Sue Newman, Boogie Mites UK

Music and pre-phonics skills

Building strong foundations for phonics is a key foundation required for starting school. If children start school without foundations for phonics in place they may never catch up. Teaching of phonics is quickly followed by reading and writing, and if children do not have a fully developed auditory processing system ready for discriminating between sounds, known as phonological awareness, they will not be able to access the phonics learning and hence will not be strong readers and writers, impacting their education outcomes from the start. This makes building strong foundations for phonics a key priority for all pre-school childcare providers and parents.

We have neuroscience and research evidence that shows us how regular music activities with pre-school children have the potential to develop the pre-phonics skills needed.

In the words of neuromusical researcher Dr Anita Collins:

“Neuroscience evidence show us that music learning before the age of 5 has a causal relationship with strong language development and phonological awareness, building the cognitive foundations needed for pre-literacy (learning to read and write) by strengthening the connections between the auditory, visual and motor cortices of the brain.”

Studies with 3-4 year olds show us that for the brain to process the component parts of language a huge number of messages need to fire around the brain and they use the same circuit of neural pathways that are developed through regular music practice in early years – developing melodic and rhythmic awareness through playing with pitch, tempo, dynamics, rhythm and keeping the beat with moving, singing, shaking, tapping and banging activities.

The level of synchronisation that is needed between the auditory, visual and motor cortices of the brain to make sense of the messages (language or music) is tied to the motor circuit which is developed through keeping the beat and rhythmic awareness activities promoted through music practice.

A research study by Dr Nina Kraus at Northwestern University, Illinois has found biological evidence linking music, rhythmic abilities and language skills – specifically linking the ability to keep a beat to the neural encoding of speech sounds. This finding indicates a fundamental impact on early years learning for pre-literacy skills.

In addition to the neuroscience evidence that tells us how the neural circuits between music and language are so closely linked, we also know from experience and research that there are other factors that support music training for strengthening pre-literacy skills:

• Music training, by definition, results in developing higher awareness of sounds. Regular involvement in music activities will develop the awareness of syllables, onset rime and phoneme awareness.
• Music activities are more engaging than phonics exercises so children will be more attentive and motivated to take part.
• Songs and rhymes have deliberate patterning so are extremely useful in developing the sound processing of stressed syllables – an area which is found to be weak in children with dyslexia.
• Group music activities promote social cohesion and group skills, communication, self-expression and confidence, all of which support development of literacy and learning at school.
• Music is linked to memory and we remember things learnt through music more easily than words without music.

In conclusion there is strong evidence to support boosting pre-school music provision, to support vital school ready skills that support language, reading and writing learning. Boosting music provision in pre-school childcare settings and homes is what we do at Boogie Mites!

Try these activities

Words and sentences have an intrinsic rhythm. Children can develop an awareness of this by developing their sound processing skills and playing with syllables of words through music activities. Try one of the songs from Boogie Mites School Ready Music Programme – as a PACEY reader you can sign up to set up access free of charge.

This is a great song to follow story time, later in the day or the next day, follow up the story with a group Let’s Tap A Word (LTAW) session. Ask the children to think of words from the story to include in the song. You can ask them to recap the events of the story in sequence, asking for them to pick favourite words. This will encourage them to use memory recall and support their listening, attention and syllabic awareness, key foundations for literacy.

Boogie Mites Core Music Programmes

Boogie Mites music programmes provide everything you need to boost your music provision in the setting, for each age group, boosting movement, mood and cognitive development for all involved – staff and children.

• Boogie Mites School Ready Music Programme (3-5 years)
• Boogie Mites Minis Music Programme (2-3 years)
• Boogie Mites Teenies Music Programme (crawlers to 2 years)

More for PACEY members

Exclusive discounts: PACEY members are eligible for an exclusive discount on on all Boogie Mites practitioner products and webinars. Claim a 50% discount for childminders (includes licence for use in home settings) or 20% discount for nurseries (includes licence for use in public settings). Access the discounts in MyPACEY.

PACEY Live: The why and how of music in the early years: Join our PACEY Live (8 December 2022 at 7pm) as we examine the neuroscience of music in the early years with Community Musician Olivia McLennan from Boogie Mites and enhance your confidence and skills in delivering musical opportunities in your setting. Register now in MyPACEY.