The magic of music
As parents we all know that our children enjoy music and most of us have heard of the positive effects of music. If nothing else we have a vague awareness of the Mozart effect.
Experts agree that music can strengthen children’s minds and serve as a fundamental skill of learning.
In recent years there has been a large body of research to support a number of positive effects that music enjoyment and training can have on a young child’s brain function and ability to learn.
The benefits of music include:
~ Extending the neural networks in the brain
~ Sound discrimination which leads to spelling success
~ Increased vocabulary
~ Abstract and spatial reasoning which leads to math success
~ Improved coordination
~ Better concentration skills
~ Sharper memory
~ More focused listening skills
Both scientists and educators are realizing that early, positive musical experience is uniquely effective in helping children achieve their full potential intellectually, artistically and emotionally.
One example of the powerful impact music can have on your child’s future success uses Howard Gardner’s Theory of Multiple Intelligences. Gardner identifies 9 different and unique ways of knowing and communicating about the world:
~ Linguistic
~ Logical/Mathematical
~ Musical
~ Visual Spatial
~ Bodily Kinesthetic
~ Interpersonal
~ Intrapersonal
~ Naturalistic
~ Existential
The first two are the greatest predictors of success in school, while interpersonal and intrapersonal (the social intelligences) are the greatest predictors of success in life. If we can deliver language and math understandings through music while also delivering personal and social skills then your child can learn and develop skills and intelligences that will impact school success (such a language and math) and also lay the foundation for life success with interpersonal and intrapersonal skills.
And this can all be done with music!
Simply using music on a regular basis with your child, including singing, listening to music, and playing instruments, can reap tremendous benefits. It is important to note that simply listening to music is not enough. Making music is more powerful for children than just listening.
MUSIC AND THE BRAIN
Music stimulates brain connections and can actually make children smarter.
Sensory experience wires a child’s brain into usable neural networks. Studies show that early experiences determine which brain cells (neurons) will connect with other brain cells, and which ones will die away. Because neural connections are responsible for all types of intelligence, a child’s brain develops to its full potential only with exposure to the necessary enriching experiences in early childhood.
Comparisons of neurons from an “impoverished” brain, and from one that has been in an enriched environment, show that the enriched neuron has had exposure and experiences that lead to long and multiple dendrites. As these enriched neurons find and link to one another, they create a neural mass that is predisposed to receiving and processing certain kinds of input - sound, image, words, or movement. The larger these areas of the brain, the more ready the child will be for learning.
MUSIC AND LANGUAGE
Music can expand children’s listening abilities, vocabulary and even improve their spelling.
With young children, singing, chanting and rhythmic play can increase your child’s vocabulary. Making up songs about everyday activities like diaper changes and baths, turning a boring chore into a fun “sound break.” As a child gets older, encourage her to invent her own songs.
The same discrimination between sounds that is learned through listening to music is required to succeed in spelling lessons.
MUSIC AND MATH
Music is linked to spatial reasoning, creativity, generalized math skills, decision making, problem solving. Music uniquely enhances higher brain functions required for mathematics, chess, science and engineering. Music training generates the neural connections used for abstract reasoning, including those necessary for understanding mathematical concepts.
It has been clearly documented that young students have difficulty understanding the concepts of proportion which is heavily used in math and science. However, due to the relationship between music and abstract reasoning, listening to music can improve a child’s ability to perform the complex tasks of spatial reasoning.
MUSIC AND THE BODY
Hands-on use of instruments enhances coordination, concentration and memory as well as eyesight and hearing acuity. The arithmetical quality of music actually helps wire the brain for mathematics.
Music can regulate movement, increase muscle control. Athletes use music to help them optimize their skills by finding the tempo and effort that matches their optimum performance skill.
Lively music can help a lethargic child become more animated and focused. On the other hand, calming music can help an overactive child or group calm down and regain focus.
In young children, music helps pattern the movement of the body. The ear’s primary function is coordination and balance within the body. When we pace things with a musical beat, we are more coordinated. Unfortunately, with more children spending time in front of television or computer screens, motor skills may not keep up with cognitive development. In fact, many children today are unable to keep a steady beat. These kids are also less likely to be successful on sports teams.
MUSIC AND LEARNING
Singing has been linked in many studies with improved spatial coordination, creativity, math skills, and even ability to learn a foreign language.
