Literacy in the Library

TOOLS FOR INSPIRING YOUNG PEOPLE TO BECOME LIFELONG READERS AND LEARNERS

It’s Okay, Sing Along at the Top of Your Lungs!

October/November 2008

What does music have to do with literacy? Listening to music isn’t the same as reading is it? I know it's fun, but does it also provide skills to allow children to learn to read? The good news is, yes, it does.

Listening and singing to music can build your child’s vocabulary. Learning new things while having fun helps kids retain new words. Music can also help with phonological awareness, the sounds that make up words. A study conducted by Lesley Morrow, a reading specialist, found that participation in song activity helps with vocabulary development. There is also a strong connection between singing, listening to music and language development, which in turn leads to reading skills.

When you’re running your weekly errands, trapped in your car with your little one, what better opportunity to put in a CD and sing at the top of your lungs together? Don’t be shy if you can’t sing well. Your kids will enjoy the interaction and singing with you. Children love repetition and being able to sing along, so be prepared to listen to the same CD over and over. Make sure to choose something that won't drive you nuts and that you enjoy as well. Many popular musical artists have made CDs for children. Try many different musical styles and artists until you find several that you both/all like.

When choosing music for younger kids, try to select music that is recognizable to them (Sesame Street, the Wiggles, etc), with easy to remember lyrics and words. As your child gets older, he or she will start to appreciate the silliness in some music and will have fun in singing silly words and making strange sounds. School age kids will start to appreciate songs that tell stories in a variety of musical styles.

Some favorites available from the Library:

Infants/Toddlers:

Sing-a-Longs and Lullabies for the Film Curious George by Jack Johnson and Friends
Napper’s Delight by Dean Jones
Kind of Blue and Pink: Mellow Jazz for Cool Babies and You by Jon Crosse
Baby Einstein: Playdate Fun
Elmo and the Orchestra
Rockabye Baby! Lullaby Renditions by the Beatles, U2, No Doubt, Bob Marley, Green Day, AC/DC, Rolling Stones, Metallica and oodles more

Preschoolers:

Here Come the 123's by They Might be Giants
Snacktime! by Barenaked Ladies
You Are My Little Bird by Elizabeth Mitchell
House Party by Dan Zanes and Friends
Philadelphia Chickens by Sandra Boynton
Under a Shady Tree by Laurie Berkner
Wee Sing: The Best of Wee Sing by Pamela Beall
Putumayo Kids Presents Folk Playground by Various Artists
Diez Deditos by José-Luis Orozco (Spanish)
Nueva York by Dan Zanes and Friends (Spanish)

Oldies but Goodies:

Singable Songs for the Very Young by Raffi
Can a Jumbo Jet Sing the Alphabet? By Hap Palmer

Citation: Where Do We Go from here in Early Literacy Research and Practice. By: Morrow, Lesley Mandel. Issues in Education, 1999, Vol. 5 Issue 1, p117, 8p.

By Kristi Harder, Children's Librarian, the Denver Public Library

Literacy in the Library

It’s Okay, Sing Along at the Top of Your Lungs!

October/November 2008

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