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Rhyme is the foundation for reading and writing.

 

The understanding of how to rhyme is an important aspect of learning to read and spell. Through their increasing awareness of the sounds of the English language, children first notice rhythm. Syllables are what provide the rhythm in English. When a child claps the syllables in their name or another multi-syllabic word, they are focusing on the rhythm of the English language. It is this chunking of words into syllables that is an important strategy for reading and spelling. South Australian Department of Education (2011) This is why this

early skill has long-term implications.

 

Children then start to become aware that some words rhyme. Understanding the concept of rhyming requires the student to know which part of the word is important for rhyming. Rhyming is a rather important area of early language experiences. For example, Research into Practice (2011) explains 

 

"If children can recognise and produce rhyming patterns such as ring, sing, king and wing, they are actually demonstrating early phonemic awareness, because they are deleting the first phoneme (the onset) in the syllable and replacing it with another. While they are initially not aware that they are doing this, it opens the door to the realisation that words are made up of a sequence of single sounds".

 

When a child cannot recognise or create rhyme then they are at risk of not developing the important skills they will need to be successful in using word parts for reading and spelling. Which is why rhyme is a very important concept for young children to gain a thorough understanding for in the early years.

Rhyming Basket

This activity begins with the class sitting in a circle and the teacher leading. The teacher passes a basket around containing a variety of objects whilst a nursery rhyme is playing on the iPod. When the music stops the teacher says a word (This can be either a non-sense word or a real word for example 'ziggers'). The child holding the basket then has to look and pull out an object that rhymes with that word, such as a pair of scissors.

 

After the group session the teacher sets the basket up on a table with pictures of objects and some nursery rhyme story books.

 

Students later freely play with matching objects from the basket with rhyming picture cards. For example, a picture of a cat is matched to a hat from the basket. The students can also use just picture cards and race each other to find objects from around the classroom that rhyme with the picture cards.

Card Rhyme Game

In this activity students are each given cards with simple CVC words written on them. Students are to read the card and then try and find its rhyming partner.

 

As students wonder around they are not allowed to show their card and instead have to say the word written on it to other students.

 

Both students listen to the words and decide whether or not they rhyme. If they do students then sit down together. If the words don't rhyme then the student continues on looking for their rhyming partner.

 

 

Before children can read some of their first exposure to literature is through song. Nursery rhymes introduce children to new vocabulary, sentence structure, rhyming words and even historial events, for example Ring Around a Rosie is about the buemonic plague. 

 

Nursery rhymes are short and easy for young children to remember. Exposure to nursery rhymes before and whilst at school helps children gain a simple understanding to the English language in a fun and enjoyable way. 

Kenney, S. General Music Today 2005

Nursery Rhymes

Pictured is an example of how nursery rhymes can be used in a literacy lesson. After discussing their favourite nursery rhymes in class the teacher wrote one onto a large card. As a class they discussed the importance of leaving spaces between each word and also which words rhymed in the song.

 

After this discussion the class then played a game. When the teacher pointed to a word in the song the children had to first try and read the word and then perform the action. The teacher supported the reading and linked the rhyming sounds of the words as they played the game.

 

The repeated singing of the nursery rhyme only helped to provide repeated exposure of rhyming words to the children. Having the nursery rhyme written on large card also helped students to identify that many of the rhyming words contained matching letter groups.

 

 

Australian Curriculum links

Content Description (ACELA1439)

 

Recognise rhymes, syllables and sounds (phonemes) in spoken words

 

Content Description (ACELT1579)

 

Replicate the rhythms and sound patterns in stories, rhymes, songs and poems from a range of cultures

 

 

 


 

Content Description (ACPMP008)

 

Practise fundamental movement skills and movement sequences using different body parts and in response to stimuli

 

 

OUTCOME 1: Children have a strong sense of identity

  • Children feel safe, secure, and supported

  • Children develop knowledgeable and confident self identities

 

OUTCOME 2: Children are connected with and contribute to their world

  • Children develop a sense of belonging to groups and communities and an understanding of the reciprocal rights and responsibilities necessary for active community participation

  • Children respond to diversity with respect

OUTCOME 3: Children have a strong sense wellbeing

  • Children become strong in their social and emotional wellbeing

 

OUTCOME 5: Children are effeective communicators

 

  • Children interact verbally and non-verbally with others for a range of purposes

  • Children engage with a range of texts and gain meaning from these texts

  •  Children begin to understand how symbols and pattern systems work

  • Children use information and communication technologies to access information, investigate ideas and represent their thinking

Early Years learning Framework

This app is called 'I Can Do Rhyming'. This is an instructional video which explains how to use it. Such an app could be used to present the concept of rhyme through another medium. It could also be used as a rotation activity to allow the teacher to work with a foucs group whilst other students used the app.

References

 

Kenney, S. (2005). p28-31. vol 19. Nursery Rhymes: Foundation for Learning. Retrieved from  http://eric.ed.gov/?id=EJ760246

 

South Australian Department of Edcuation. (2011). Research into Practice. Retrieved from www.decd.sa.gov.au

 

 

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