How to Study Nursery Rhymes & Language Development
Language development is an integral part of early education for children. During the first few years of a child's life, nursery rhymes may be used to augment this most critical aspect of language and speech development, as they are fun, catchy and easy to learn. As the brain rapidly develops while children prepare for school, it is essential that parents assist them in participating in the kinds of activities that support language and the gradual process of acquiring adult speech patterns, also known as phonological development.
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Instructions
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Read about language development in books. Study about language development techniques like reading aloud to children. This can both help in language learning and aids in literacy development. Find books with interesting illustrations and stories so that they can connect images with actions. Use a clear, slow voice. Point at words as they are spoken in a children's book so that the child may identify how sounds connect with the written word. This can also assist with memory development and make it easier to learn to speak.
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Find popular nursery rhymes that are easy to recite, such as "Rain, rain, go away; Come again another day" to help young children commit the words to memory. Repetition can help greatly when learning language. Advance to rhymes that are more challenging with words, like "Jack be nimble; Jack be quick; Jack jump over the candlestick" once the simpler ones are mastered. This can work to keep language development fun, fresh and exciting.
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Write rhymes out on flash cards. This can make it easier to remember the words, while also teaching the child how to recognize words and learn how to read. Encourage children to make their own rhymes to foster creativity and maintain interest in the activity. Listen as the child speaks. Break down each syllable to make it easier for them to learn. Have them repeat each syllable as it is spoken to ensure that they understand how to pronounce words correctly.
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Use counting rhymes to help the child gain an understanding of numbers. Rhymes like "One, two, buckle my shoe" is easy to say and to remember. Use photos or point physically to the objects you are talking about. For example, point to your shoe and theirs so they understand the words. Attaching concepts to words is important for early learning and speech development, as it fosters faster and more complete learning.
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Tips & Warnings
Take the time to ensure that the child understands what the words mean. Use photos for easy recognition.
Learning about language development is important for young children, as those with slower language skills can be subject to harmful long-term achievement deficits. Children begin school less prepared to to learn essential reading skills when they have low level language development.
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- Photo Credit babies taking first steps image by jedphoto from Fotolia.com
