GC - Guitar for teachers
Learn to play, for you and for the classroom
If you are one of those people who promised yourself that one day you would learn to play the guitar, then that day has possibly come for you.
This is ‘Guitar for Beginners’ and there will never be a better opportunity or better tutor to learn with.
Gayle is a full-time musician, singer and song writer. She knows how to take a student from strumming that very first chord to confidently jamming out a song as part of a group, be it online or down the back of a reopened pub!
Gayle will teach and practice each chord in turn. Once you have the first couple of chords, she introduces the first songs and tunes. She plays and sings the songs. You can play along and join in the singing too!
The great news is that you are in full control.
You can rewind as often as you wish to the beginning of a tune, to play it again and again until you can’t play it wrong! Then move on. It’s a wonderful way to learn – you control the speed and pace.
You will learn to play all the most popular chords and rhythms. As you progressively learn, practice and become confident in the playing of more and more chords and rhythms, you move onwards into and through an increasing repertoire of songs.
In the chord studio, you will practice chords and play along with Gayle. In the rhythm studio, you practice various rhythms & riffs. Your musical literacy grows exponentially.
Chord by chord, rhythm on rhythm, song by incremental song, we bring you through the course and bring it all together.
By course end, you will be confidently accompanying Gayle as she sings some of our most popular rhymes and ballads, Christmas tunes, classics and modern songs.
So - get into the attic, get down that guitar, dust it off and join Gayle online for days filled with the sound of strumming and plucking and singing.
Once you enrol, we will send you an electronic tuner, a capo and some plectrums in the post in preparation for to you joining the course.
To fulfil that promise that you once made about one day learning to play the guitar, that day is nigh; simply proceed now to enrol and let the strumming begin!
Here is a brief introduction from your course tutor, Gayle Murphy.
NOTE:
The on-line format of this course enables you to study at a time and place that best suits your own needs.
You can access your course anytime until March 31st 2025.
Within this highly interactive web based course, a dynamic learning experience awaits, where you can interact with your fellow course participants through the in-course chat forums and communication tools provided by the CPD College learning system.
Our friendly and knowledgeable tutors actively support each course, providing expert interaction, guidance and feedback for all participants on chat questions and assignments which call for critical reflection, self-analysis and a reasoned response.
On successful completion of your course, you can download and print off your CPD record and certificate of completion.
We look forward to welcoming you to your course.
- Prepare teachers to plan, arrange and deliver an exciting, comprehensive and rounded music scheme, supported by their growing ability, competence and confidence to play an instrument i.e. the guitar
- Outline tasks and activities that build musical skills, enabling children to explore, listen to and respond in a variety of ways to sounds, notes and music - for enjoyment and wellbeing
- Explore the range of curriculum methodologies and strategies that drive great music lessons
- Grow children’s understanding and knowledge of the underlying musical concepts and literacy
- Detail a solid lesson plan structure and approach to music lessons
- Teach the teachers to play the guitar to a standard that will enable them to return to the classroom, equipped with the skills, techniques, materials and tunes to utilise the guitar for better music lessons
- Plan and utilise cross curricular opportunities to integrate literacy, mathematics and music
- Assemble and furnish a library of collected music materials and resources to support and feed children's music making, responding and composing in the classroom
| 01 - Introduction and basics: Gayle starts at the beginning with how to hold, tune and strum the guitar and getting to know the anatomy of the guitar. She then progresses into how to read tablature, how to read chord diagrams and how to strum the basic chords such as C, Em, D and G. She demonstrates basic rhythms and leads you into playing your first suite of songs including: Skip to My Lou, Itsy Bitsy Spider, Ten Little Fingers, The Wheels on the Bus and Frère Jacques. Developing listening skills in tandem with building 'word walls' around the language of music relating to pulse, duration, tempo etc. |
| 02 - Developing your play: Form and strum the chords A, Am, E, D, F, etc. Get to know 4/4, 3/4 and 6/8 time signatures and play along to the rhythm. Gayle also guides you along into the playing of several songs including the following: This Old Man, Row your Boat, You've Got the Whole World in Your Hands and Eleanor Rigby, Dance Dance Dance, Songbird, Achy Breaky Heart, House of the Rising Sun, Let it Be, Spancil Hill etc. Understanding the skills, techniques and musical concepts that are potentially developed through guiding children in listening to, responding to and making music. |
| 03 - Progression and practise: Learn more chords, riffs and rhythms across songs like: 9 to 5, Happier, Baby Shark, Have You Ever Seen the Rain, Shake my Sillies, Seven Nation Army, Shotgun, We Will Rock you, Ireland's call, Irish Rover and many more. Sample lessons encompassing listening/responding activities across the classes. |
| 04 - Confident practise: Gayle guides you through learning and practise of additional chords such as CMaj7, Am7, FMaj7, Em7, G6, A7, E7. Then you learn to play them in songs such as Zombie, Dreams, Fix You and I Have a Dream. We put some Christmas favourites in this module so you can get the class singing Jingle Bells, Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer, Silent Night etc. We haven't forgotten the bit of Gaeilge with Mo Ghile Mear and of course Amhrán Na bhFiann making the list. Other favourites in this module include Danny Boy, Molly Malone, All I want is You and the show stopper at the Sixth Class graduation Time of Your Life. Also, the central role of voice and song singing in the music curriculum. |
| 05 - Getting ready for the classroom: Revise and practise chord changes and rhythms with 'Gayle's practise studio'. Learn how to fingerpick your way through simple songs like Ba Ba Black Sheep, This Little Light of Mine building up to classics such as When the Saints Go Marching In and Perfect by Ed Sheeran. We also detail a range of activities to teach composing and improvisation with children. |
"My favourite course ever, in the 20 years I have been teaching. It was so well planned and the lessons given by Gayle the tutor were so clearly and carefully explained, with notation to ensure understanding and the chance to try time and time again in personal practice. I am now a more courageous beginner. This course has helped restore my confidence and will in time enhance the enjoyment of music immensely for the students this year and many years to come! Thank you all so much." - Karen, 2023