Total Physical Song, Rhythm and Rhyme

Language class is an ideal environment for tapping our musical intelligence. Among the benefits of using songs as a vehicle for first and second language acquisition, increased retention ranks paramount.Experience teaches us that tunes and lyrics stay with us for periods longer than 20 years. Most adults can easily retrieve poems and songs from childhood, even though this information has not been actively reviewed for years. The majority of us can effortlessly recall songs sung only once a year, as evidenced when Christmas time rolls around. The advertising industry has long known the potential of tunes, catchy lines and rhymes to put the names of their products on our lips. There is little doubt that songs and rhymes access long-term memory. Total Physical Song Rhythm and Rhyme incorporates powerful elements which promote storage of information in long-term memory. All the following songs and rhymes feature an activity with movement to complement or demonstrate the lyrics. This integration of music and kinesthetic response multiplies the recall potential because the information is now retrievable through additional modes. When motor neurons activate additional channels of learning, awareness and understanding are increased. The more connections that can be made in the brain, the more integrated the experience becomes in the memory. Read more