Dr. Wendy Ghiora – Posting #30 – November 28, 2009
Have you ever noticed how the kids look forward to their P.E. class? Many kids also look forward to team practices after school and on weekends. Maybe there are some valuable lessons we, as classroom teachers can learn from coaches, and maybe coaches can learn a few of our tricks as well.
The Focus
Experienced coaches, like experienced classroom teachers, give students a clear goal for the day at the beginning of class. When a team practice begins, what a good coach does, in effect, is focus their athletes on the task for the day. Inexperienced coaches tend to be sloppy about the way they begin practice. The same can be said for classroom teachers. Experienced teachers, like good coaches, have a goal in mind, and make that the focal point from the moment the class begins.
Students Learn Best at the Beginning and End of Class
Reasearch shows, students are able to absorb more information at the beginning and end of class. This is the reason experienced coaches introduce new material during the first hour of a practice session. Likewise, the best teachers introduce what they expect the students to know and be able to do at the beginning of the lesson.
If that is the way they begin sessions, how do they end them? Both experienced classroom teachers and sport coaches end with applications. For the teacher, review of the day’s lesson can be most effective. For the coach, integrating what was learned into the offensive or defensive system helps drill in information.
One of the easiest and best ways of ending a lesson or a practice is by reviewing (verbally, physically, or visually) what students learned that day and why it will help them. It is even better when students are asked to verbally, physically, or visually tell a fellow student or teammate what they learned that day. This gets the entire class or team engaged and imprints the new knowledge in their memory. They now inherently know they really did learn something new!
Peer Coaching
It has been said, “If you want to learn something, teach it.” Studies indicate that one of the most powerful teaching tools extant is having the students teach one another. Smart coaches often put the upper classmen in charge of teaching the novices, even during the practice. While watching the athletes teach one another, the coach can be carefully listening in on what is being taught as it is being taught. Great classroom teachers use the peer method for teaching everything from learning basic sight words to learning how to take lab notes for a classroom science experiment.
Goal Setting
This can be done far more effectively by involving the athletes or students in the process. For the coach, one of the best ways of motivating the athletes is by including them in the decision-making process in such areas as team organization, practice, uniforms, game strategy, leadership development, and even team rules. With the classroom teacher as facilitator, students can be included in deciding classroom rules, the parameters and requirements of a specific upcoming project in history, or virtually any subject.
Put It In Writing
As we know, there are several learning styles and one student’s best learning strategy, may be different than another’s. In athletics, some players learn best on the court or field, in action, while others will benefit from being able to see diagrams and read text, or watch video with the same information. However, having something written to refer to is your insurance policy. For that reason, coaches should put in writing whatever they are trying to teach. Good teachers also know this, and use a myriad of written resources including: note cards, posters, books and handouts with specific information for the current topic. In testing students who have been taught by video, audiotape, and reading, coaches will find that reading produces the best results. Coaches can derive great use out of a simple booklet describing the most important things they want their athletes to know. The booklet is easy to write and puts all the basic knowledge at the athletes' fingertips.
Stay tuned next week for more ideas on teaching like a coach and coaching like a teacher.
Saturday, November 28, 2009
Saturday, November 21, 2009
THE CREATION OF THE TEACHER
Dr. Wendy Ghiora – Posting #38 – November 21, 2009
At this time of the year, many of us think of those things and those people we are thankful for. I believe most of us have one special teacher or coach we remember as being a very special part of who we are today. For that reason, I would like to wish all of you and your families a very Happy Thanksgiving and share this poem with you. Please pass it on to some teachers you know. Most of them rarely think of their impact on others, as they are too busy working hard to help those kids.
THE CREATION OF THE TEACHER
Author Unknown
The Good Lord was creating teachers. It was His sixth day of 'overtime' and He knew that this was a tremendous responsibility for teachers would touch the lives of so many impressionable young children. An angel appeared to Him and said, "You are taking a long time to figure this one out."
"Yes," said the Lord, " but have you read the specs on this order?"
TEACHER:
…must stand above all students, yet be on their level
... must be able to do 180 things not connected with the subject being taught
... must run on coffee and leftovers,
... must communicate vital knowledge to all students daily and be right most of the time
... must have more time for others than for herself/himself
... must have a smile that can endure through pay cuts, problematic children, and worried parents
... must go on teaching when parents question every move and others are not supportive
... must have 6 pair of hands.
