Learning through Rhymes in Early Childhood Education: A Cognitive Stylistics Approach

Abstract

Nursery rhymes are an integral part of child early education and are influential in making perception of young children. The study aims to investigate the role of language on reading skills of children using cognitive stylistic approach to see how children perceive, process, and respond to language emotionally. Cognitive Poetics or Cognitive Stylistics is the most suitable framework by (Stockwell, 2002)  and Text World Theory ( Gavins 2007) for this study because it blends literary analysis with cognitive psychology and linguistics, offering rich tools for exploring the charm, structure, and learning power of rhymes. It also focuses to explore the pre-operational cognitive abilities of nursery school children between three to five years and the social construction of gender roles. The data consists of ten most popular English nursery rhymes. The research concludes that simple, shorter and meaningful sentences are used in nursery rhymes. The choice of words and sentences are comprehend to create a cohesive and perfect rhythm. The occurrence of rhyming through the repetition of similar sounding words facilitates children’s learning ability. It becomes easier for the young children to learn in pleasurable and smooth way. This research claims that nursery rhymes are influential in making perception of young children. It explores the embedded messages enfolded in the nursery rhymes for the children.  The current research is helpful in showing the representation of language and cognitive effects of nursery rhymes for the young impressionable minds and it will also beneficial for syllabus designers at primary level.