Learning Ladder: Understanding and Reviewing

Steps	Understanding and Reviewing
Step eight	Evaluate musical choices in performance and composition and justify them in appropriate musical vocabulary Demonstrate an ability to think widely about music and compare and contrast alternative viewpoints through discussion with others Understand how music in a particular genre or style has developed over a period of time
Step seven	Discuss the features of a piece of music which work together to reflect a mood, culture or sense of occasion Present a well formed opinion and show a willingness to engage with alternative perspectives Explain how different parts within a piece work together to reflect a mood, culture or sense of occasion Understand how conventional staff notation can be used to notate, extend and think differently about melodies and rhythms
Step six	Use an extended musical vocabulary to express personal taste Explain and comment on individual and combinations of instruments and their expressive use in their own and others’ music Understand, interpret and perform from others’ graphic scores Express an opinion or judgement about a piece of music and justify it in a basic way
Step five	Understand how sounds combine and create different effects, moods and feelings Understand that rhythms can be notated on simple grids Evaluate different styles of music and describe using appropriate musical vocabulary
Step four	Understand how pitch can be represented on graphic and other simple scores Use appropriate musical vocabulary with understanding to describe different styles of music Develop an ability to analyse their own music and suggest improvements
Step three	Understand symbols can be used to represent specific sounds Understand that music can be divided into different sections Understand different sounds suit different moods Comment constructively on the music produced by others
Step two	Understand that pictures can be used to represent and organise sound Develop a basic understanding of how music is organised
Step one	Understand that different instruments produce different sounds Respond to music in an intuitive way through movement