Jack and Jill – Preschoolers in the age of COVID-19

Parents of preschoolers can encourage a foundation for early reading at home by promoting an atmosphere, fostering phonological awareness. What! What did I say? What does that mean?

In short, phonological awareness is the understanding that spoken language has certain elements (e.g., words, phrases, rhyming, syllables, alliteration) and is a necessary building block linked to reading. For example, the word “baseball,” apart from the meaning of the word, has two syllables “base” – “ball.” Recognition that there are separate parts to the spoken word  is a type of phonological awareness. Here’s another example of phonological awareness, alliteration. Alliteration is the use of the same sound at the beginning of words. For example, Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers. So, phonological awareness can be understood as sensitivity to the sounds and larger units of language, apart from reading words. And the development of this aids in the reading process. Finally, NO! Young children do NOT need to know the definition of the terms phonological awareness, alliteration, or syllabication. They just need to do it! 

So, what do we do to develop this very necessary phonological awareness? (It must be easy.) The answer is to play with spoken language. And Mother Goose is a great source for this because the meanings of the rhymes are so obscure. To children, in most cases, they are just silly words strung together.

I’m sharing this next information with you because there has been some discussion and misunderstandings about Mother Goose, giving her a bad rep. In addition, it is not a good idea to “throw that baby out with the bath water.”

Mother Goose is a collection of rhymes, mostly French and English, some dating back several centuries. The origins, including authorship, and the original meanings of the rhymes are pure uncorroborated speculation. Rhymes and their ascribed meanings have changed over time. Here’s an example: 

Ring around the rosy

A pocket full of posy

Ashes, ashes,

All fall down.

The reference to this verse has been attributed to the Great Plague. The rosy was thought to be a rash. The posy was thought to be flowers that were carried to ward off disease, and the ashes referried to bodies burned. Makes sense. (Yikes, I wouldn’t want my young innocent child singing THAT song.) But what historians found is that this version of the song was actually Americanized and had morphed from earlier versions that had nothing to do with ashes. In addition, the reference to this dark interpretation did not even appear until around the 1950s. Furthermore, there are many, many versions of the song (e.g., German, Indian, British, even Maori). The “best guess” of historians is that this verse was a children’s game dating back several centuries.

Likewise, Baa Baa Black Sheep has been vilified. 

Baa Baa Black Sheep, 

Have you any wool?

Yes, sir, yes, sir, 

Three bags full;

One for the master,

And one for the dame,

And one for the little boy

Who lives down the lane.

In the 1980s, some thought that this verse had racist undertones. (And who would want to teach their child to be racist.) In actuality this verse is one of the more stable of the Mother Goose rhymes, with few changes from the early 1700s. It is speculated that it is an observation regarding unfair taxation of wool in England. At that time, black wool was highly prized because it did not need to be dyed.

Even though the exact meanings of the verses are speculation, one of the things that we do know is that the rhymes commented on daily life, were used for entertainment, and were used as moral lessons and for teaching.

Mother Goose is perfect for the development of language in young children because the verses are short and silly, have a sing-song quality, and employ multiple opportunities for playing with language. For example, let’s look at Jack and Jill, a verse coined before the 16^thcentury, even referenced by Shakespeare.

Jack and Jill

Went up the hill

To fetch a pail of water.

Jack fell down and broke his crown,

And Jill came tumbling after.

Both the words Jack and Jill evidence alliteration, beginning with the same sound. In addition, the words Jill and hill rhyme as well as down and crown. And this verse has little to do with comprehension. 

So, how do parents teach this phonological awareness. Very easy, just spend a few minutes with your child each day, playing and singing verses, such as, “Patty cake, patty cake, bakers man. Bake me a cake as fast as you can.”

Using Mother Goose as a vehicle for development of phonological awareness in preschool children is part of teaching sensitivity to language. It’s just a start, but something that is meaningful, fun, and simple to do without a lot of preparation and teaching skill. 

These verses can be accessed in multiple ways on the internet. I especially like this resource .

The Project Gutenberg eBook of Mother Goose’s Nursery Rhymes, by Walter Crane at

 https://www.gutenberg.org/files/39784/39784-h/39784-h.htm#Page_156

Best of all, it is FREE! 

I invite comments, suggestions, ideas. 

If you have questions that I might be able to answer generally, please email me. Please, keep in mind that this blog is for suggestions that may or may not work. Here is the disclaimer, professional advice requires much more in-depth information and contact and is beyond the scope of this blog.  email: gail.coulter@outlook.com.