In order to teach Long Long Ago in Suzuki volume 1, I believe that students need a number of prerequisites:

  1. Knowledge of all fingers on A and E string. Should have experimented with playing known songs on lower strings.
  2. Ability to learn songs by rote.
  3. Ability to use good tone with longer and smoother bow strokes
  4. Ability to hear “up”, “down” and “same” when playing pitches and scales.

Steps to teaching:

  1. Start by teaching the “RIBBET” (first finger E on the D string). Teacher will play the third section of the song and student will play “RIBBET” parts.
  2. Teach the “E Down the scale” RIBBET “D Down the scale” section.
  3. Show the student this section will repeat. The first is a big frog, the second a small frog.
  4. Show the C# B A ending on the second and fourth lines. Have student play that ending. That is the “Far A Way” ending.
  5. Teach the A part. A AB C CD E the add F# E C.
  6. Show the “E Down the scale, D Down the scale” ending without the frog for the first part.
  7. Show the “E Down the scale Far A Way” ending.
  8. Put the sections together:
    1. A section – No Frog
    2. A section – Far A Way
    3. Big Frog – Little Frog
    4. A section – Far Away