"Six pair of hands, " said the angel, "that's impossible"
"Well, " said the Lord, " it is not the hands that are the problem. It is the three pairs of eyes that are presenting the most difficulty!"
The angel looked incredulous, " Three pairs of eyes...on a standard model?"
The Lord nodded His head, " One pair can see a student for what he is and not what others have labeled him as. Another pair of eyes is in the back of the teacher's head to see what should not be seen, but what must be known. The eyes in the front are only to look at the child as he/she 'acts out' in order to reflect, " I understand and I still believe in you", without so much as saying a word to the child."
"Lord, " said the angel, " this is a very large project and I think you should work on it tomorrow".
"I can't," said the Lord, " for I have come very close to creating something much like Myself. I have one that comes to work when he/she is sick.....teaches a class of children that do not want to learn....has a special place in his/her heart for children who are not his/her own.....understands the struggles of those who have difficulty....never takes the students for granted..."
The angel looked closely at the model the Lord was creating.
"It is too soft-hearted, " said the angel.
"Yes," said the Lord, " but also tough, You can not imagine what this teacher can endure or do, if necessary"
.
"Can this teacher think?" asked the angel.
"Not only think," said the Lord,. "but reason and compromise."
The angel came closer to have a better look at the model and ran his finger over the teacher's cheek.
"Well, Lord, " said the angel, your job looks fine but there is a leak. I told you that you were putting too much into this model. You can not imagine the stress that will be placed upon the teacher."
The Lord moved in closer and lifted the drop of moisture from the teacher's cheek. It shone and glistened in the light.
"It is not a leak," He said, "It is a tear."
"A tear? What is that?" asked the angel, "What is a tear for?"
The Lord replied with great thought, " It is for the joy and pride of seeing a child accomplish even the smallest task. It is for the loneliness of children who have a hard time to fit in and it is for compassion for the feelings of their parents. It comes from the pain of not being able to reach some children and the disappointment those children feel in themselves. It comes often when a teacher has been with a class for a year and must say good-bye to those students and get ready to welcome a new class."
"My, " said the angel, " The tear thing is a great idea...You are a genius!!"
The Lord looked somber, "I didn't put it there."
At this time of the year, many of us think of those things and those people we are thankful for. I believe most of us have one special teacher or coach we remember as being a very special part of who we are today. For that reason, I would like to wish all of you and your families a very Happy Thanksgiving and share this poem with you. Please pass it on to some teachers you know. Most of them rarely think of their impact on others, as they are too busy working hard to help those kids.
THE CREATION OF THE TEACHER
Author Unknown
The Good Lord was creating teachers. It was His sixth day of 'overtime' and He knew that this was a tremendous responsibility for teachers would touch the lives of so many impressionable young children. An angel appeared to Him and said, "You are taking a long time to figure this one out."
"Yes," said the Lord, " but have you read the specs on this order?"
TEACHER:
…must stand above all students, yet be on their level
... must be able to do 180 things not connected with the subject being taught
... must run on coffee and leftovers,
... must communicate vital knowledge to all students daily and be right most of the time
... must have more time for others than for herself/himself
... must have a smile that can endure through pay cuts, problematic children, and worried parents
... must go on teaching when parents question every move and others are not supportive
... must have 6 pair of hands.
"Six pair of hands, " said the angel, "that's impossible"
"Well, " said the Lord, " it is not the hands that are the problem. It is the three pairs of eyes that are presenting the most difficulty!"
The angel looked incredulous, " Three pairs of eyes...on a standard model?"
The Lord nodded His head, " One pair can see a student for what he is and not what others have labeled him as. Another pair of eyes is in the back of the teacher's head to see what should not be seen, but what must be known. The eyes in the front are only to look at the child as he/she 'acts out' in order to reflect, " I understand and I still believe in you", without so much as saying a word to the child."
"Lord, " said the angel, " this is a very large project and I think you should work on it tomorrow".
"I can't," said the Lord, " for I have come very close to creating something much like Myself. I have one that comes to work when he/she is sick.....teaches a class of children that do not want to learn....has a special place in his/her heart for children who are not his/her own.....understands the struggles of those who have difficulty....never takes the students for granted..."
The angel looked closely at the model the Lord was creating.
"It is too soft-hearted, " said the angel.
"Yes," said the Lord, " but also tough, You can not imagine what this teacher can endure or do, if necessary"
.
