Engineering is receiving unprecedented attention in early childhood and elementary classrooms. Teachers of young children may recognize the ways young children act as natural engineers as they design and create with materials from the classroom or playground. Everyday experiences such as choosing the type of bag: paper, plastic, or a reusable…

Regardless of where schools are located, teachers face the challenge of teaching and mentoring children, not only in academic achievement but in social emotional development. When faced with challenges, young children are especially vulnerable because they lack the life experience and developmental maturity to adequately cope. Relying on the lead…

Many U.S. classrooms today have at least some children with limited abilities to understand and express themselves in English. Two critical factors spell success or failure for teachers who have dual language learners (DLLs) in their classrooms: the teacher's understanding of and respect for the initial difficulties in learning a second language…

During the first decade of the twenty-first century there have been increasing numbers of bilingual children entering early years settings, many of whom are new to English. Twelve percent of school children in the UK are identified as having a mother tongue other than English and this number rises to 50% in urban areas such as inner London. In…

Suggests that finger plays and action rhymes aid infants and toddlers in language development; introduce number concepts, drama, and music; develop fine motor skills; and increase auditory memory. Includes 11 English and nine Spanish-language activity rhymes. (LBT)

Drama through Mother Goose nursery rhymes can be integrated in the pre-K-3 curriculum. Activities can range from spontaneous gestures and facial expression, to guided performance where a teacher might have specific objectives in mind and rehearse a rhyme for formal performance. Activities include unison or choral speaking; "line-a-child"…

Tips for using nursery rhymes to stimulate creative reading attitudes in young children. (CM)

Examines the rhymes and linguistic tricks used by children, focusing on the rhyme, syllable structure, word boundaries, rhythm, meaning, and social uses of school children's poetry and rhymes. Examples are provided of various past and current poems and rhymes. (Contains 10 references.) (MDM)

Preschool and elementary school children can participate in pleasurable and worthwhile language experiences through the use of rhythmic group chants. Teachers can select contemporary poems, nursery rhymes, or have children make up their own chants. Provides examples of group chants and sources for chants, rhymes, and poems. (MDM)

Reports a strong, highly specific relationship between young children's knowledge of nursery rhymes and the development of phonological skills, which remained significant when differences in IQ and social background were controlled. Measures of nursery rhymes and alliteration were related to early reading skills. (Author/NH)

The article considers nursery rhymes as the foundation for learning. It is said that nursery rhymes carry all the parts of language that lead to speaking and reading. Because rhymes are short, they are easy for children to repeat, and become some of the first sentences children utter. The rhymes expand vocabulary, exposing children to words they…

Traditional rhymes and folktales can offer understanding of our customs and culture but also contain elements that can raise obstacles to the academic and social development of young children, especially those from other cultures. Consider the following when evaluating traditional literature: meaningful language, unintentional promotion of…

Provides guidelines for using action (pop-up) books of rhymes and tales to help children develop prereading skills and a sense of story structure. (AEW)