Reading and writing go hand in hand, whether with language or music, with reading drawing attention to the representation of thought/audiation in print, and writing drawing attention to the conventions of print. Each reinforces the other, just as Immersion and Interaction, with writing leading children to more skilled reading, and reading leading children to more skilled writing. With language, children observe caring adults jotting down notes, preparing grocery lists, writing children’s names, texting and the like. They observe adults representing their thoughts with the conventions of print, propelling children toward “reading writing readiness.” Similar demonstrations of music writing move children toward “music writing readiness,” as they observe “music writing behaviors.” 

Music writing is a process of representing audiation in print. As with language, children “make up spellings” to write what they audiate rhythmically or tonally, and when “reading what they have written,” they deliver what they are audiating more than what they have written. They then begin to attend more to the features of print in subsequent reading encounters. Children’s music writing documents what features of print children attend to for musical meaning.

All music writing is done using rhythm and tonal syllables. Children observe teacher demonstrations and then create their own rhythm or tonal “stories.” Having children “read what they have written” offers teachers a peek into the process of representing audiation in print. Observing teacher demonstrations and writing rhythm prepares children for the more difficult tonal writing, and should start with Duple meter, with primarily macro and micro beats, increasing in difficulty in accordance with recommendations in this course.