When sight reading new pieces, it’s essential to figure out note names. There are also a number of musical symbols to decipher: key signatures, rhythm, phrasing, dynamics, etc.
One element that’s equally important is patterns. Do any sections repeat? Almost always, something does. Young beginners find it especially reassuring if there’s an A-B-A musical form. That means they only have two sections to learn instead of three.
It’s also helpful to find patterns of, say, intervals. Does the left hand repeat some fifths or octaves? Does the right hand play a motive that is later repeated as a sequence?
Even if the form, the intervals, or the rhythm changes, is any of this similar to what’s already been identified or played?
Looking for patterns helps students feel that pieces are easier to play. And that’s the goal.