Prepare four broad equal beat cards with a first/middle divider, four separate beat-start tags, broad ONE/PAIR cards, fixed large event discs and middle-dash cards, blank four-card score strips, paper pointer, thick marker or neutral scribe, and established AAC/sign/word choices one / two quick / beat / repeat / change / keep / stop / pass. Keep loose pieces away from mouths; offer fixed cards, no-touch directions or exact spoken description. Colours never carry the sole meaning. First/middle slots show planned onset order, not the length of a child's movement. No device, instrument purchase, family possession, home story or recording is required.
Immediately usable optional quiet live route
After the educator reviews the exact familiar sound, safe technique/materials/hygiene, access, room and comfortable level with the learner/relevant team, preview it and agree stop/pass. One possible source is a familiar gentle voice sound chosen by a willing maker; another is a locally approved soft classroom instrument. Neither is mandatory or assumed appropriate. Use the same source for every event in a piece, with short comfortable sounds; no louder/pitch/timbre contrast is requested.
- Adult sets a comfortable steady pace by moving a visible pointer to each of four beat-start tags. No child must tap, move or hear.
- Preview one card: ONE makes one short sound at the start; PAIR makes one at start and a second halfway to the next beat. The two follow each other, never sound together. Keep the same beat duration.
- Learner chooses four cards and optionally makes the short rhythm, directs a willing adult maker, follows silently with cards, or passes. Adult may keep the pointer while another willing maker sounds.
- Let the learner enjoy a second try, change pace to a more comfortable steady one before the next whole take, or stop. Do not claim the planned pace was actually held if it slipped.
- Record who actually made/heard what and which timing was observed. A child-directed adult performance demonstrates the child's compositional directions, not the child's sound-production skill.
Candidate audio uses 0.60-second beats for production only, not a required learner tempo. It remains held for whole-file human listening, intended device and local comfortable-volume review. Full cue transcripts and exact no-sound score routes support the same planning target. A silent route cannot establish hearing, played beat control, comfort or real sharing.
A · One enclosing beat, one or two events
Key aid. On one broad equal beat card, ONE has a first-half disc and middle dash; PAIR has first/middle discs. Both belong to one beat. Child may direct three single-card experiments and choose a favourite. Small dash means no second event; the beat is not entirely silent. No standard staff notation or cultural rhythm is claimed.
B · Four beats with ONE
ONE aid. ONE ONE ONE ONE has four beats/four events. Read beat-start tags separately from rhythm discs. Optional reviewed quiet sound follows a steady adult pointer. Exact linear route: beat 1 ONE, beat 2 ONE, beat 3 ONE, beat 4 ONE, with one first event in each.
C · Four beats with PAIR
PAIR aid. PAIR PAIR PAIR PAIR has four beats/eight events at the same planned beat pace as B. Each pair starts/middles within its own card, not across two beats or in two concurrent lines. Child may compare, enjoy trying either or stay silent; no mandatory speed test.
D · A mixed tiny piece
Mixed aid. ONE ONE PAIR PAIR has four beats/six events. Another practice ONE PAIR ONE ONE has four/five. Child makes an own mixed piece with at least one ONE and one PAIR, chooses a book display, drawing, maker show, toy scene or no story, and may give it a title. Purpose is child-owned; no rhythm guarantees an emotion/message.
E · Choose an opening/ending and try it
Blank aid. Learner chooses four ONE/PAIR cards for a tiny opening, ending or standalone piece. Practice ONE ONE ONE PAIR and PAIR ONE ONE ONE each have four beats/five events, with pair location differing. A willing maker may realise the own score using the live route, a reader may receive it with consent, or it remains private. Blank question marks are undecided cards, not rests. Real audience fields stay NOT SHARED until actual.
F · Change one card
Practice ONE ONE ONE ONE → ONE ONE ONE PAIR: only beat 4 changes ONE→PAIR; four beats hold, events increase four→five. Reverse changes five→four. Child copies an own plan and changes exactly one card for a purpose they choose; keep other three cards and planned pace. If actual source, level or pace changes too, note that instead of claiming an acoustic controlled comparison.
G · Move one PAIR without adding one
Move aid. ONE ONE ONE PAIR → PAIR ONE ONE ONE: beat 4 PAIR→ONE, beat 1 ONE→PAIR; beats 2/3 hold. Four beats and five events remain. Child makes a different own one-pair piece and moves its pair to a new beat. Their preference is free; no “improved” ending is predetermined. Keep the new public Day 150 base hidden until its check.
Fresh learner checks stay unseen until Days 145/150; the key stays with the educator. The authentic source/local authority gate controls any real work. Actual heard/played/shared/source evidence is gathered only after those events; no paper task certifies them.