Preschool Children's Receptive Word Learning Through Sung and Rhythmically Spoken Songs

• In Event: Moscone Center North Roundtable Session 13
  In Roundtable Session: Strategies to Support Student Vocabulary Learning

Abstract

Early vocabulary knowledge predicts later reading comprehension and academic success. Many studies focus on supporting vocabulary through direct verbal instruction and shared book reading contexts, but few explore songs as a context for building children’s knowledge about words. Using a within-subject design, we conducted an intervention that investigated preschool children’s receptive word learning from songs. Words were taught with picture cards-only, a song that was sung, and a song that was rhythmically-spoken. We found that children learned words when taught with songs, but receptive word knowledge did not vary across picture card-only instruction and the both song conditions. The findings of this study contribute an understanding of whether songs, and their modality of performance, can foster preschool children’s word learning.

Authors

• Jessica Lawson-Adams, Vanderbilt University

• David K. Dickinson, Vanderbilt University