Getting the Beat
When planning for children's learning we should also take account the most recent research into 'beat competency'.
It is interesting to note that the ability to maintain a steady beat appears to be necessary to successfully perform any task that involves sophisticated movement. We need this sense of timing when walking, dancing, writing, cutting with scissors, hammering in a nail or drawing. In fact, it is so essential that if someone lacks beat awareness he or she usually has difficulties with both gross and fine motor control.
Recent studies have also shown a correlation between 'beat competency' and school achievement that exceeds either social class or mother's education (the usual predictors of school success), and it is an area we can influence. By helping children to develop beat competancy we can improve their chances of success!
In the light of this research, which will come as no surprise to most early years teachers, practitioners need to:
Plan frequent opportunities for singing, dancing, rapping and playing musical instruments. Use jingles and rhymes throughout the daily routine.
Other activities that are useful for developing beat competency are:
Beating out a steady beat with two sticks(chopsticks are useful for this purpose). Using chopsticks to beat out a steady beat on paper plates. Drumming with hands on upturned plastic waste paper bins (available from IKEA - cheaper and much less noisy than conventional drums!) Manipulating a bean bag to a steady beat. For example, put the beanbag on your head and on your nose and on your foot and on your toes. Put the beanbag on your elbow and on your shoulder and your ankle and on your heel, etc. (the adult gives these instructions to a steady beat).
No-one is yet entirely sure why these types of steady beat activities can have such a profoundly positive effect on children's learning.
From: Smooth Transitions Building on the Foundation Stage by Ros Bayley & Sally Featherstone
