Videos and articles

2024
Letter to the Editor, MN Star Tribune, Oct. 16, 2024

2023
Reading Skills: Here’s a Head Start (scroll down page)
Letter to the Editor, Star Tribune, Dec. 27, 2023

Singing: A Missing Link to Literacy
Podcast Interview by Australia’s Crescendo Music Education

Creating Conditions and Environments for Thriving Kindergarteners (Ann Kay at minute 31:38-39:00). Webinar Interview by Grade Level Reading

Literacy
Letter to the Editor, Star Tribune, Jan. 2, 2023

2022
A Missing Link: How to Enable Brains for Reading with Neuroscientific-Based Activities
Literacy Today, International Literacy Association

Singing Our Way into Fluency
Dr. Sam Bommarito’s blog

Effects of early singing and music making
Power to the Parents KMOJ Radio program, Don Samuels

How to Train Baby’s Brain for Reading
Minnesota Parent Journal article

2021
A New Look at Brain Research (Part 2)
Dr. Sam Bommarito’s blog and video interview

2020
A New Look at Brain Research: The Impact of Music on Reading Fluency/Prosody
Dr. Sam Bommarito’s blog and video interview

2018
Rock ’n’ Read Improves Fluency, Comprehension
Wahpeton Daily News

Lessons with Lyrics: How Songs are Helping STRIDE Academy Students Improve at Reading
Saint Cloud Times

2016
Give them Hope
Sing to Inspire podcasts on MN Public Radio

Rock ‘n’ Read Program and Tune into Reading
Video by Luther Auto

2014
Rock ‘n’ Read: New Program Improves Reading through Singing
Twin Cities Daily Planet

Rock ‘n’ Read Rolls Out in Minneapolis
Video by MN 2020

Rock ‘n’ Read Bus
Video by Fox 9 News

Minnetonka Couple Launch Rock ‘n’ Read Project
Sun Sailor

The Kids on the Bus Learn Song by Song
MPR News

Old Buses Keep on Truckin’ After Leaving Metro Transit
Minneapolis Star Tribune

Old Buses Get New Life
Metro Transit News

Life After Service: Former Transit Buses Take on New Roles
Video by Metro Transit News

Student Illiteracy
MN Star Tribune 10/16/24

Sadly, until Minnesota makes early childhood brain development a priority, there is little hope that the funding and strategies cited by Johnson in “Boost literacy levels for Minn. students” will work. What is missing? The “neuroscience of reading” — the body of research that has found that auditory processing and memory is the key to proficient reading. Language and literacy is primarily auditory, not visual. Consider this: Can a person who is blind learn to read? Yes, very well, through their sense of touch and acute sense of sound. But people who are deaf or hard-of-hearing usually struggle to learn to read. So, how do we help children’s brains be ready to read? There is ample evidence that singing songs and practicing basic music skills daily with young children works! Here are some free activities, strategies, and a musical fitness assessment to use by parents, caregivers and prekindergarten and kindergarten teachers: rocknreadproject.org.

Ann Kay, Minnetonka
The writer is education coordinator and co-founder for the Rock ‘n’ Read Project.