"Can this teacher think?" asked the angel.
"Not only think," said the Lord,. "but reason and compromise."
The angel came closer to have a better look at the model and ran his finger over the teacher's cheek.
"Well, Lord, " said the angel, your job looks fine but there is a leak. I told you that you were putting too much into this model. You can not imagine the stress that will be placed upon the teacher."
The Lord moved in closer and lifted the drop of moisture from the teacher's cheek. It shone and glistened in the light.
"It is not a leak," He said, "It is a tear."
"A tear? What is that?" asked the angel, "What is a tear for?"
The Lord replied with great thought, " It is for the joy and pride of seeing a child accomplish even the smallest task. It is for the loneliness of children who have a hard time to fit in and it is for compassion for the feelings of their parents. It comes from the pain of not being able to reach some children and the disappointment those children feel in themselves. It comes often when a teacher has been with a class for a year and must say good-bye to those students and get ready to welcome a new class."
"My, " said the angel, " The tear thing is a great idea...You are a genius!!"
The Lord looked somber, "I didn't put it there."
Saturday, November 14, 2009
TIME FOR TEAMWORK IN THE CLASSROOM
Dr. Wendy Ghiora - Posting #37 - November 14, 2009
Why Should Teachers Care About Teamwork?
Teamwork has become an important part of today’s employment market and many businesses now look at teamwork skills when evaluating a person for employment. Most companies realize that teamwork is important because: The product is sufficiently complex and requires a team with multiple skills to produce, and/or a better product will result when a team approach is taken. Therefore, it is important that students learn to work as a team so they will have this skill when they enter the workforce.
For that reason, collaborative learning should be included in almost every classroom, but some teachers struggle with having students work cooperatively. The reason they struggle may be: they don’t know how to develop good team exercises. Also, it is more difficult to assess the individual performance of the team members. This is where understanding how to teach effective teamwork becomes a crucial task for the teacher. Allow me to show you the best way I can think of to accomplish this. We’ll begin by learning a bit more about the ingredients that make up good teamwork.
Teamwork Defined
According to Webster's New World Dictionary, teamwork is "a joint action by a group of people, in which each person subordinates his or her individual interests and opinions to the unity and efficiency of the group." The most effective teamwork is produced when all the individuals involved harmonize their contributions and work towards a common goal.
Characteristics of Effective Teams
The following are eight characteristics of effective teams that were identified by Larson and LaFasto in their book titled Teamwork: What Must Go Right/What Can Go Wrong (Sage Publications 1989).
Following each characteristic, I have included an example of how this could be used in classroom application.
1. The team must have a clear goal. Avoid fuzzy, motherhood statements. Team goals should call for a specific performance objective, expressed so concisely that everyone knows when the objective has been met.
Drama students identify by name, with 100% accuracy all areas on stage. This will be measured by written exam and by practical test on stage.
2. The team must have a results-driven structure. The team should be allowed to operate in a manner that produces results leading toward the goal. It is often best to allow the team to develop the structure.
Team members will produce a rehearsal schedule with deadlines for line memorization and blocking of each scene and each act. Final checkout will be given by teacher on dates per student-produced schedule.
3. The team must have competent team members. In the education setting this can be taken to mean that the problem given to the team should be one that the members can tackle given their level of knowledge.
Beginning drama student teams will complete a group sketch of the set design for the scene they will perform. It will include correct measurements from each piece of furniture or object to all stage entrances and wall structures. Sketches are due two weeks prior to performance date.
4. The team must have unified commitment. This doesn't mean that team members must agree on everything. It means that all individuals must be directing their efforts towards the goal. If an individual's efforts are going purely towards personal goals, then the team will confront this and resolve the problem.
Drama team members will agree in writing to a rehearsal schedule to be followed. Should additional time be required, all members of the team will commit to being there.
5. The team must have a collaborative climate. It is a climate of trust produced by honest, open, consistent and respectful behavior. With this climate, teams perform well… without it, they fail.
Drama team members will know what is expected of them. They must show up on time and prepared each day. This means if all lines for scene 2 were to be memorized, then each performer on the team should memorize them. If one character doesn’t know his lines, it ruins the practice for the entire team.
6. The team must have high standards that are understood by all.
Team members must know what is expected of them individually and collectively. Vague statements such as "positive attitude" and "demonstrated effort" are not good enough.
