Think back to your favorite songs from childhood. Which ones were they? Did they help you learn new words, did they have a catchy rhythm, were you comforted by them, did the lyrics and music inspire you to want to dance? Not only do the songs we learn as children give us happy memories but they also help us become ready to learn. Music aids in the development of literacy. When accompanied by movement, children experience a whole body response to music (Pica, 2009) and use motor skills that increase their sense of rhythm and strengthen their bodies, all while giving them a more enjoyable learning experience.
The two categories below, Music and Movement, each contain book and media suggestions appropriate for children ages 0-4. There are hundreds of resources out there that encourage early literacy development, but these are just a few of our favorites. We happily welcome your suggestions, just leave a reply if you would like to share material you have found helpful in promoting early literacy.
Music
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| from public-domain-photos.com |
Language and music processes use many of the same basic auditory and visual skills, or “decoding” skills, like memory and being able to identify embedded sounds, patterns, rhymes, an rhythms (Hansen, Bernstorf, and Stuber, 2004). Music is a perfect medium to encourage early literacy because it allows children to experience and manipulate sounds of language, and can also help them to associate sounds with letters and words. Below are a few recommended resources that may help to enhance your child’s early literacy skills.
Print Awareness and Print Motivation
These printed versions of children's favorite songs bridge the gap between music and text. Children can sing along while they or a parent let their finger travel across the words. Read or sing them when playing a CD is not an option, like in the doctor’s or dentist’s office.
Raffi. If You’re Happy and You Know It. Illustrated by Cyd Moore. Knopf Books for Young Readers, 2007. 32 pages. $6.99. ISBN-13: 9780375829192
Be sure to check out other books from Raffi’s “Songs to Read” Series, like Down by the Bay and Baby Beluga.
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| from Common Sense Media |
Taback, Simms. There Was an Old Lady Who Swallowed a Fly. Penguin Group, 1997. 32 pages. $28.95. ISBN-13 9780670869398
Find out what happened to all those animals once they were swallowed! This book will capture readers’ attention with its inventive visuals.
Weiss, George David and Thiele, Bob. What a Wonderful World. Illustrated by Ashley Bryan. Simon and Schuster Children’s Publishing, 1995. 32 pages. $18.99. ISBN-13: 9780689800870
Each verse of this classic song is accompanied by a vivid illustration of diverse children creating a puppet theatre.
Phonological Awareness
Songs that have elements of rhyme, rhythm, assonance, and alliteration help children grasp the auditory mechanics of language, thus providing the foundation for literacy. These singers are a pleasure to listen to and to sing along with.
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| from franavni.com |
Fran Avni. Rhythm and Rhyme Time, Snappy Songs for Little Learners. Fran Avni, 2006. $14.99. ASIN:
Avni’s simple lyrics will make it fun for listeners to learn the basics of language.
Dame Judi Dench and The King’s Singers. Kids’ Stuff. Primarily A Cappella, 2002. $15.07. ASIN: B0000630Y0
The King’s Singers sing sophisticated versions of familiar children’s songs. Many songs are sung a cappella, making this an appropriate album for picking out syllables and guessing rhymes.
Vocabulary
Songs with catchy rhythms and lyrics beg to be listened to over and over again. These books have songs with repetitive lyrics and both familiar and not-so familiar words, allowing children to practice the words they hear often and also learn some new ones.
Denver, John. Take Me Home, Country Road. Adapted and illustrated by Christopher Canyon. Dawn Publications, 2005. 32 pages. $19.95. ISBN-13: 978-1584690726
Denver, John. Take Me Home, Country Road. Adapted and illustrated by Christopher Canyon. Dawn Publications, 2005. 32 pages. $19.95. ISBN-13: 978-1584690726
It’s hard to say which is better, the beautiful song or the quilted illustrations that it inspired. Children and parents will enjoy the original lyrics, rhyme, and pointing to all the details within the pictures. This book is rather new and really more of a personal favorite. New words to learn, a repeatable chorus, tromp’loeil illustrations, and a dreamy melody make this book unique and nostalgic.
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| from librarything.com |
This picture book, which includes a CD, will have youngsters imagining an old man and his dog playing on thumbs, shoes, and knees.
Thompson, Kim Mitzo. The Wheels on the Bus. Illustrated by Karen Mitzo Hilderbrand. Brighter Child, 2006. 16 pages. $10.95. ISBN-13: 978-0769649153
This board book, with its accompanying CD and convenient handle make learning new words and sounds fun.
Narration
Here are just a few stories and songs that develop narrative skills, they feature repetition, predictability, and a beginning, middle, and end.
Christelow, Eileen. Five Little Monkeys Jumping on the Bed. Sandpiper, 2006. 32 pages. $10.99. ISBN-13: 978-0618732760
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| from Barnes and Noble |
This CD and picture book elaborates on the popular rhyme, and reminds all silly monkeys what happens when we don’t learn from other’s mistakes.
Yarrow, Peter. Puff the Magic Dragon. Illustrated by Eric Puybaret. Sterling Publishing, 2007. 24 pages. $16.99. ISBN-13: 9781402747823
A CD comes with this picture book, which brings everyone’s favorite gentle dragon and his friend to life through imaginative illustrations.
Letter Knowledge
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| from sesamestreet.org |
These suggestions provide a couple updated versions of the traditional “ABC” song and take the classic song a step further by introducing phonemic awareness- recognizing letter-sound correspondences.
