Page "Music lesson" Paragraph 12

A popular measure of progress, especially for children, is external assessment of the progress of the pupil by a regular examination.

There are a number of exam boards which offer the chance for pupils to be assessed on either music theory or practice.

These are available for almost every musical instrument. One common way to mark progress is to have graded examinations, for example from grade 1 ( beginner ) to grade 8 ( ready to enter higher study at music school ).

Some teachers prefer other methods of target-setting for their pupils.

The most common is the pupil's concert, which gives experience in playing in public and under a certain degree of pressure, without outright criticism or a more or less arbitrary marking system.

Another is the graded system of books followed by teachers of the Suzuki method, in which the completion of each book is celebrated, without a system of marking or ranking of pupils.