Listening to music helps improve a child’s listening skills especially when playing musical games.
Music activates multiple memory pathways to improve chances for retention and recall. Music develops children’s sense of patterning and memory skills. Learning songs improves children’s memory skills and vocabulary.
Music reorganizes the brain for effective listening. Through focused listening tasks, the brain is physiologically changed to make it increasingly better at listening skills. As the aural centers become larger and more linked to other areas, listening can then be applied to all areas of learning.
Singing enhances cognition. There are a variety of studies that indicate that singing every day is linked to higher achievement.
Music increases attention and recall.
Steady Beat is the cornerstone to learning, and affects the timing of individuals. Children who can’t keep a steady beat have difficulty reading. Those who don’t learn to keep the beat become “untimed” adults, who have difficulty organizing their movements and their lives. Steady beat is a skill and can be learned with practice.
Music lends itself to many creative activities. Stimulate creative thought in young children by singing a familiar song and leaving out the last word of each line. Your child will delight in inventing a new ending. Twinkle, twinkle little… tomato?
With older children, select a favorite Mozart piece and discuss what pictures, colors, or stories the music brings to mind for each of you. Then play the selection again, encouraging your child to act out these images with his body.
MUSIC AND SOCIAL SKILLS
Music and rhythm can help children express their emotions. Children will sing a joyful song or hum a catchy tune when they’re happy. In contrast, their dance movements might be jerky and aggressive when they are angry or frustrated.
release energy and channel it in creative, productive directions.
Music can also help children gain confidence in themselves as they realize they can use their minds and bodies together. Children learn that, with practice, their bodies will do almost anything they want them to do - even leap across a room or turn cartwheels in time to music.
Music teaches new words and ideas. Children often create their own songs, melodies, and movements. Or they learn songs that have already been written about spaceships, kangaroos, or friendships.
Music helps children learn about themselves and the relationships they have with others. Songs heard in school, in places of worship, and from teachers and parents, teach about life and give hints on living it. The words might teach about hard-to-understand concepts like faith, patriotism, love, and freedom. The rhythms and melodies might teach that we like songs we can dance to, or that we prefer songs that make us want to sit quietly and listen. Shy children might discover that they feel bolder among other people when they are loudly singing or dancing. Misbehaving children might be calmed when soft music is played.
The key skill in interacting well with others is listening. By making your child aware of the relation between sound and emotion in music, he can begin to also discern others’ emotional state from their speech.
MUSIC AND STRESS
Music enhances biological survival. It is hard-wired into our genes as a survival strategy. Music is critical to the way we celebrate, worship, mourn, and mark special occasions. If music had not been a critical element in human survival, it would have become extinct long ago.
When children are involved in music, we create a high-speed path to emotional effectiveness through music making. Music can help children use emotional states to regulate their lives, and this skill can be learned.
Music can also reduce stress and its impact on the immune system. Music changes heart rate, breathing, stress hormones, blood flow, chemical makeup. Music brings sense of well being.
Stress obstructs learning. By playing 10 minutes of classical music, parents and teachers can help children clear their minds for productive learning and studying. Mozart even helps children with ADD and ADHD improve focus and control their mood.
FINAL THOUGHT
The evidence is persuasive that our brain is designed for music and that music education has positive, measurable, and lasting academic and social benefits. The collective wisdom from real-world experience, clinical studies, and research support the view that music has strong, positive, neurological systemwide effects. There’s virtually no evidence of downside risk.
So go and make music with your child today!
Find out more about Activity Preschool Songs and Lesson Plan Preschool Songs plus Learning To Read Book
Monday, June 18, 2007
Rhyming to better reading
Using Activity Preschool Songs To Teach Reading
Did you ever wonder why so many children�s books include rhymes? I once thought it was simply the fact that kids like the rhythm and patterns that rhyme created but now I know it is because rhyming is an important pre-reading skill and the stronger a child�s ability to rhyme the greater success the child will experience as a reader.
My name is Deanna Mascle and I am the editor of "Preschoolers Learn More" -- a newsletter devoted to helping preschoolers prepare for school and life. I am also an educator and a mother.
Rhyming helps children learn about word families such as let, met, pet, wet, and get.
Rhyming also teaches children about the sounds of the language.
