Music and Early Literacy

 

While I think it is great to take time to read with your child everyday, I very much understand the reality of life with babies and toddlers and sometimes you just do not want to pick up a book. That's okay! (We've all been there!) However, there are many other ways to promote early literacy without actually reading and music or singing songs throughout the day can actually do wonders for your child. Here are some tips on how to include music into your daily routine.

Phonological Awareness

In song, each syllable of the word has its own note. This helps children hear the

smaller sounds that make up words. When picking music to help with Phonological

Awareness, try songs that are slightly slower so your child can sing and hear every

note. Also, songs that include animal noises or other sound effects are great for this

skill. Some great songs for Phonological Awareness include nursery rhymes and

popular children’s songs such as Old MacDonald and If You’re Happy and You

Know It. If you can’t understand every word perfectly, pick a different song.

Vocabulary

For younger children, any kind of “naming song” where you are singing a long list of animals, foods, or any other objects will work. For older children, provide pictures

and text that go along with the unfamiliar words in a song.

Narrative Skills

Repeat, repeat, repeat. That’s the key to a song that strengthens Narrative Skills. Makeup songs that go through a sequence of events (This is the way we brush our teeth, wash our face, comb our hair, before we go to bed.)

Letter Knowledge

Be very careful how you select alphabet songs. Most recorded songs blur L, M, N, O,

and P. Try slower versions, or songs that highlight one letter at a time. Have your

child listen for one particular letter (start with the first letter of their name). When

they hear it, have them wave their hands up or down.

Print Awareness and Print Motivation

Pick music that goes with a book. Read it and then sing it! Nursery rhymes are great

for this, or adapted songs like “The Wheels on the Bus.” You can also sing the song

and then read something like The Seals on the Bus by Lenny Hort. You can sing

along to I Ain’t Gonna Paint No More by Karen Beaumont and then play “It Ain’t

Gonna Rain No More.” Some books even contain parts of songs within the text, like

Punk Farm by Jarrett J. Krosoczka or the Pete the Cat books by Eric Litwin. Even non-readers can learn sight words as you point to words in books and sing together.

Adapted from www.ohreadytoread.org/music_in_early_lit_storytime.pdf