Students will gradually earn the right to more freedom in rehearsal structure, as they produce the results sought by the team as a whole. Strict adherence to the agreed upon practice protocol will be observed. Groups may often decide to reward themselves at the end of the day for a job well done. If behavior is disrespectful, self-inflicted team penalties will apply.
7. The team must receive external support and encouragement. Encouragement and praise works just as well in motivating teams as it does with individuals.
The drama teacher will visit working teams frequently, giving authentic praise on specific team accomplishments. For example, “I like the way every member of this team learned their lines on time Well done!” “Now you’re ready to work on your character’s motivation. I can’t wait to see the final product!”
8. The team must have principled leadership. Teams usually need someone to lead the effort. Team members must know that the team leader has the position because they have good leadership skills and are working for the good of the team. The team members will be less supportive if they feel that the team leader is putting him/herself above the team, achieving personal recognition or otherwise benefiting from the position.
Your team captains must above all be fair-minded. They will earn respect as their leadership skills grow. They will continually work toward the success of their team as a whole. As the teacher, you will coach them so they can enjoy this difficult ride, and achieve their goal…
Teamwork, when used as a building block, rather than an afterthought, can produce a successful team of winning students!
Why Should Teachers Care About Teamwork?
Teamwork has become an important part of today’s employment market and many businesses now look at teamwork skills when evaluating a person for employment. Most companies realize that teamwork is important because: The product is sufficiently complex and requires a team with multiple skills to produce, and/or a better product will result when a team approach is taken. Therefore, it is important that students learn to work as a team so they will have this skill when they enter the workforce.
For that reason, collaborative learning should be included in almost every classroom, but some teachers struggle with having students work cooperatively. The reason they struggle may be: they don’t know how to develop good team exercises. Also, it is more difficult to assess the individual performance of the team members. This is where understanding how to teach effective teamwork becomes a crucial task for the teacher. Allow me to show you the best way I can think of to accomplish this. We’ll begin by learning a bit more about the ingredients that make up good teamwork.
Teamwork Defined
According to Webster's New World Dictionary, teamwork is "a joint action by a group of people, in which each person subordinates his or her individual interests and opinions to the unity and efficiency of the group." The most effective teamwork is produced when all the individuals involved harmonize their contributions and work towards a common goal.
Characteristics of Effective Teams
The following are eight characteristics of effective teams that were identified by Larson and LaFasto in their book titled Teamwork: What Must Go Right/What Can Go Wrong (Sage Publications 1989).
Following each characteristic, I have included an example of how this could be used in classroom application.
1. The team must have a clear goal. Avoid fuzzy, motherhood statements. Team goals should call for a specific performance objective, expressed so concisely that everyone knows when the objective has been met.
Drama students identify by name, with 100% accuracy all areas on stage. This will be measured by written exam and by practical test on stage.
2. The team must have a results-driven structure. The team should be allowed to operate in a manner that produces results leading toward the goal. It is often best to allow the team to develop the structure.
Team members will produce a rehearsal schedule with deadlines for line memorization and blocking of each scene and each act. Final checkout will be given by teacher on dates per student-produced schedule.
3. The team must have competent team members. In the education setting this can be taken to mean that the problem given to the team should be one that the members can tackle given their level of knowledge.
Beginning drama student teams will complete a group sketch of the set design for the scene they will perform. It will include correct measurements from each piece of furniture or object to all stage entrances and wall structures. Sketches are due two weeks prior to performance date.
4. The team must have unified commitment. This doesn't mean that team members must agree on everything. It means that all individuals must be directing their efforts towards the goal. If an individual's efforts are going purely towards personal goals, then the team will confront this and resolve the problem.
Drama team members will agree in writing to a rehearsal schedule to be followed. Should additional time be required, all members of the team will commit to being there.
5. The team must have a collaborative climate. It is a climate of trust produced by honest, open, consistent and respectful behavior. With this climate, teams perform well… without it, they fail.
Drama team members will know what is expected of them. They must show up on time and prepared each day. This means if all lines for scene 2 were to be memorized, then each performer on the team should memorize them. If one character doesn’t know his lines, it ruins the practice for the entire team.
6. The team must have high standards that are understood by all.
Team members must know what is expected of them individually and collectively. Vague statements such as "positive attitude" and "demonstrated effort" are not good enough.
