Learning Outcomes for a Song that Doesn't Rhyme
For the past two days Roman and I have been presenting storytimes to our groups in the Storytelling for Literacy and Connection Project in the Kempsey region of NSW; Australia. We have included my new song, The Colour Song and I want to share the learning outcomes I have observed.
It is a song that has a traditional tune. Not only does this overcome copyright issues, it is also familiar to some listeners who immediately sing along. My primary purpose in writing the song was to assist children identify colours, although as I will outline, there are many other learning outcomes it addresses. There is no particular sequence or even requirement to sing about every colour. The content of the song is entirely up to the singer to include or exclude at will. (You don't even have to sing it, you can chant it.)
However, it is important to have a collection of items that are representative colours, such as balls, crayons or paper, so that children can associate the name of the colour with its appearance.
Because I am working with Roman, we present the song together, although it can be performed by one person quite easily. I play the music and sing the song and he displays the colours. They are in the form of ribbons which he has draped around his neck. He holds up a particular colour and that forms a verse of the song. If he holds up the red ribbon then I sing the following verse:
I like red, red, red,
Red for apples.
I like red, red, red,
Red for * Jamie's shorts.
(* allows for children to call out the things that are the appropriate colour.)
We then move on to the next colour. 'I like yellow, yellow, yellow, etc.'
This song does not rhyme (so you don't have to suffer the impossible: trying to find what rhymes with purple or orange). It can be as long or short as you want. I haven't been tempted to sing 'I like beige, beige, beige' and I don't refer to shades of colours e.g. light green, because the most important thing I discovered was not the colours themselves but the children's relationship with them.
Aside from promoting visual literacy, this song promotes joy, inclusion, affirmation, language extension, the opportunity for interaction with other listeners, stimulation of memory and curiosity. How can one simple song do all these things?
In our observations we saw children thrilled by being able to contribute their suggestions and then having them acknowledged in the song. We saw them actively seeking visual identification of the colours, pointing them out and having them affirmed. They observed themselves and others, naming the colour associations. e.g. my dress is purple and so is my sister's. They also looked beyond their physical environment as we assisted them with hints like 'what else is green and grows outside?' to use their imagination and memories to offer suggestions. Children who didn't verbalise contributed through pointing. In this way it was a song that everyone happily participated in.
My workshops for librarians in Melbourne in March 2012 will include material from Chinny Chin Chin, my new book of raps, rhymes and songs, and the learning outcomes that can be achieved in storytime and language sessions.
Workshops for Early Childhood Professionals are available worldwide. Bookings through my website.