The name for the ability to notice and work with the sounds in language is phonological awareness. Young children who have phonological awareness notice, for example, that words can begin or end with the same sound - that bag, ball, and bug all begin with the sound of �b;� that words can rhyme; and that sentences are made up of separate words. Research shows that how quickly children will learn to read often depends on how much phonological awareness they have when they begin kindergarten.
Rhymes help children become aware of phonemes which are the smallest units of sounds that make up words. This awareness leads to reading and writing success.
Children can and should develop some degree of phonological awareness in the preschool years, because it is a crucial early step toward understanding the alphabetic principle and, ultimately, toward learning to read.
Songs and rhymes expose your child to the rhythm of the language. This will help them read with some animation in their voice instead of just a monotone. It also helps them develop rhyming skills.
It is important for young children to be able to:
* Repeat rhyming songs and poems.
* Identify rhymes and generate rhyming words when playing a rhyming game.
* Recognize the common sounds at the beginning of a series of words (alliteration).
* Isolate the beginning sounds in familiar words.
Find out more about Activity Preschool Songs and Lesson Plan Preschool Songs plus Learning To Read Book
Did you ever wonder why so many children�s books include rhymes? I once thought it was simply the fact that kids like the rhythm and patterns that rhyme created but now I know it is because rhyming is an important pre-reading skill and the stronger a child�s ability to rhyme the greater success the child will experience as a reader.
My name is Deanna Mascle and I am the editor of "Preschoolers Learn More" -- a newsletter devoted to helping preschoolers prepare for school and life. I am also an educator and a mother.
Rhyming helps children learn about word families such as let, met, pet, wet, and get.
Rhyming also teaches children about the sounds of the language.
The name for the ability to notice and work with the sounds in language is phonological awareness. Young children who have phonological awareness notice, for example, that words can begin or end with the same sound - that bag, ball, and bug all begin with the sound of �b;� that words can rhyme; and that sentences are made up of separate words. Research shows that how quickly children will learn to read often depends on how much phonological awareness they have when they begin kindergarten.
Rhymes help children become aware of phonemes which are the smallest units of sounds that make up words. This awareness leads to reading and writing success.
Children can and should develop some degree of phonological awareness in the preschool years, because it is a crucial early step toward understanding the alphabetic principle and, ultimately, toward learning to read.
Songs and rhymes expose your child to the rhythm of the language. This will help them read with some animation in their voice instead of just a monotone. It also helps them develop rhyming skills.
It is important for young children to be able to:
* Repeat rhyming songs and poems.
* Identify rhymes and generate rhyming words when playing a rhyming game.
* Recognize the common sounds at the beginning of a series of words (alliteration).
* Isolate the beginning sounds in familiar words.
Find out more about Activity Preschool Songs and Lesson Plan Preschool Songs plus Learning To Read Book
How do you teach rhythm and rhyme?
The sounds of language are the building blocks of literacy. Whenever possible, introduce your child to simple word games that draw upon their knowledge of sounds and reinforce their ability to manipulate oral language. Here are a few suggestions on how to do so.
You can teach your child about rhyme in a number of ways. One of the easiest is to use existing text that encourages the use of rhyme, such as many Dr. Seuss books, “Hop on Pop” and “There’s a Wocket in My Pocket” are good examples of fun with rhyme.
Teach your child rhymes, short poems, and songs. Look for songs and poems that, because of their easy rhyme and repetition, can be used to teach phonemic awareness.
Sing songs and read rhyming books. Sing the alphabet with your child, and teach your child songs that emphasize rhyme and alliteration, such as “Willaby Wallaby Woo”, “Miss Mary Mack” and “Down By the Sea.” (all available in Songs and Rhymes)
And there are many other ways to bring both rhythm and rhyme into your child’s life. Here are some suggestions:
Tip #1
For very beginning rhyming lessons, a simple method is to ask your child what rhymes with “bee” and then touch their “knee”. If they don’t make the connection ask them what body part you are touching, then ask what rhymes with “bee” again. Then try “bear” and “hair” and “jelly” and “belly” etc.
Tip #2
After she gets the hang of it then simply choose one-syllable words that are easy to rhyme with such as had, rat, man, fall, ten, red, big, fill, hop, dog, bug and sun. All of these have multiple words that rhyme.