Students will gradually earn the right to more freedom in rehearsal structure, as they produce the results sought by the team as a whole. Strict adherence to the agreed upon practice protocol will be observed. Groups may often decide to reward themselves at the end of the day for a job well done. If behavior is disrespectful, self-inflicted team penalties will apply.
7. The team must receive external support and encouragement. Encouragement and praise works just as well in motivating teams as it does with individuals.
The drama teacher will visit working teams frequently, giving authentic praise on specific team accomplishments. For example, “I like the way every member of this team learned their lines on time Well done!” “Now you’re ready to work on your character’s motivation. I can’t wait to see the final product!”
8. The team must have principled leadership. Teams usually need someone to lead the effort. Team members must know that the team leader has the position because they have good leadership skills and are working for the good of the team. The team members will be less supportive if they feel that the team leader is putting him/herself above the team, achieving personal recognition or otherwise benefiting from the position.
Your team captains must above all be fair-minded. They will earn respect as their leadership skills grow. They will continually work toward the success of their team as a whole. As the teacher, you will coach them so they can enjoy this difficult ride, and achieve their goal…
Teamwork, when used as a building block, rather than an afterthought, can produce a successful team of winning students!
Saturday, November 7, 2009
Kids' Skills Climb by Simply Using Rhyme
Dr. Wendy Ghiora – Posting #36 – November 7, 2009
Wouldn’t it be great to be able to use a teaching device that not only worked, but also had the kids begging for more? Using rhyme as a teaching tool does just that. It is so enjoyable, students don’t even realize they are working and learning new skills.
One learning area where rhyme is a facilitator is reading. Reading is one of the most challenging yet important tasks a child must master. A child's successful accomplishment of this feat is one of the strongest indicators of future success--and a child's struggle with reading is one of the strongest indicators of future failure. One of the keys to success in this accomplishment is making sure that rhyme is a part of the child's reading regimen, especially in early reading development. There are three important reasons why rhyme is important in learning to read.
One simple reason why rhyme is important is that it is fun. Playing with rhyme is learning but because it is fun, children are willing to spend a lot of time rhyming and learning more about rhyme. This makes rhyme a great teaching tool and a great motivator for learning. Rhymes are easier to learn and remember than non-rhymes and that is why many learning tools for older children and adults still include rhyme. Did someone say learning couldn’t be fun?
A second reason rhyme is important to emergent and beginning readers is because it teaches children about the language. Rhyming helps children learn about word families such as let, met, pet, wet, and get. Rhyming also teaches children the sound of the language. Other important skills include phonological awareness, the ability to notice and work with the sounds in language. Rhymes help children with phonemic awareness, which is the knowledge that phonemes are the smallest units of sounds that make up words. Dr. Seuss Books used rhyme to teach tracking. When one word or only one letter is different than another, it causes children to notice the difference. In this way, rhyming teaches grapheme awareness, a brother of phonemic awareness. This awareness leads to reading and writing success. And did I mention it’s also fun? (Shhh, don’t tell anyone).
Third, rhyme also teaches children who are learning to read about the patterns and structures of both spoken and written language. Songs and rhymes expose children to the rhythm of the language. This will help them read with some animation in their voice instead of just a monotone. Rhyme also prepares children to make predictions while learning words and gives them crucial decoding skills. Students also seem to enjoy reading rhymes. It’s almost as if they’re having fun….
While learning to read is difficult and challenging for most children, rhyme can help make the task both easier and more fun, teach important language skills, and teach language patterns and structure. These three benefits are important reasons to make rhyme a part of a child's early learning.
Many rhymes include particular actions, dances or motions, which children will gradually associate with a particular song or rhyme. Each rhyme, poem or song has a rhythm, which aids kids in remembering the words they contain, ultimately helping in the development of auditory memory skills in kids. Auditory memory is the ability to recall information that has been given orally. The golden age for memory development is widely believed to be between ages 6-9. During this time a child is able to memorize quickly, plus remember things for a greater span of time, rather longer than any other period of time during their life span.
Another subject that can be learned with the help of rhyme is counting. Counting is present in many nursery rhymes, thus children start learning how to count while having fun using nursery rhymes.
Here is an example of a counting rhyme some of you may be familiar with:
A Counting Rhyme
One, two,
Buckle my shoe;
Three, four,
Shut the door;
Five, six,
Pick up sticks;
Seven, eight,
Lay them straight;
Nine, ten,
A big, fat hen;
Eleven, twelve,
Dig and delve;
Thirteen, fourteen,
Maids a-courting;
Fifteen, sixteen,
Maids in the kitchen;
Seventeen, eighteen,
Maids a-waiting;
Nineteen, twenty,
My plate's empty.
