The Benefits of Rhyming
Rhymes, for an unusual odd reason, continue to stick with us. Most people cannot help but remember songs that utilize rhymes. But why is this? Rhymes are mnemonic devices. A mnemonic device is a tool which helps a person easily learn something that might ordinarily be difficult. To put it simpler, it is comparable to hiding information in another thought. Rhyming combines the end of one lyric with the end of the next. With the ear, we are able to recall items easier. The melody of a song allows us to remember the tone and structure of the word. This subconsciously forces people to recall the next line before they even say it.
History of the ABCs
Theorists believe the alphabet originated from ancient Egypt, while others believe its roots are in ancient Greece. While the source of the alphabet is highly debated, the history of the Alphabet Song is more finite. The original source of the Alphabet Song comes from the nursery rhyme Twinkle Twinkle Little Star. This song was originally composed by Mozart in the late 1700s. As time passed, an English songwriter adopted the tone as a template to compose a song about the alphabet. The song was officially copyrighted in the 1830s with the title A.B.C.
Hidden benefits of the abc song
- The alphabet assists children with identification skills. The song allows children to identify letters. Frequently encountering letters forces the child to easily recognize them in words. This improves the child’s logic, speech, language, and reasoning skills.
- Singing the alphabet improves the child’s ability to sound out words and letters. The letter ‘O’ sounds the same as its name, as does the letter ‘B’. Most letters of the alphabet follow this pattern. This allows the child to easily recognize the letter when they hear it. The performance of the Alphabet Song develops phonetics skills, memorization, and rhyming.
- When the Alphabet Song is combined with physical activity it creates an active learning environment. The application of active movement learning tools has shown the capability to help children improve their ability to recall information. The incorporation of movement helps develop the child’s gross motor skills.
Using the ABCs
When learning the ABCs, it is natural to assume that the only subject being taught is that of language. In actuality, teachers, and parents can use the ABCs as a gateway to other topics. The typical alphabet book uses topics such as animals, cars, bedtime routine, and fruits to teach the child about topics outside of the alphabet. The alphabet can be utilized to gauge an interest the child might have.
How to teach the ABCs
As stated earlier, a method a person can use to teach the alphabet is making it a full body learning experience. This is a method often used at preschool. By incorporating any sort of movement into the rhyme, the child is more likely to enjoy the learning experience, while also showing a comprehensive grasp of the material.