Tip #3
For preschoolers, sing or say Mother Goose favorites. Once your child is familiar with the nursery rhyme, let your child fill in the missing word as you pause at the end of the rhyme. Say something like:
Mary had a little _____
Who fetched a pail of ____
Tip #4
Try to rhyme things with the child’s name or match up alliteration with the first letter of their name.
Tip #5
Hold contests to see how many rhymes they can find for words such as clock, snow, lamb, or go.
Tip #6
Create new words together by changing the first sound or consonant. For example, say something like:
“My word is tall. What is my word?” (tall)
Then: “Change the /t/ to /b/. What do you have?” (ball)
“Good, my word is ball.”
When doing such games, try to use familiar consonant-vowel-consonant words such as cat, dog, fit, mix, or fox.
Tip #7
Some other fun you can have with rhyme and alliteration is to make up new verses of familiar songs or rhymes by changing the beginning sounds of words. Such as replacing “Humpty Dumpty” with “Lumpty Gumpty.” This is very silly and kids love to be silly. You are the only one that has to know they are learning too!
Tip #8
As they gain experience then you can play with sounds and words by altering familiar nursery rhymes. For example, here’s a standard nursery rhyme:
I never saw a purple cow
I never hope to see one,
But I can tell you anyhow
I’d rather see than be one.
Just change the color or the rhyme and have fun!
You and your child can change the rhyme so it becomes I never saw a yellow horse or a greenish dog. Encourage your child to use an adjective - a color, shape, or size - followed by a type of animal, the sillier the better.
Tip #9
Reverse or substitute words in familiar songs and poems. Some examples include:
* Song a sing of sixpence (Reverse words)
* Baa baa purple sheep (Substitute words)
* Twinkle, twinkle little car (Substitute words)
* Humpty Dumpty wall on a sat (Swap word order)
* Jack fell down and crown his broke (Swap word order)
* One, two shuckle my boo (Swap word parts)
* I’m a tittle leapot (Swap word parts)
* The eensy weensy spider went up the spouter wat. (Swap word parts)
* One, two, buckle my shoe Five, six, pick up sticks (Switch order of events)
* Little Miss Muffet, eating a tuffet Sat on her curds and whey (Switch order of events)
* Goldilocks went inside and knocked on the door. (Switch order of events)
* The first little piggy built himself a house of bricks. (Switch order of events)
And don’t forget to sing and rhyme with your little one!
Find out more about Activity Preschool Songs and Lesson Plan Preschool Songs plus Learning To Read Book
You can teach your child about rhyme in a number of ways. One of the easiest is to use existing text that encourages the use of rhyme, such as many Dr. Seuss books, “Hop on Pop” and “There’s a Wocket in My Pocket” are good examples of fun with rhyme.
Teach your child rhymes, short poems, and songs. Look for songs and poems that, because of their easy rhyme and repetition, can be used to teach phonemic awareness.
Sing songs and read rhyming books. Sing the alphabet with your child, and teach your child songs that emphasize rhyme and alliteration, such as “Willaby Wallaby Woo”, “Miss Mary Mack” and “Down By the Sea.” (all available in Songs and Rhymes)
And there are many other ways to bring both rhythm and rhyme into your child’s life. Here are some suggestions:
Tip #1
For very beginning rhyming lessons, a simple method is to ask your child what rhymes with “bee” and then touch their “knee”. If they don’t make the connection ask them what body part you are touching, then ask what rhymes with “bee” again. Then try “bear” and “hair” and “jelly” and “belly” etc.
Tip #2
After she gets the hang of it then simply choose one-syllable words that are easy to rhyme with such as had, rat, man, fall, ten, red, big, fill, hop, dog, bug and sun. All of these have multiple words that rhyme.
Tip #3
For preschoolers, sing or say Mother Goose favorites. Once your child is familiar with the nursery rhyme, let your child fill in the missing word as you pause at the end of the rhyme. Say something like:
Mary had a little _____
Who fetched a pail of ____
Tip #4
Try to rhyme things with the child’s name or match up alliteration with the first letter of their name.
Tip #5
Hold contests to see how many rhymes they can find for words such as clock, snow, lamb, or go.
Tip #6
Create new words together by changing the first sound or consonant. For example, say something like:
“My word is tall. What is my word?” (tall)
Then: “Change the /t/ to /b/. What do you have?” (ball)
“Good, my word is ball.”
