Developing the listening and speaking skills through nursery rhymes in kindergarten children at “Centro Educativo ABC”

Abstract

The present investigation explores the application of a technique to develop two specific skills of English language in preschool learners of a kindergarten of our educational context. This technique consists on the use of Nursery Rhymes in the class in order to foster the development of listening and speaking skills of English language. Based on aspects that make English learning in kindergartens difficult in recent times, this work suggests Nursery Rhymes as an adequate alternative to attract young children´s interest in learning in an EFL class. The arguments that affirm that Nursery Rhymes are good for teaching English are supported by works made by researchers on this subject. Furthermore, it is exposed the way that Nursery Rhymes influence in the development of English listening and speaking skills. It is determined, then, that Nursery Rhymes influence in a positive way in the development of both, listening and speaking skills of the English language. This statement is based on the outcomes reached through the application of these songs in several English classes, where kindergarten children participated in the performance of listening and speaking activities related to the Nursery Rhymes that were presented. It is expected, therefore, that the information that is published in this research work becomes a guide for the practice of teaching English to kindergarten learners, by taking Nursery Rhymes as an appropriate teaching resource, in order to develop their listening and speaking skills in their process of English language learning.