ABC Music and Me now enrolling!

Why ABC? There are so many music programs out there. What is special about ABC?

"ABC Music & Me is a research-based language and early literacy program built around music. Kindermusik has used its 30 years of experience to create an “all-in-the-box” program for Preschoolers, Kindergarteners, and emerging readers. Our program develops essential listening and early literacy skills so your students have the skills they need to succeed in school.

ABC Music & Me is especially effective for children with developmental delays and at-risk learners. We also provide special instructions for using our program with English Language Learners and the Home Materials are available in English and Spanish.

Through songs and music, our program:
enhances students’ listening and speaking skills
helps students develop pre-reading and writing skills
involves parents in their child’s learning
gives teachers ongoing professional development that ensures results.

Build listening and early literacy skills in a way that is playful, active, and proven effective with young children!


“I’m excited to report the language learning gains were above the 70% significance level.”

Penny Collins, Director of Special Education, Osceola County, Florida"

More research concerning the correlation between the ABC Music and Me program and school skills, http://www.abcmusicandme.com/Why_Music.html.

Pathways

Our Family Time Kindermusik class has been focusing on pathways during the last 2 weeks. We have been exploring pathways with our hands, out feet, and with the flashlight. Last week we worked on using the jingle bells to draw circles, zig zags and curves in the air or on the floor. This week they were really showing improvement on that! It is amazing to see the progress they make from week to week. This is why we generally spend 2 weeks on particular concepts in class. They need that repetition to fully absorb the activities.

Another aspect of our class this week was taking turns. We each took turns ringing the bell that starts our class. We each took turns playing the glockenspiel. The children did great passing the instrument to the next classmate!

We also made visual representation of beat groupings today. We used the parachute on a song that had 2 sections- a section in 6/8 and a section in 2/4. We moved the parachute to show the difference in the grouping of the beats in this song. We also did a line dance to Lil Liza Jane. In addition to providing social interaction and helping them learn to follow aural instructions, line dances help them to visualize not only groupings of beats but varying sections in the music as well. They also felt the groupings as they were holding the parachute or feeling the waft of air each time we moved the parachute.

Up and Down

Today in Kindermusik, a lot of our activities were focused on directional vocabulary like "up", "down", "out", and even "sit", "lie down" and "roll over." These activities have an educational purpose.

0 to 18 months: directional vocabulary helps kids at this age to form concrete impressions of the words. They hear the term, see the other kids doing, and do it themselves. Moms might also assist their younger child by doing the activity TO them. For instance, for the word, "up" you might use your hand to scamper up your child's back like the squirrel we sang about today. That way if your child is not yet doing the motion, they can still feel it on their body.

18 months- 5 years: The older children really caught on to the spoken directions today! Using the directional vocabulary challenges them to listen and respond to aural cues. Add in new vocabulary to this activity at home. In class, we did many other movements in addition to the directional terms listed above. Try "roly poly" and home with shakers, sticks or other objects. Have your child come up with new activities for "walk along rover" and "little squirrel."

In addition to the directional vocabulary, we also worked on a bit of ear training in class. The slide whistle was used to demonstrate low and high pitches. Young children often confuse the term high and low with loud and soft. This is probably because we talk about turning the radio "up" or "down." Find different sounds around the house that are high in pitch and draw them to your child's attention. Do the same with low pitches. Then see if your child can imitate not only the pitch made but the sounds. This works on phonemic awareness and pitch discernment at the same time.

By physically reacting to the slide whistle, we were also creating a visual and kinethetic demonstration of sound. This not only gives your child a creative outlet to respond to the differences in pitch, but it also helps your child to make the connection between high and low.