From the recording Imagine That! Songs for Creative Teachers
I wrote this in my reading doctoral program, when asked to write a paper on this topic.
Lyrics
Here's a special word, it's phonological awareness
Children need to practice it with frequency, not rareness
If they do it long enough, they'll show reading preparedness
Have you heard the word? It's phonological awareness
Smart kid diddle diddle
Smart diddle ay (2x)
Jimmy couldn't tell at first the "go" and "show" were rhymes
His teacher modeled more words and he tried it several times
And once he could match sounds like that, when he heard another word,
He said, "This is a cinch! It's like another one I've heard."
chorus
Karen had some pictures and her tutor had some tea
Her tutor said, "let's find some pictures starting with a "B""
The tutor found a buffalo and Karen found a bed
And soon that sleep buffalo had a big ball and some bread!
What makes some kids hear those sounds while others need more time?
It's kids who have been read to lots to hear those sounds just fine
So if you love a kid a lot, the way to show you care
Is read to that kid every day and help them to get there!
You would think to teach such things, you'd need a PhD
And helping kids to learn it would be way past you and me but reading
Poems and singing songs and playing word games gets it done
Not only does it help the kids, it happens to be fun!