Silly Songs for Sight Words: Using Music and Multiple

Modalities to Enhance Literacy

Presented by Joan Young (Mancini)

Introductions

Who am I?3 passions

Who are you?What are your passions?

Who are our kids?• We know that there are

complex issues affecting students.

• Our students have diverse backgrounds and varied levels of reading readiness.

• Students may learn best through varied modalities and are interested mainly in having fun!

What are we Doing Here? We want to have fun in our teaching We want to be effective!• (got pressure?) We want to learn something new to

help us meet our goals!

Why Fun?

• When there’s fun in the classroom, students feel calmer and safer and are able to learn more!

How

can we meet our endless demands?• We will look at some activities that include

music and art to engage students and increase interest in learning sight words.

• But before we do, it’s always a good idea to include…..

A little research..

• Music is important in 3 ways:

• For arousal: music either increases or decreases the attentional neurotransmitters ; can be used to relax or increase reading ability and comprehension

• As a carrier: melody acts as a vehicle for the words

• Music activates body memory or procedural memory and is learning that lasts ( Jensen)

There’s more!

          Language in music and language in print have many similarities, such as the use of abstract symbols.  Both oral language and written language can be obtained in the same manner, that is, by using them in a variety of holistic literacy experiences, and building on what the students already know about oral and written language (Clay, 1993).

        Using music as a stimulus can effect one's emotions and make information easier to remember.

  Music also creates an environment that is conducive to learning. 

It can reduce stress, increase interest, and set the stage for listening and learning. 

The similarities between literacy acquisition and musical development are many. 

Therefore, teaching that combines music with language arts instruction can be the most effective (Davies, 2000).

How The Songs Came About

• During my first year of teaching Kindergarten, I worked in a very low socioeconomic school in Modesto.

• Partner used the Frog Street Press Color Songs big books and CD in her class.

Observations from then and later on:

• I noticed that music calmed the students. Even though they would get loud and silly during some of the songs, music eased many of the ELL student’s fears about participating ( they would sing but often not raise their hand to share)

I began writing!

• I wrote songs to the sight words included in my district’s state adopted Language Arts curriculum: HM

• I also wrote to include words that were frequently used in writing and that students would want to be able to write, such as “because.”

I began using them!• I made big books and started using them in

my class.• I also sent the manuscript off to Scholastic in

Dec. 2004. • Many students who struggled with visually

learning the words were able to access the learning through the melody and song.

• I shared with other teachers who loved the songs but didn’t want to sing without the music!

We Recorded Silly Songs

• With the help of my family: brothers, sisters, nieces, and nephews, we recorded the songs over the Christmas break, 2005.

• .

Meet the Original Silly Singers!

Not just silly fun lyrics!ContextUse of pronouns like he/she and

correct use of “because” helpful to EL learners

Strategies: use one word to learn another word

• The students, from many different language backgrounds learn so quickly through music. They learn how to use the word in context as well.

In 2007, Scholastic contacted me

And in November 2009 the revised edition with a new recording was released!

And now.. For a sampling

A

And now.. Ideas for activities

Creative Word Collage

Copy a class quantity of an enlarged sight wordDistribute the copies to children along with sheets of colored construction paper. Students cut a loose outline around the word, glue it to the center of the paper, and then print the sight word in each corner of their paper. They also can write a sentence with the word!

Examples:

Mini-books

Students can work on mini-books at center while listening to the song!

Kids love mini-books!

These books are great for the student to take home and sing as well as sing with a reading buddy. Great for interpersonal learners who learn by sharing and teaching others.

Sight word StickersUsing return address labels or even masking tape,

write the word in permanent marker on the label.

Let the child wear the word home to practice and “teach” his/her family.

The sticker encourages parents to ask the child what he/she is learning in class!

Ideas for “bumpy” words

• Use food coloring and rock salt to prepare little rocks to make bumpy words.

• Use a silver sharpie and write the sight word you are teaching on black paper.

• Let students outline the word with glue and sprinkle the salt on the glue.

Sight word Puzzles

• Use stencils or large font on computer to write out sight words.

• Laminate and cut out for students to put together as puzzles…

• Or .. Let students color and cut out and put back together as a puzzle.

Jigsaw sight words• Buy blank puzzles available online through

teacher supply catalogs . ( Discount school supply)

• You can write a sight word for each small puzzle or write a simple sight word sentence on a larger puzzle.

Glitter glue words

• Use glitter glue to make more shiny bumpy words to post around the room.

• During center time, let students write the words using clipboards and encourage them ( while working with a partner) to feel the word with their eyes closed and try to guess the word.

Singing the Room!

Use Poster Maker to Enlarge

Singing around the room during center time!

Sight word pointers• Sight word pointers are easy to make! • We spell the word to a conga beat and

move around the room in a conga line• 2 sides, using the word with a capital and

lowercase initial letter improves visual recognition.

Pointer example

• Write a sight word on each ping pong ball.

• You can play a hot potato game! Pass the ping pong balls around in the circle for a whole class activity game!

• You can use the balls during centers and let students pick one ball at a time and write each word on magna doodle. This makes a great activity for early finishers as well!

Ping pong sight words

Bingo dot Sight Words

Use large outline of sight word

Use yellow circle stickers on the outline of the word. Photocopy the word and there will be dots open. Students loveTo bingo dot the word and then write a sentence using the word!

Playdough Sight Words

• Laminate sight word page that has been printed in large outline format. ( Use same as template for puzzle)

• As a center activity let students use playdough to make the words!

Shaving cream sight words

• Every Friday we use shaving cream during our free choice literacy time.

• Even struggling writers can write sight words from the word wall.

• Students take turns choosing a word from the word wall.

• Students can even write short sentences!

• Many times they sing the song as they write!

Graph Sight Words

• For the students with an aptitude for math and logical/mathematical intelligence, have them count how many sight words on the word wall with 2 letters, 3 letters etc.

• They can also tally how many times they find the “sight word of the week” while looking at books.

• Many students also like to write the room; you can have them organize by # of letters.

A final note: • Thank you all for taking the time to share these

ideas.• The book can be found here:

http://www.amazon.com/Super-Sight-Word-Songs-Mini-Books/dp/054510582X

• Please email with any feedback or requests!Joanmancini@yahoo.com• More info about my work at • http://Allkidscanflourish.blogspot.com

References

• Clay, M. (1993). An Observation Survey of Early Literacy Achievement. NH:

Heinemann.           Davies, NL (2000).  Learning ... The Beat Goes On.  Childhood Education, 148-153.

Jensen, Eric (Association for Supervision & Curriculum Deve; 2nd Rev&Up edition (May 30, 2005)

Armstrong, Thomas ( 2003). The Multiple Intelligences of Reading and Writing. VA: ACSD.

Is that the End?

It’s raffle time!!

To check out the book/CD visit your local teaching store or go to Amazon and look for the book!

We are that beacon

• Thank you for all you do :-) It takes each and every one of us working together to tackle the challenges that face our little ones. Some of them view school as one of the few safe refuges in their lives.

• We are important. We matter.