When doing such games, try to use familiar consonant-vowel-consonant words such as cat, dog, fit, mix, or fox.
Tip #7
Some other fun you can have with rhyme and alliteration is to make up new verses of familiar songs or rhymes by changing the beginning sounds of words. Such as replacing “Humpty Dumpty” with “Lumpty Gumpty.” This is very silly and kids love to be silly. You are the only one that has to know they are learning too!
Tip #8
As they gain experience then you can play with sounds and words by altering familiar nursery rhymes. For example, here’s a standard nursery rhyme:
I never saw a purple cow
I never hope to see one,
But I can tell you anyhow
I’d rather see than be one.
Just change the color or the rhyme and have fun!
You and your child can change the rhyme so it becomes I never saw a yellow horse or a greenish dog. Encourage your child to use an adjective - a color, shape, or size - followed by a type of animal, the sillier the better.
Tip #9
Reverse or substitute words in familiar songs and poems. Some examples include:
* Song a sing of sixpence (Reverse words)
* Baa baa purple sheep (Substitute words)
* Twinkle, twinkle little car (Substitute words)
* Humpty Dumpty wall on a sat (Swap word order)
* Jack fell down and crown his broke (Swap word order)
* One, two shuckle my boo (Swap word parts)
* I’m a tittle leapot (Swap word parts)
* The eensy weensy spider went up the spouter wat. (Swap word parts)
* One, two, buckle my shoe Five, six, pick up sticks (Switch order of events)
* Little Miss Muffet, eating a tuffet Sat on her curds and whey (Switch order of events)
* Goldilocks went inside and knocked on the door. (Switch order of events)
* The first little piggy built himself a house of bricks. (Switch order of events)
And don’t forget to sing and rhyme with your little one!
Find out more about Activity Preschool Songs and Lesson Plan Preschool Songs plus Learning To Read Book
How to Make Music Part of Your Child's Education
Is music part of your child's education? If it isn't, it should be. Music is a powerful tool that aids a child's development in various ways. Consider a crying baby soothed by a mother's lullaby or a toddler learning the alphabet and numbers through song. Put music in your child's life and you will be nurturing them in the following areas:
* Improve physical coordination
* Enhance their sense of timing
* Honing their listening skills
* Improving memory skills
* Aiding language and speech development
* Enhance reasoning skills such as used in math and science
* Providing an outlet for self expression
Before we go on further, let's get one thing straight first: Music education is not just about learning to play an instrument. It is not about music exams and attaining a certificate. I remember disliking my piano lessons and hating the music exams. Right after I finished my Grade 5 practical exam, I was determined to put an end to my misery. I quit! Why did I not enjoy the music lessons? I believe it was because I hadn't learned that music was to be enjoyed.
Like how a child learns to read and write, we must first expose them to certain activities that prepare them to develop those skills. For example, reading aloud to children daily helps them learn to read later on. These activities are known as pre-reading and pre-writing skills. So it is with music, we need to expose our children to early music experiences for it will help them develop skills needed in their future music learning. These skills will ease their learning and thereby make it a more enjoyable experience. These early experiences include singing in tune, in time and on pitch. It also includes feeling the rhythm and moving to the beat of the songs they sing and hear.
Most early childhood music programs found today combine both music and movement. Children are encouraged to not only sing but also to dance and move according to the music. They not only learn to listen but are also given opportunities to express and create. For example, hopping like a bunny to "jumpy" music. Children are also given props such as scarves, balls, beanbags, shakers and sometimes instruments to play with. This further enhances their motor capabilities and coordination. In a nutshell, music and movement programs help children experience and explore music as a whole. On top of that, it's a whole lot of fun, fun, fun.
What activities can you do with young children to develop "pre-music" skills?
* Sing to your children often. Start when they are babies.
* Play children music tapes or CDs. There are sing-along CDs and also music and movement CDs available.
* Recite nursery rhymes and chants. Combine that with movement such as finger play, bouncing on the knees, rocking, clapping and hand actions.
* Make up your own music or substitute familiar songs with your own words. It's ok to be silly.
* Expose children to different types of music such as classical, waltzes, tango, cha-cha, latin, pop etc....
* Join a music and movement program such as Kindermusik or Musikgarten.
* Make your own musical instruments with rubber bands, boxes, spoons, chopsticks, beans, blocks, plastic bottles etc....
