Music and Literacy

Abstract

Music and literacy share many of the same skills; therefore, it is no surprise that music and literacy programs can be used together to help children learn to read. Music study can help promote literacy skills such as vocabulary, articulation, pronunciation, grammar, fluency, writing, sentence patterns, rhythm/parts of speech, auditory processing, and prosody. Using music to help promote reading comprehension and literacy skills is beneficial for young children. Teachers who include music in their reading programs notice that their students are more motivated to learn. Music teachers can also help promote literacy within our own programs by using finger plays, singing, singing games, poems, and stories that include rhyme, rhythm, and alliteration—materials already part of our music curricula. Having music specialists, reading specialists, and general classroom teachers working together to promote student literacy can help make students more strategic readers.