THE EFFECT OF SONGS AND CHANTS WITH WORDS ON PHONOLOGICAL AWARENESS IN EARLY CHILDHOOD
Date
2020-05
Authors
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Publisher
University of Delaware
Abstract
During the earliest years of life, a child’s music aptitude fluctuates based on
the richness and diversity of musical experiences a child encounters (Gordon, 2012,
2013), while phonological awareness— the ability to identify and manipulate
individual sounds within words— is also expected to develop at a rapid rate
(Golinkoff & Hirsh-Pasek, 2000; Molfese & Molfese, 1979). Some researchers have
explored (a) the similarities between music learning and phonological awareness
development (Anvari, et al., 2002; Lucas & Gromko, 2007) and (b) the effect of music
instruction on phonological awareness skills (Bolduc & Lefebvre, 2012; Escalda, et
al., 2011; Gromko, 2005), but little research exists that specifically examines the
effects of songs and chants with words on phonological awareness in young children.
The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of songs and chants with words on
the phonological awareness of children ages three to four. The study took place over
the course of five weeks at a preschool in the Northeastern region of the United States
with two intact preschool classes of children ages three to four (N=10). Both groups
participated in 10 music classes over the course of five weeks; the control group (n=3)
was taught using songs and chants without words, and the experimental group (n=7)
was taught using songs and chants with words.
To examine the effectiveness of the intervention (the music classes with
words), the researcher administered the phonological awareness subtest of the
Preschool Early Literacy Indicators (PELI) test before and after the five weeks of
music instruction (Good & Kaminski, 2019). Afterwards, the researcher analyzed the
data using an independent samples t-test (p=.05).
The null hypothesis for the research question was rejected; the control group
showed significant improvement after music classes without words t(9)=2.639, p<.05.
The two conclusions drawn from this pilot study were as follows: (a) Songs and chants
with words do not affect the phonological awareness of children ages three to four and
(b) Songs and chants without words increase the phonological awareness of children
ages three to four. Since this study did not meet the assumptions for sample size, it is
considered a pilot study. This study holds implications for both early childhood music
teachers and classroom teachers who are looking to improve inclusivity in the
classroom and implement activities that improve phonological awareness in their
lessons. Teaching music classes with songs and chants on a neutral syllable may allow
teachers to integrate explicit interventions for students with specific learning needs
and implement a universal design for learning.
Description
Keywords
music, music education, chants, songs, phonological awareness