* Attend concerts and other musical events.
Children have a natural acquisition for music. It means when they are young, we don't have to do a whole lot of teaching but rather encouraging. Music education can enhance your child's development and learning. Don't leave it out but rather make the decision today to integrate it into your child's life.
Find out more about Activity Preschool Songs and Lesson Plan Preschool Songs plus Learning To Read Book
* Improve physical coordination
* Enhance their sense of timing
* Honing their listening skills
* Improving memory skills
* Aiding language and speech development
* Enhance reasoning skills such as used in math and science
* Providing an outlet for self expression
Before we go on further, let's get one thing straight first: Music education is not just about learning to play an instrument. It is not about music exams and attaining a certificate. I remember disliking my piano lessons and hating the music exams. Right after I finished my Grade 5 practical exam, I was determined to put an end to my misery. I quit! Why did I not enjoy the music lessons? I believe it was because I hadn't learned that music was to be enjoyed.
Like how a child learns to read and write, we must first expose them to certain activities that prepare them to develop those skills. For example, reading aloud to children daily helps them learn to read later on. These activities are known as pre-reading and pre-writing skills. So it is with music, we need to expose our children to early music experiences for it will help them develop skills needed in their future music learning. These skills will ease their learning and thereby make it a more enjoyable experience. These early experiences include singing in tune, in time and on pitch. It also includes feeling the rhythm and moving to the beat of the songs they sing and hear.
Most early childhood music programs found today combine both music and movement. Children are encouraged to not only sing but also to dance and move according to the music. They not only learn to listen but are also given opportunities to express and create. For example, hopping like a bunny to "jumpy" music. Children are also given props such as scarves, balls, beanbags, shakers and sometimes instruments to play with. This further enhances their motor capabilities and coordination. In a nutshell, music and movement programs help children experience and explore music as a whole. On top of that, it's a whole lot of fun, fun, fun.
What activities can you do with young children to develop "pre-music" skills?
* Sing to your children often. Start when they are babies.
* Play children music tapes or CDs. There are sing-along CDs and also music and movement CDs available.
* Recite nursery rhymes and chants. Combine that with movement such as finger play, bouncing on the knees, rocking, clapping and hand actions.
* Make up your own music or substitute familiar songs with your own words. It's ok to be silly.
* Expose children to different types of music such as classical, waltzes, tango, cha-cha, latin, pop etc....
* Join a music and movement program such as Kindermusik or Musikgarten.
* Make your own musical instruments with rubber bands, boxes, spoons, chopsticks, beans, blocks, plastic bottles etc....
* Attend concerts and other musical events.
Children have a natural acquisition for music. It means when they are young, we don't have to do a whole lot of teaching but rather encouraging. Music education can enhance your child's development and learning. Don't leave it out but rather make the decision today to integrate it into your child's life.
Find out more about Activity Preschool Songs and Lesson Plan Preschool Songs plus Learning To Read Book
Learn How To Teach Your Child Rhythm and Rhyme
Rhythm and Rhyme Can Help Your Child Learn To Read
Do you want to learn how making music with your child can increase school and life success?
Would you like to improve your child’s brain function, cognitive abilities, social skills and emotional competence through music? Do you want to find out how rhyme can help your child learn to read?
Experts agree that music can strengthen children’s minds and serve as a fundamental skill of learning. As parents we all know that our children enjoy music and most of us have heard of the positive effects of music. If nothing else we have a vague awareness of the Mozart effect. We know that music is beneficial but we don’t always know why.
In recent years there has been a large body of research to support a number of positive effects that music enjoyment and training can have on a young child’s brain function and ability to learn.
The benefits of music include:
* Extending the neural networks in the brain
* Sound discrimination which leads to spelling success
* Increased vocabulary
* Abstract and spatial reasoning which leads to math success
* Improved coordination
* Better concentration skills
* Sharper memory
* More focused listening skills
Both scientists and educators are realizing that early, positive musical experience is uniquely effective in helping children achieve their full potential intellectually, artistically and emotionally.Simply using music on a regular basis with your child, including singing, listening to music, and playing instruments, can reap tremendous benefits. It is important to note that simply listening to music is not enough. Making music is more powerful for children than just listening. It is important for you to provide your child with a solid early childhood education experience that you won’t have to trust to chance but it is even more important to foster a love of learning!
