Pairing Songs and Books to Increase Literacy
Last Tuesday we celebrated Read Across America Day, and March is Reading Month! As we celebrate the power of literacy this month, let’s include the power of music to enhance literacy and promote reading.
We know that music can enhance the building blocks for language and literacy development (see Liz Buchanan’s post, Making Musical Links with Literacy and my earlier post, Music and Literacy: Connecting Music to the “Big Five” Reading Skills. Music both prepares children for learning to read, and supports them as they continue their reading journey.
Pairing your reading time with a well placed song, can truly enhance your reading time with your children. Here are some thoughts and tips for pairing songs with your favorite books:
1. Use songs as a transition for reading time.
A well placed song can help transition children from one activity to another. This can especially be helpful when setting up routines for reading time. Transitioning between activities is often a time when children act out which in turn impact the flow for other students creating a cascade of increasing chaos and eventually cutting into precious instructional time. Using music can set a rhythm and direct movement so that children can navigate the shift efficiently. Here is a great list of suggestions for a “transition to reading” song.
2. Music and movement can help get the wiggles out.
Music and movement can be an excellent tool for allowing children to get their wiggles out before sitting and concentrating on a book. This can be especially helpful for young learners who have trouble focusing for longer periods of time. Movements that cross the midline also can serve as a brain-readiness tool, preparing the student for learning. Here some great movement songs and also here form preschool classrooms!
3. Use songs to reinforce key academic vocabulary
Academic vocabulary is key when introducing new books and concepts. Songs containing important vocabulary words can be an excellent and creative way to present new words to your students. For example, if your plan is to read My Father’s Dragon, a wonderful story of young Elmer who sets off to on an adventure in order to free a dragon, playing the song No Fire Dragon by Liz Buchanan would be a good pairing. Searching lyrics for key vocabulary words or even sight words can be a powerful way to reinforce learning.
4. Songs can help create context and add to comprehension.
Selecting songs related to a theme can also be a great way to set context and add to comprehension of the book. For example, since My Father’s Dragon is a book about an adventure where Elmer meets other wild animals, Jungle Safari by Music, Movement & Magination or the classic, Bear Hunt are two great choices to sing before reading a book about an adventure. You can play the song, then start a discussion about what one might need for the journey.
5. A carefully selected song can deepen learning.
Pairing a song for your extension activities can be a great way to deepen the learning. Using the same example, your class can sing the song Going On An Adventure by Two of a Kind and then begin crafting their own stories. Or select the books referenced in the song for their free reading time.
Books and music can go hand in hand in your classroom to creatively engage and enhance reading time and build literacy! Have fun pairing songs to your books and if you get stuck we often provide suggestions!