The TradLABB™ Card Deck
A Tool for Teaching & Learning Irish Traditional Music
Discover how to teach trad more holistically – teaching tunes and way more
Use the cards to design and plan your lessons and teach more creatively
Explore 36 teaching ideas including arrangement, music theory, listening, reflection and more
Unlock 144 teaching ideas to keep your students inspired and engaged
Build your teaching toolkit using our ready-to-go activities, templates, worksheets and more
PLUS access a short online course to learn more about The TradLABB™ & make the most out of your cards
“It’s like a Postgrad education in a box!”
– Úna Ní Fhlannagáin, Harp Teacher

What you get
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- 40 cards
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- 36 topics to teach in your lessons (everything from repertoire, to arrangement, to music theory, to safe trad, to setting goals, to reflection)
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- 144 suggested ways you might teach these topics creatively
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- 9 videos to help you get the most out of your cards (unlock this online course using the coupon in your card deck)
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- 80 downloadable traditional music teaching resources – worksheets, activities, games, templates and more
All this for €24.99 plus p&p
Bring your teaching to the next level
Do you find yourself teaching tune after tune after tune?
Do you wonder if there is more that you could be helping your students with – but are not quite sure what that is, or where to start?
Do you teach the same way that you were taught?
Do you find that your students sometimes get bored with your lessons? Or drop out after a few years?
Do you find that YOU get bored with your lessons?
If you answered yes to any of these questions, then the TradLABB™ cards can help!

The TradLABB™ Explained
The TradLABB™ was designed by Dr. Liz Doherty to help traditional music teachers understand, explain and articulate the journey of becoming a traditional musician. Why? So that they – and their students – are crystal clear about what is involved at every step of the way – and can plan their teaching accordingly.
It maps out the lifelong learning journey of the Irish traditional musician, across 5 discrete stages from beginner to expert.
It explains the process as one of Learning-Applying-Being-Becoming (LABB). And it demonstrates how this is process is not linear, but rather a cycle that happens over and over and over again.
Add the cards to your to teaching toolkit
STEP 1 Design your lesson
Lay out all of the cards to see the full range of possible topics you might include in your lesson. Choose 3-4 cards, ensuring you have cards of at least two different colours.
STEP 2 Plan your lesson
Use one of the suggestions on each card to plan how you will teach this topic. Use the lesson plan template to plan out the details.
STEP 3 Go to your teaching toolkit
The cards help you to consider what you will teach and why. Now you need to think about how you will do this. Go to your own teaching toolkit and select your tried-and-tested materials and strategies.
OR, for fresh ideas and inspiration, unlock a suite of ready-to-use activities, templates, exercises and more available as part of The TradLABB™ short course. Use the coupon in your card deck to access this for free.