Remember, today’s preschoolers and kindergarteners are expected to know far more than their parents (that’s US!) were at that same age. Start your child out right.While success in the early grades does not guarantee success throughout the school years and beyond, failure in the early grades does virtually guarantee failure in later schooling. Don’t let your child fail and don’t fail your child!
Find out more about Activity Preschool Songs and Lesson Plan Preschool Songs plus Learning To Read Book
Do you want to learn how making music with your child can increase school and life success?
Would you like to improve your child’s brain function, cognitive abilities, social skills and emotional competence through music? Do you want to find out how rhyme can help your child learn to read?
Experts agree that music can strengthen children’s minds and serve as a fundamental skill of learning. As parents we all know that our children enjoy music and most of us have heard of the positive effects of music. If nothing else we have a vague awareness of the Mozart effect. We know that music is beneficial but we don’t always know why.
In recent years there has been a large body of research to support a number of positive effects that music enjoyment and training can have on a young child’s brain function and ability to learn.
The benefits of music include:
* Extending the neural networks in the brain
* Sound discrimination which leads to spelling success
* Increased vocabulary
* Abstract and spatial reasoning which leads to math success
* Improved coordination
* Better concentration skills
* Sharper memory
* More focused listening skills
Both scientists and educators are realizing that early, positive musical experience is uniquely effective in helping children achieve their full potential intellectually, artistically and emotionally.Simply using music on a regular basis with your child, including singing, listening to music, and playing instruments, can reap tremendous benefits. It is important to note that simply listening to music is not enough. Making music is more powerful for children than just listening. It is important for you to provide your child with a solid early childhood education experience that you won’t have to trust to chance but it is even more important to foster a love of learning!
Remember, today’s preschoolers and kindergarteners are expected to know far more than their parents (that’s US!) were at that same age. Start your child out right.While success in the early grades does not guarantee success throughout the school years and beyond, failure in the early grades does virtually guarantee failure in later schooling. Don’t let your child fail and don’t fail your child!
Find out more about Activity Preschool Songs and Lesson Plan Preschool Songs plus Learning To Read Book
Why is rhythm and rhyme important?
Research consistently demonstrates that the more children know about language and literacy before they arrive at school, the better equipped they are to succeed in reading.
The key elements of this include:
* Motivation to learn
* Oral language skills
* Phonological awareness
* Appreciation for literate forms
* Print awareness
* Letter knowledge.
Learning rhythm and rhyme through poems and songs can provide children with crucial experience in all these areas.
For example, you probably never thought learning movement songs can help improve your child’s vocabulary and offer preparation for future reading.
How?
Movement songs help children gain an understanding of concepts such as up/down, front/back, and left/right, and add these words to their vocabularies. Understanding these concepts leads to knowledge of how words are read and written on a page.
Songs and poems will also offer your child exposure to the rhythm of the language which will help them read with animation as opposed to a monotone.
Some additional benefits include:
* Extending the neural networks in the brain
* Sound discrimination which leads to spelling success
* Increased vocabulary
* Abstract and spatial reasoning which leads to math success
* Improved coordination
* Better concentration skills
* Sharper memory
* More focused listening skills
Find out more about Activity Preschool Songs and Lesson Plan Preschool Songs plus Learning To Read Book
The key elements of this include:
* Motivation to learn
* Oral language skills
* Phonological awareness
* Appreciation for literate forms
* Print awareness
* Letter knowledge.
Learning rhythm and rhyme through poems and songs can provide children with crucial experience in all these areas.
For example, you probably never thought learning movement songs can help improve your child’s vocabulary and offer preparation for future reading.
How?
Movement songs help children gain an understanding of concepts such as up/down, front/back, and left/right, and add these words to their vocabularies. Understanding these concepts leads to knowledge of how words are read and written on a page.
Songs and poems will also offer your child exposure to the rhythm of the language which will help them read with animation as opposed to a monotone.
Some additional benefits include:
* Extending the neural networks in the brain
* Sound discrimination which leads to spelling success
* Increased vocabulary
* Abstract and spatial reasoning which leads to math success
* Improved coordination
* Better concentration skills
* Sharper memory
* More focused listening skills
Find out more about Activity Preschool Songs and Lesson Plan Preschool Songs plus Learning To Read Book
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