Research indicates that the ability to coordinate and time our movements impacts upon awareness and rapid naming in school-age children children’s ability to learn language, read and write. Movement involves timing skills supported by the ability to keep the beat and rhythmic awareness, skills which are also found to be important in the processing of language sounds and learning to read.
The level of synchronisation that is needed between the auditory, visual and motor cortices of the brain to make sense of the messages (language or music) is tied to the motor circuit which is developed through keeping the beat and rhythmic awareness activities promoted through music practice.
Rhythm is an integral part of both music and language
Research studies by Dr Nina Kraus at Northwestern University, Brainvolts Project*, find biological evidence linking music, rhythmic abilities and language skills – specifically linking the ability to keep a beat to the neural encoding of speech sounds.
Her studies also demonstrate that:
- Distinct rhythmic abilities were found to align with phonological awareness and rapid naming in school-age children
- Difficulty in performing rhythmic tasks often co-occurs with literacy difficulties
- Rhythmic interventions can be tailored to address phonological awareness and rapid automated naming deficits specifically in reading disabled children
Can you feel the beat?
In one particular study carried out by Nina Kraus and her team, synchronisers (children aged 3-4 who could keep a steady beat) were found to have:
- More accurate brainstem processing of speech than nonsynchronisers
- Higher pre-literacy skills (phonological processing, auditory short-term memory, and rapid naming)
This finding suggests a significant influence on the development of preliteracy skills during early childhood and a need for daily music activities that include lots of beat keeping and rhythmic movement exercises!
Rhythmic activities
Traditional music and nursery rhymes are great, they harness some of the benefits evidenced by neuroscience and research studies. To harness all of the benefits we need to include lots of rhythmic activities, keeping the beat, playing with tempo and different rhythms…. best achieved through use of recorded music written for this age group and purpose. Daily music activities should include:
- Marching to the beat
- Bobbing up and down to the beat
- Dancing
- Body percussion – clapping, stamping, thigh slapping. Start with simple repetition of one body percussion action, progress to sequences such as clap, clap, stamp, stamp…
- Use different music with different tempo, starting with slow and progressing to faster
- Use different genres of music including from different cultures to experience different rhythms
- Tapping sticks with the beat (wooden spoons will do)
- Tapping rhythms of words and phrases as part of a fun song
- Banging a drum (a box or tub will do)
All activities are best done in a group or with a parent/carer. Adults can model and children will fall into synchronise with the group/adult with regular practise. There are many other benefits to daily music making, they include impact on sound processing, memory, reward system, emotional network – promoting pro-social behaviour and bonding.
ABOUT BOOGIE MITES
Boogie Mites Core Music Programmes:
Boogie Mites music programmes provide everything you need to equip your team with the training and resources to boost your music provision in the setting and outside, for each age group (from crawlers to 5 years), boosting rhythmic awareness, sound processing, mood and cognitive development for all involved – staff and children.
Music for under 5s | Our Music | Boogie Mites | United Kingdom
Contact sue@boogiemites.co.uk for a video call to explore options for boosting listening, language and literacy through music provision at your settings.
BOOGIE MITES COLLABORATION WITH MICHAEL ROSEN
Boogie Mites have recently completed a project writing songs and interpreting some of them through movement and dance for some poems and nonsense rhymes written by Michael Rosen and published in his recent books: Ready For Spaghetti and A Great Big Cuddle. Please share this with parents who can access 18 music activities for free for the first month trial. Boogie Mite App: Building Strong Foundations For Language and literacy Through Music.