Throughout this blog series, we’ve looked at how embodied education can support your student in myriad ways, leading to improved behavior and better physical and mental health. For our parents of young students, we wanted to look today at how embodied education principles can even support early language development!
Rhythm + Beat
Studies are looking at the link between music and language. Interestingly, they are finding that both rhythm and beat are linked to language skill ability. In one study, researchers found that teenagers who struggled to maintain rhythm also tended to struggle in their language abilities. Dr. Kraus (of the Auditory Neuroscience Lab at Northwestern University) was involved with this study, and stated to BBC News that “in both speech and music, rhythm provides a temporal map with signposts to the most likely locations of meaningful input”¹. So, if your child develops a good grasp of rhythm, this will serve them well as they learn both language and music!
We can easily find the roots of the rhythm-language connection in early language development. Young children who are learning language are establishing “phonemic awareness”. This is an awareness that words, like beats, are discrete sounds. Music + movement and dance camps help children build these essential connections in a fun, accessible way.
Intentional Sensory Activities
Another way to support your child’s language development is by incorporating sensory activities. Experts have long been encouraging sensory activities for language learners because of how helpful movement is in developing language connections. In fact, “recent research demonstrates that similar brain areas are involved in constructing the meaning from linguistic and gestural input”².
So, when you constructively use gestures, there’s a good chance your gestures are helping your child make linguistic meanings, too. Intentional sensory activities can include everything from open-ended toys to music and movement dance and theater classes.
Are you interested in theater or dance camps for your child? If so, check out our Summer 2019 camps and classes to support your language learner. We now have offerings at both our Cedar Creek and South Olathe locations! Learn more here.
Sources:
¹https://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-24124158
²https://www.mpi.nl/q-a/questions-and-answers/what-is-the-connection-between-movement-and-language