I believe wholeheartedly in the power of music to enhance speech and language learning. Whether you are trying to remember your phone number, memorize 5 facts for a history test, or learn how to spell a complicated word, attaching those skills with a song can be a huge help. The same is true for young children learning to talk. Music is a learning tool.
In my journey of writing songs, I discovered that some children would cover their ears when hearing people sing. This was certainly a frustrating situation when I was trying to create songs that would be helpful to their communication skills. In watching them, though, they seemed to tolerate spoken words that were put to rhythm and music more than singing. That was the beginning of my life as a “rapper!” Please keep in mind that I use the term, “rapping,” very loosely. ????
When you listen to song samples of my songs, you will hear that some are sung and some are spoken, but all contain simple, catchy rhythm and melody in the background. I know that “rapping” may have a totally different definition than I am using here, but for lack of a better word, I call my songs with spoken words, “raps.”
Let me give you an example. Go to my song sample page of Imitation Exploration Set 1. The song, Baby Blowing Bubbles, is a simple song that is sung and emphasizes vocabulary associated with blowing bubbles. Kids love this song! In my “rap” style, you can go to the “Hi Song” and hear a distinct rhythm and melody but with spoken words emphasizing 2 word phrases. Both songs are loved by kids, but both have a distinctly different style.
I challenge all of you to create your own songs or raps to teach your children or yourself a skill that you find complex. You may be surprised at how much easier it is to learn.
