Rhymes, nursery rhymes, and reading in early childhood.

Abstract

Little is known about the origins of phonological awareness. But one theory is that young children learn to analyze the component sounds in words with the help of common linguistic routines. Rhymes, and particularly nursery rhymes, are a possible example. Words rhyme because they share component sounds: To recognize that two words rhyme is, therefore, to know something about their component sounds. This theory was investigated in a 15-month longitudinal study which began when the children were age 3 years, 4 months. Assessments were made of their knowledge of nursery rhymes and their phonological skills, particularly the detection and production of rhyme and alliteration. Parental so cial class and educational levels were also assessed. A strong, highly specific re lationship was found between knowledge of nursery rhymes and the develop ment of phonological skills, which remained significant when differences in IQ and social background were controlled. Measures of nursery rhymes and of the detection and production of rhyme and alliteration were related to early reading, but not to early arithmetic skills.