Rhymes and Reasons, by Mary Ellen Bafumo

Nursery rhymes may be the key to unlocking the world of the English language...for all of your students

Fill in the missing word: "Hickory dickory, dock, The mouse ran up the _____." If you answered "clock" in a heartbeat, you were fortunate to have parents who read nursery rhymes to you and/or teachers who used them in the classroom. Not only do these enduring forms of language delight, they serve to teach about words, sounds and the myriad ways in which they can be combined to entertain and to instruct.

Parallel forms
Most cultures have parallel forms of nursery rhymes, limericks and simple poetry that children easily understand and enjoy. As a result, the available repertoire in print has increased exponentially. Yet teachers of young children report that many of their students don't know a single nursery rhyme, limerick, poem or fable. The obvious reason for this is that parents don't read them at home or have access to them. The other explanation is more daunting. In schools across America today, the challenge is in the increasing number of children from war-torn regions around the world who aren't fluent in their own language. Major school districts are faced with a task that is much more difficult than standard ESL instruction. In these new cases, children don't know the constructs of their own language, have never heard its poetry, fables or rhymes and their vocabulary is severely restricted. In some instances, there is no formal written tradition of the language.

Patterns and connections
If you have such students in your classroom or school, you have the opportunity to share English, art, math, science and social skills in a most enjoyable format; through the use of nursery rhymes, limericks and simple poems. In fact, this may be one of the most useful ways to instruct. Simple rhymes teach language and sounds in patterns and the human brain learns through patterns and connections.

Nearly every child's book of nursery rhymes available today has extravagantly colorful illustrations that tell the story without words, making it easier to communicate the message. Nursery rhymes, poems and limericks for children are based on everyday life; families, food, animals, plants, the sky, the sea, the good and the not-so-good actions of people. In any culture, these are familiar, if not identical. At the very least, using them to teach will increase vocabulary. At most, you can introduce a variety of content areas and even integrate the teaching of them. Good luck and have fun!

Mary Ellen Bafumo is a Program Director for the Council on Educational Change, an Annenberg legacy group.