Sesame Street. Sing the Alphabet. Koch Records, 2008. $11.45. ASIN: B0012OVFS4
Muppet characters sing twenty-seven songs, one for the alphabet and one for each of its silly little letters!
Twin Sisters Productions, LLC. 30 Preschool Songs. Twin Sisters Productions, 2007. $6.99. ASIN: B000VGAWBK
Groove to new ABC beats, and also explore vowels, consonants, and other themes.
Movement
Nothing accompanies music better than movement, or simply just playing. When children are allowed to play in a stress-free environment, they begin to develop new skills, problem solving abilities, and appreciation for all types of mediums including sound, words, and language. In terms of literacy, play “advances the development of mental representations,” meaning that children’s’ practice of assigning symbolic meaning to inanimate objects (dolls as real people, a stick as a horse) will benefit them later when they learn to assign meaning to words (Hansen, Bernstorf, and Stuber, 2004). Language, like music, carries rhythms and swaying or clapping with music can help build up a child’s sense of rhythm, while also enhancing memory and stimulating interest in learning. Movement and play, like language, are forms of communication and work to increase vocabulary and communication skills (Pica, n.d.). Parents, educators, and professionals should not undervalue the role that movement plays in education.
Print Awareness and Print Motivation
Engaging books about activity and movement will inspire children to want to be active, and learn the words for their favorite activities.
Kubler, Annie. Head, Shoulders, Knees, and Toes. Children’s Play International, 2002. 12 pages. $4.99. ISBN-13: 978-0859537285
Teaches children the names of their body parts with movement and song.
Seder, Rufus Butler. Swing! A Scanimation Picture Book. Workman Publishing Company, 2008. 12 pages. $12.95. ISBN-13: 978-0761151272
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| from childrensbookguide.com |
Mesmorize little minds with scanimation, an innovative type of animation which allows readers to see kids in motion. Each activity is accompanied by its appropriate verb. Also see Seder’s Gallop!
Phonological Awareness
Movement accompanies music and song to make learning your sounds extra fun!
Beall, Pam and Nipp, Susan. Wee Sing Children’s Songs and Fingerplays. Price Stern Sloan, 2005.64 pages. $9.99. ISBN-13: 978-0843113624
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| from weesing.com |
Children can sing along to the included audio CD and parents can help model the fingerplays and gestures that correspond to objects and actions in the songs.
Brown, Marc. Hand Rhymes. Puffin, 1993. 32 pages. $6.99. ISBN-13: 978-0140549393
Almost every simple verse of each poem is accompanied by simple illustrations of actions and gestures that model objects and actions. This book does not include music.
Vocabulary
Movement, either in fingerplays or sign language, also can enhance vocabulary through learning names for new things. These quirky CDs feature inventive songs with losts of repetition and opportunities to move every part of the body.
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| from peterandellen.com |
Allerd, Peter and Ellen. Sing It! Say It! Stamp It! Sway It!, Volume 1. 80-Z music, 1996. $15.00. ASIN: B000056IIO
The Allerds’ songs provide opportunities to play, chant, and learn, and an additional book includes extra activities.
The Learning Station. Physical Ed. Hug-a-Chug Records/ The Learning Station, 2000. $15.00. ASIN: B00004Y6A2
This workout soundtrack will teach children names of many different actions.
Narration
These suggestions encourage children to use their bodies to act out a story.
Playful Planet (Producer). (2010). Storyland Yoga: Interactive Family Fun (DVD). United States: Playful Planet
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| from eric-carle.com |
This DVD encourages children to act out the roles of the animal characters in the two separate stories through yoga positions.
Carle, Eric. From Head to Toe. Illustrated by Eric Carle. HarperFestival, 1999. 28 pages. $7.99. ISBN-13: 978-0694013012
Repetitious dialogue and animal behavior mimicry gets children moving and improving narrative skills.
Letter Knowledge
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| from hwtears.com |
Fink, Cathy and Marxer, Marcy. Get Set for School Sing Along: Songs and Fingerplays to Promote School Readiness. Handwriting Without Tears, no date. $13.50. ASIN: 1891627422
This CD, which has songs to fingerplay, includes several songs that will prepare preschoolers for writing. This album can be purchased through the Handwriting Without Tears Website,
Get_Set_for_School_Sing_Along_CD/prek
For further reading, please visit the following links:
http://www.readinghorizons.com/blog/post/2010/03/22/The-Connection-between-Music-Reading-and-Language-Development.aspx
References:
Hansen, D.; Bernstorf, E.; Stuber, G. M. (2004). The Music and Literacy Connection. Reston ,Virginia: The National Association for Music Education
McIntire, J.M. (2007). Developing music through literacy. Teaching Music, 15(1). page 44. Retrieved from ERIC Database February 28, 2011.
Partington, R. (2011). Lecture: Can you read my mind? The academic value of literature for children.
Peck, P. (2009). Crash course in storytime fundamentals. Westport, Connecticut: Libraries Unlimited
Pica, R. (n.d.). Linking literacy and movement. Retrieved from http://www.movingandlearning.com/Resources/Articles18.htm
Peck, P. (2009). Crash course in storytime fundamentals. Westport, Connecticut: Libraries Unlimited
Pica, R. (n.d.). Linking literacy and movement. Retrieved from http://www.movingandlearning.com/Resources/Articles18.htm
Pica, R. (2009). Make a little music. Young Children, 64(6). Pages 74-75. Retrieved from ERIC Database February 28, 2011
page authored by Colleen McDonald
page authored by Colleen McDonald
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