Music and Movement = Language and Literacy
Why?
The music processing network and the language processing network share an overlapping neural network.
From birth to about 6 years old, children use their music processing network to identify, understand and reproduce language sounds. Children who can clap with a steady beat at age 3-4 have been found to be cognitively ready to start to learn to read at age 5.
This is what the neuroscience evidence tells us.
The Magic Triangle
Early years studies confirm that a strong foundation in language and literacy depends on the seamless interaction of auditory, visual, and motor processing. This interconnected neural circuit that Dr Anita Collins, founder of Bigger Better Brains, calls the ‘Magic Triangle’, is strengthened through music and movement. When children sing, move, and engage with rhythm, they fire multiple messages across the brain, reinforcing:
- Sound processing (auditory)
- Visual memory (recognising patterns and symbols)
- Motor coordination (speech production, writing, and body movement)
Children with weak connections in this triangle often struggle with language processing, but music activities can help to bridge this gap.
How?
Melody and Rhythm: The Key to Language and Literacy
Daily exposure to music activities in early years develops rhythmic and melodic awareness, strengthening the brain’s ability to:
- Process sounds in speech to the point where sounds can be heard throughout words, in the order in which they occur, creating a memory bank of sound sequences/words.
- Detect patterns and emotions in speech.
- Automate sound-to-meaning connections.
- Improve auditory-motor synchronisation, reducing neural ‘jitter’ that can cause reading difficulties.
Children with dyslexia, for example, often struggle with speech and musical rhythms. Professor Usha Goswami (University of Cambridge) emphasizes that early musical intervention, such as singing and rhythmic exercises, can help children match syllables and beats to spoken language before they start learning to read.
Phonological Awareness and Pre-Literacy Skills
Studies show that children with strong phonological awareness at age 4 or 5 tend to be among the best readers by age 7. Music naturally reinforces:
- Syllable awareness (breaking words into chunks)
- Onset-rime recognition (detecting rhyming patterns)
- Phoneme awareness (distinguishing individual sounds in words)
By engaging in music-making activities, children develop stronger sound processing systems and stronger phonological awareness, that prepare them for phonics and reading.
Music and Movement before Phonics
In speech, we hear as many as 25-30 phoneme sounds every second, if our brain cannot process them properly the meaning is lost. Sound processing systems that function well have no problem with hearing and attributing meaning to these phoneme sounds, throughout words, in the order in which they occur.
If children arrive at school without the ability to hear the sounds, without the attention, memory or rhythmic skills in place, the phonics programme will be nonsense to them, as will most formal learning activities. They could be put off learning and school for life and never catch up.
The answer is not more phonics or reading intervention programmes in KS1, the answer is investment in early years awareness of the importance of developing sound processing skills, the benefits of active daily music making, training and resources to equip our EY workforce and parents
We need to develop rhythmic and melodic awareness to build strong sound processing systems in early years. Music and movement are an effective and efficient way to develop sound processing in early years.
What?
Traditional music and nursery rhymes are great, they harness some of the benefits evidenced by neuroscience and research studies, but to harness all of the benefits we need to:
- Include lots of rhythmic activities, keeping the beat, dancing, playing with tempo and different rhythms.
- Include lots of melodic activities, playing with dynamics, pitch, harmonies, timbre.
Children also need a rich and varied music provision including many different genres of world music. The music provision needs to engage and motivate all involved – teachers, parents and children alike. In order to keep the sessions engaging, practitioners need:
- Well-planned music sessions of about 30-45minutes.
- Group sessions with active participation and age-appropriate themes.
- Upbeat music with a strong steady beat and catchy melodies.
- Music activities which are planned alongside other activities throughout the day.
Boogie Mites music programmes equip educators with the knowledge, confidence and resources required to harness the brain boosting benefits of active music making, including building strong language and pre-literacy skills. Boogie Mites taster training package Music and Movemement = Language and Literacy will provide an introduction, equipping your team with this knowledge and providing 4 music activities to trial.
Music and Movement = Language and Literacy digital taster training package
Boogie Mites have created the Music & Movement = Language & Literacy online training package, designed to equip educators with the ‘why’ the ‘how’ and the ‘what’ for harnessing the power of music into their every day.
This comprehensive package includes:
- A 30-minute video exploring the neuroscience behind music and language.
- An exclusive interview with neuro-musical educator Dr. Anita Collins.
- Workshop practitioner notes to guide effective implementation.
- Four original Boogie Mites songs, complete with videos, guides, and lyrics, so educators can easily incorporate them into their sessions.
There are also options for parental involvement, with a separate parent package available either for individual parents or as part of a subscription package that Early Years settings can offer families.
By embedding music and movement into early education and into home life, we can support development of cognitive foundations for strong language and literacy skills. Whether through rhythmic storytelling, action songs, or simple musical games, these activities make learning engaging and effective.
Are you ready to boost language development through music? Join our Music & Movement = Language & Literacy training today and unlock the power of music in your teaching!