Learning the multiplication tables seems to be tough for many kids. However, teachers report phenomenal results when multiplication is taught through rhyme. Here are some of the rhymes used with great success:
Multiplication Rhymes for the Fours
Do this after students know how to multiply by 0, 1, 2, 3, 5, 10, and 11. Show students how they only need to learn four times 4, 6, 7, 8, and 9 to know all the fours. That's only five facts!
Tell this to the king and queen! 4 x 4 is 16.
Learn it now or your brain'll get sore! 6 x 4 is 24.
Say it now and you'll be first-rate! 4 x 7 is 28.
When I think of 8 I say "Achoo." 4 x 8 is 32.
Use your fingers when you're in a fix. 4 x 9 is 36.
Multiplication Rhymes for the Sixes
Do this after students know how to multiply by 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 10, and 11. Show students how they only need to learn six times 6, 7, 8, and 9 to know all the sixes. That's only four facts!
I know now and you do too! 6 x 7 is 42.
Learn it now and don't be late! 6 x 8 is 48.
Lay your fingers on the floor, cause 6 x 9 is 54!
It's a rhymer. You know 5 x 5 is 25, now say 6 x 6 is 36!
A large number of nursery rhymes contain mathematical concepts, such as time, height, counting, measurement, temperature, position, weather, volume, etc..There are also rhymes about the States, the Presidents, How to Pass a Bill, just to name a few. It seems the topics that can be learned through rhyme are virtually limitless.
Good teachers use rhythm and rhyme to help students focus on phonological and grammatical structures. The use of songs, raps, and rhyme facilitates linguistic development. In essence, words and linguistic rules are processed in the brain’s left hemisphere and music, memory, and problem solving are processed in the right hemisphere. Using rhythm in conjunction with linguistic structures stimulates activity between the two hemispheres resulting in stronger cerebral interactivity. Additionally, repetition provided by rhyme strengthens memory, and rhyme also serves as a mnemonic device. The phrasing of songs, raps and rhymes, enables learners to process linguistic structures in more manageable segments.
Teachers, you really can “have your cake and eat it too.” If you’ve always dreamed of really boosting your students’ learning skills and them enjoying the process, your dream can come true. Using rhyme as a group activity in the classroom creates a more relaxed atmosphere, in which children are engaged and eager to learn more. Why? You got it. They’re having fun!
Here are some links to a few resources for using rhyme to help children learn:
http://www.atozphonics.com/nurseryrhymeactivities.html
http://edsitement.neh.gov/view_lesson_plan.asp?id=259
http://www.succeedtoread.com/rhyme.html
Wouldn’t it be great to be able to use a teaching device that not only worked, but also had the kids begging for more? Using rhyme as a teaching tool does just that. It is so enjoyable, students don’t even realize they are working and learning new skills.
One learning area where rhyme is a facilitator is reading. Reading is one of the most challenging yet important tasks a child must master. A child's successful accomplishment of this feat is one of the strongest indicators of future success--and a child's struggle with reading is one of the strongest indicators of future failure. One of the keys to success in this accomplishment is making sure that rhyme is a part of the child's reading regimen, especially in early reading development. There are three important reasons why rhyme is important in learning to read.
One simple reason why rhyme is important is that it is fun. Playing with rhyme is learning but because it is fun, children are willing to spend a lot of time rhyming and learning more about rhyme. This makes rhyme a great teaching tool and a great motivator for learning. Rhymes are easier to learn and remember than non-rhymes and that is why many learning tools for older children and adults still include rhyme. Did someone say learning couldn’t be fun?
A second reason rhyme is important to emergent and beginning readers is because it teaches children about the language. Rhyming helps children learn about word families such as let, met, pet, wet, and get. Rhyming also teaches children the sound of the language. Other important skills include phonological awareness, the ability to notice and work with the sounds in language. Rhymes help children with phonemic awareness, which is the knowledge that phonemes are the smallest units of sounds that make up words. Dr. Seuss Books used rhyme to teach tracking. When one word or only one letter is different than another, it causes children to notice the difference. In this way, rhyming teaches grapheme awareness, a brother of phonemic awareness. This awareness leads to reading and writing success. And did I mention it’s also fun? (Shhh, don’t tell anyone).
