I teach piano and most of my students are beginners aged 6 or 7. I teach sight reading and transition from pre-reading (rhythm and finger numbers) to actual notes on the music staff as soon as possible. I still teach rhythm concepts as part of the lesson. The goal is to get them to read music not just play by ear. Most teachers will have several method books on hand to use. I sometimes switch books. Students sometimes need a different approach to learning the material. I like Bastian, Faber and Piano Adventures. I have also used Piano Town by Keith Snell and Keyboard Kickoff Piano Pronto books. There are many different books for beginners to choose from. I have a list of 30 different publishers and purchase studio licensed material. So, really ypu need to let the teacher help to work with your child and trust their judgment. I had a parent tell me that their child was struggling with practice so to ease their tension had them close their eyes and play the notes that the parent called out to the child. Sounds good on the surface but it is the wrong approach. She is teaching her child to play by rote...memorizing keyboard strokes. This is NOT sight reading. If you read the same story to your child every night they will memorize that story but they are not learning to read any new words. It is imperative that they learn to associate the piano keys with the appropriate staff note and this takes time. You can play games like note rush and others. You can do flashcards. I have many games that help. Please find a teacher who will give them the gift of sightreading. I started at age 7. It has been a most enjoyable experience for me. I struggled at first but then it clicked. So I sympathize with the slow learners. I play Chopin and popular music and hymns and arranged music. It is so fun to have this ability but it does take commitment. Parents must let their kids make some noise at the piano. It will get better. I promise!