outlines the teaching method and tools used throughout the program and includes “How to Use This Book” guidance—covering planning advice, general use, how to use/structure the content in your classroom along with explanations of each section and its application.

Pages xiii–xvi contain Exercise Activity Instructions with links to further details in the Music Teacher’s Digital Library (MTDL) resources.

Information in the MTDL

The MTDL is full of information to help you use both it and the SPKM1 books.

In the Type menu on the left hand side of the library homepage click on “How to Use the MTDL” to see resources about both the MTDL itself along with the lesson planning hub.

Type “SPKM1” in the search bar at the top and you’ll find other resources such as Planning for Teaching using Speaking Music and the MTDL and SPKM1 PDF & Digital Interactivity Information.

Everything a Teacher Needs

In each Teacher Book you’ll find:

• All the answers for Lessons, Revision Worksheets, Extension Worksheets, and Listening Worksheets.
• Links – via ICONS – to ALL required information, instructions, audio files, teaching videos, assessment tasks etc. – absolutely EVERYTHING you could possibly need and more!

In the MTDL you’ll find:

• All Song, Canon, and Game resources (including audio tracks for all, plus videos demonstrating how to play each game!).
• Video and PDF lesson segments, teaching strategies, and practice activities such as Clever Echo Videos (ONE for EVERY lesson!) ready to use.
• Editable Lesson Plans within your personal MTDL Lesson Hub, offering structured guidance whenever you need it.
• Curriculum Documents including Scope & Sequence Documents, Strategy Outlines and individual teaching steps as lesson segment resources.
• Ready made, carefully aligned Assessment Tasks, including Written and Aural Tests as well as Creative and Research Assignments.
• Associated Other Teaching Resources & Activities pages for each lesson, providing a wide range of activities to consolidate and extend prior knowledge, including:

However, Every Classroom is Different

SPKM1 and the MTDL offer a wide range of teaching, learning, and support activities, including core teaching lessons (where content is taught/practised), revision worksheets (consolidate concepts), and extension worksheets (applying skills in broader, more challenging contexts).

This structure enables students to progress with their peers while staying engaged and working at an appropriate level. All activities are designed for self-directed learning, with essential resources—such as audio and video links—available to anyone who registers their book on the DSMusic website. This supports independent learning and reinforces key concepts through hands-on practice.

Check back soon to watch a short video on how the interactivity in the SPKM1 supports self-directed learning and practice.

What Would Deb Do?

Similar standard and background learning:
Working through the SPKM1 Lessons, Revision Worksheets, Extension Worksheets and Listening Worksheets as a whole class would best suit the class of students all at a similar level. How quickly the class moves through the lessons is most likely determined by the number of classes these students will have for this subject.

Mixed abilities class – some with NO music background at all and others with lots:
Option 1: Extension Model – PREFERRED
Teaching the concepts and elements to the class as a whole then
– continue to work with students with no prior music learning as they work through the exercises in the Lessons and Revision Worksheets
– allow the confident learners to work through the exercises in the Lessons, Revision Worksheets and Extension Worksheets independently
– complete the Listening Worksheets as a class.

Option 2: Acceleration Model
Allow the confident learners to revise concepts by reading the information at the start of each lesson. They can then work through the exercises in the Lessons, Revision Worksheets, Extension Worksheets and Listening Worksheets independently. This does mean some students will progress faster through the book than others.

How does SPKM1 cater for having music for one term/semester/year?

Every school is different as far as how many music lessons per year level/week etc is concerned.

SPKM1 & the MTDL is designed so you can either pick and choose the most important aspects of the lessons to complete in the time allowed to move quickly through the concepts as well as including ways to extend lessons by increasing the depth of understanding of concepts by delving deeper into how the concepts and elements are used in music.

How to prioritise what to teach.

SPKM1 offers three tiers of learning: Lessons, where core teaching occurs and should remain the main focus; Revision Lessons, which provide additional practice at the same level for students needing more consolidation; and Extension Lessons, which challenge confident learners with more complex applications of the same concepts.

The SPKM1 Teacher Lesson Plans simplify planning by labelling activities as:

• Lesson Essentials – required elements of each lesson, including key Preparation and Present steps that must occur before written tasks.
• Future Lesson Essentials – required Preparation steps that build foundations for upcoming lessons.
• Additional Lesson Activities – optional tasks that reinforce learning, deepen understanding, enrich lessons, and prepare students for future content.

Classes aiming to progress quickly can focus on Lesson Essentials and Future Lesson Essentials, while those with more time can incorporate Additional Lesson Activities for deeper learning. Each lesson is also supported by the MTDL’s Other Teaching Resources & Activities, offering further curated activities aligned with every SPKM1 lesson.