Rhythm, Rhyme, and Repetition Sylvia Kennedy-Godin November 5, 2019

The purpose of this training is to support the enhancement of children's language development using rhythm, rhyme, repetition, and word play. Strategies also may include alphabet knowledge, exposure to new vocabulary, and physical engagement with their child. The purpose is for families to leave with more strategies, appreciation, enjoyment, and confidence in their skills to support their child’s developing language, literacy and pre-reading skills. This is a two-session workshop; each session is two hours long. Language development is dependent on modeling, repetition, connection to context, reciprocal and responsive communication, pattern recognition, predictability, listening, and more. Communication and sound play should be enjoyable and rewarding in order to foster the development of language.Exploration and imitation of sounds is the basis for communication and is critical to the developmental sequence typical of language development and later reading skills. Rhythm, rhyme and repetition are three techniques used to support pre-reading skill development. Families of young children who attend this workshop have opportunities to explore and enjoy playing with words and sounds, use them to tell a story and express ideas and feelings. The children’s books chosen model and support this process. Repetition, rhythm, rhyme and word play create opportunities to make and hear patterns, predictable sequences, and sounds, which are precursors to language, sight-sound connections, and reading.