parental involvement in early literacy development Archives - Minds On Music

Music & Movement Benefits: Reading with Babies

“You may have tangible wealth untold: caskets of jewels and coffers of gold. Richer than I you can never be… I had a mother read to me.” – Strickland Gillilan, The Reading Mother
Reading aloud to a child is the most powerful way to prepare her for success in reading. . In her book, Reading Magic, author Mem Fox explains that “…the more language a child experiences through books and conversation with others, the more advantaged socially, educationally, and in every way that child will be for the rest of his or her life.” That’s some pretty powerful motivation for reading aloud – plus you get the cuddles and the memories too!

Tips for reading with babies

Begin introducing books at about 4 months of age.
This is about the age when babies become interested in objects – like books! At first vinyl and cloth books will be best since babies learn by putting things in their mouths. Your little one will be ready for board books at about 6 months of age.
Have realistic expectations.
Even a few minutes in your lap engaged with a book should be considered a success! Don’t worry… As your child grows, so does their attention span. And when it comes to early reading experiences, it’s okay to let your child take the lead. At this age, it still counts as “reading” if they are opening/closing the book, stacking books, or even just looking at a few of the pictures on a page.
Establish a routine.
By around 1 year of age, you can establish a regular reading routine – after breakfast, before nap time, after bath time – whatever is best for your child. By now, your child may even have a favorite book that they like to read over, and over, and over…. and over again. That’s okay – repetition strengthens the brain!

BONUS! For more great ideas for reading with your baby, check out this free activity from Kindermusik @Home: “Reading” with Baby

Music & Movement Benefits: Rhymers Will Be Readers

Today is World Poetry Day. And while your child may not be up to appreciating Robert Frost or Elizabeth Barrett Browning

just yet, he/she does benefit significantly by learning (and enjoying!) children’s rhymes and poems. Why are rhyming songs and chants so vital to a young child’s development? Reading expert and author Mem Fox explains why:

“The importance of getting rhymes and songs into children’s head’s can’t be overestimated. Rhymers will be readers: it’s that simple. Experts in literacy and child development have discovered that if children know eight nursery rhymes by heart by the time they are four years old, they are usually among the best readers by the time they’re eight.” (Mem Fox, Reading Magic, pg. 85-86)

Experts agree. Music is a powerful vehicle for learning and enhancing development in every area. As an educator, one of the things I love most about Kindermusik is the way that it inspires children – and parents – to learn together in ways that benefit the child now and for the rest of his life.

So the moral of this story is… If you can’t quite remember those rhyming songs, chants, and Mother Goose rhymes from your childhood, take a Kindermusik class! Remember… rhymers will be readers.

– Special thanks to Theresa Case for this post. Theresa’s Kindermusik program, Kindermusik at Piano Central Studios, is in the top 1% of all Kindermusik programs worldwide.

The Picture-Reading Connection

They say that a picture is worth a thousand words, but in ABC English & Me, Kindermusik International is using the research-proven technique of using a picture to help a child learn to read a word. In fact, a recent study by Chinese researchers again confirmed the impact of a visual-rich context on literacy.
Along with music, movement, and interactive @Home Materials, the ABC English & Me curriculum actually utilizes a variety of pictures and visuals to help reinforce the learning that happens in class and at home including:

illustrated rhymes
illustrated stories
posters
flashcards

You may not be enrolled in an ABC English & Me program, but you can help enhance your child’s literacy development in other simple ways. Here are a few ideas and resources to get you started…

Build your own library at home. From e-books to traditional books, you can buy books new, put them on a birthday or Christmas list for Grandma, or find gently used books at local bookstores or online at sites like Amazon.
Spend time reviewing this great list from The Children’s Book Review: 20 Sites to Improve Your Child’s Literacy
Point out the letters and words that surround us. Whether it’s a box of cereal, a menu at a restaurant, or a sign on a building, opportunities abound to highlight the connection between letters, sounds, and words in every day, casual conversation.
Label things around the house. Make some simple signs and label objects around the house. You can use sticky-tack so that the signs are temporary. Include a picture with the word for extra benefit.
Read aloud. There’s no better way to bond with your child, create memories for a lifetime, AND increase their love for books and interest in learning to read for themselves.

See for yourself how Kindermusik can benefit your child in so many ways… including literacy development! Try a free class today.

FOL Fridays – The Music Inside

Children need opportunities to hear music sung, and they need invitations to hear music internally, with no external sound source. Being able to hear music “in your head” (audiation) like this is an important part of musical literacy, just as learning to think sentences and thoughts without speaking is an important feat in language development and part of early literacy development. Omitting parts of familiar songs is one way to help children begin to “fill in the blanks” and hear music internally.

Fun at home or in the car: Sing a song like “Twinkle, Twinkle.” Leave out a word and then pause… you very well may hear your child fill it in! Or hum a favorite tune

and see what happens when you don’t sing the last note. (Can you hear it in your head?!)

By singing a song and allowing your child to fill in the blanks, you are developing her sense of inner hearing as related to pitch and melody. Singing a song in your mind is akin to thinking a story or making a plan without speaking out loud. Remembering the sequence adds an additional level of complexity. It is a necessary life skill.

Shared by Theresa Case, whose Kindermusik program at Piano Central Studios in Greenville, SC, is proudly among the top 1% of Kindermusik programs worldwide.

FOL Fridays: Emerging Literacy

Parental Involvement Supports Early Literacy Developement

Children begin the process of learning to read long before they enter formal schooling. Families play an important role in this process. For decades, research has shown that children whose parents read to them become better readers and do better in school. Activities such as telling stories and singing songs may also encourage the acquisition of literacy skills (adapted from Sonnenschein, Brady, and Munsterman, 1996; Moss and Fawcett, 1995; and Glazer, 1989)

Ideas for parents:

Like many aspects of parenting, you know instinctively that reading together has huge benefits for your child.

If you’re looking to add more books to the reading list, get to know your local librarian.Preschool and elementary school teachers can also share their favorite book lists. There are also all kinds of lists online of books to read for kids. If you want to add to your own bookshelf, flea markets, yard sales, and even Goodwill are great places to purchase books very inexpensively.

– Contributed by Theresa Case, whose Greenville, SC program, Kindermusik at Piano Central Studios, is proudly among the top 1% of Kindermusik programs worldwide.

Check out our related ABC Music & Me blog post…and consider recommending to your school!
5 Reasons Parents Should be Reading to their Children