Third, rhyme also teaches children who are learning to read about the patterns and structures of both spoken and written language. Songs and rhymes expose children to the rhythm of the language. This will help them read with some animation in their voice instead of just a monotone. Rhyme also prepares children to make predictions while learning words and gives them crucial decoding skills. Students also seem to enjoy reading rhymes. It’s almost as if they’re having fun….
While learning to read is difficult and challenging for most children, rhyme can help make the task both easier and more fun, teach important language skills, and teach language patterns and structure. These three benefits are important reasons to make rhyme a part of a child's early learning.
Many rhymes include particular actions, dances or motions, which children will gradually associate with a particular song or rhyme. Each rhyme, poem or song has a rhythm, which aids kids in remembering the words they contain, ultimately helping in the development of auditory memory skills in kids. Auditory memory is the ability to recall information that has been given orally. The golden age for memory development is widely believed to be between ages 6-9. During this time a child is able to memorize quickly, plus remember things for a greater span of time, rather longer than any other period of time during their life span.
Another subject that can be learned with the help of rhyme is counting. Counting is present in many nursery rhymes, thus children start learning how to count while having fun using nursery rhymes.
Here is an example of a counting rhyme some of you may be familiar with:
A Counting Rhyme
One, two,
Buckle my shoe;
Three, four,
Shut the door;
Five, six,
Pick up sticks;
Seven, eight,
Lay them straight;
Nine, ten,
A big, fat hen;
Eleven, twelve,
Dig and delve;
Thirteen, fourteen,
Maids a-courting;
Fifteen, sixteen,
Maids in the kitchen;
Seventeen, eighteen,
Maids a-waiting;
Nineteen, twenty,
My plate's empty.
Learning the multiplication tables seems to be tough for many kids. However, teachers report phenomenal results when multiplication is taught through rhyme. Here are some of the rhymes used with great success:
Multiplication Rhymes for the Fours
Do this after students know how to multiply by 0, 1, 2, 3, 5, 10, and 11. Show students how they only need to learn four times 4, 6, 7, 8, and 9 to know all the fours. That's only five facts!
Tell this to the king and queen! 4 x 4 is 16.
Learn it now or your brain'll get sore! 6 x 4 is 24.
Say it now and you'll be first-rate! 4 x 7 is 28.
When I think of 8 I say "Achoo." 4 x 8 is 32.
Use your fingers when you're in a fix. 4 x 9 is 36.
Multiplication Rhymes for the Sixes
Do this after students know how to multiply by 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 10, and 11. Show students how they only need to learn six times 6, 7, 8, and 9 to know all the sixes. That's only four facts!
I know now and you do too! 6 x 7 is 42.
Learn it now and don't be late! 6 x 8 is 48.
Lay your fingers on the floor, cause 6 x 9 is 54!
It's a rhymer. You know 5 x 5 is 25, now say 6 x 6 is 36!
A large number of nursery rhymes contain mathematical concepts, such as time, height, counting, measurement, temperature, position, weather, volume, etc..There are also rhymes about the States, the Presidents, How to Pass a Bill, just to name a few. It seems the topics that can be learned through rhyme are virtually limitless.
Good teachers use rhythm and rhyme to help students focus on phonological and grammatical structures. The use of songs, raps, and rhyme facilitates linguistic development. In essence, words and linguistic rules are processed in the brain’s left hemisphere and music, memory, and problem solving are processed in the right hemisphere. Using rhythm in conjunction with linguistic structures stimulates activity between the two hemispheres resulting in stronger cerebral interactivity. Additionally, repetition provided by rhyme strengthens memory, and rhyme also serves as a mnemonic device. The phrasing of songs, raps and rhymes, enables learners to process linguistic structures in more manageable segments.
Teachers, you really can “have your cake and eat it too.” If you’ve always dreamed of really boosting your students’ learning skills and them enjoying the process, your dream can come true. Using rhyme as a group activity in the classroom creates a more relaxed atmosphere, in which children are engaged and eager to learn more. Why? You got it. They’re having fun!
Here are some links to a few resources for using rhyme to help children learn:
http://www.atozphonics.com/nurseryrhymeactivities.html
http://edsitement.neh.gov/view_lesson_plan.asp?id=259
http://www.succeedtoread.com/rhyme.html
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