Music and Rhymes as Mechanisms for ECCE Learners’ Socio-emotional Intelligence Development

Avosuahi Deborah Arasomwan ORCID iD & Glynnis Daries ORCID iD

Issue: Vol.6  No.2 Issue Article 1 pp.44-57
DOI: https://doi.org/10.38159/ehass.2025614 | Published online 3rd February, 2025
© 2024 The Author(s). This is an open access article under the CCBY license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/).

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In South Africa, psychosocial problems resulting from child-headed families, orphaned children, violent homes, neglected children, and single parents have considerably grown. These problems including absenteeism, depression, adolescent pregnancy, and suicide can be prevented by teaching children socio-emotional skills, which are the information, abilities, and attitudes needed to identify and control emotions, set and achieve constructive objectives, empathy for others, and maintaining wholesome social connections. Several studies have examined the impact of songs on young children in both European and African contexts. This study thus examined how Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) educators utilize musical pedagogies to enhance students’ socio-emotional skills. Through a qualitative case study involving interviews and observations of MKOs (More Knowledgeable Others), the research explored the educators’ engagement with learners and the use of music in supporting socio-emotional development. Six ECCE educators were selected through purposive sampling, conducting interviews, and analyzing data using thematic analysis techniques. The findings confirm that music and rhymes are effective implementation techniques to support young children’s socio-emotional development, particularly those from rural contexts. The findings have demonstrated that music-based instruction improves ECCE learners’ development of these abilities. Practical implications have been provided for ECCE educators and policymakers, highlighting the importance of incorporating music and rhymes into the ECCE curriculum to support socio-emotional development. Future research can explore the impact of music on children’s socio-emotional development in different contexts and investigate the effectiveness of music-based interventions in supporting children’s all-around development.

Keywords: songs and rhymes, rural context, socio-emotional, Early Childhood Care and Education

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Avosuahi Deborah Arasomwan holds a Ph.D., M.Ed., and B.Ed. Honors, and B.Ed. certificates in Education. She received her Ph.D in Early Childhood Education from the prestigious University of Kwa-Zulu Natal in 2021. She has engaged in teaching (different Education modules) and research activities in institutions of higher learning for about 7 years, especially in the discipline of Foundation phase/Early Childhood Development and Curriculum. Arasomwan Deborah is currently a postdoctoral research fellow and lecturer in the School of Education at Sol Plaatje University Kimberley South Africa. Before joining Sol Plaatje University, she was an ad hoc lecturer at the University of Kwa-Zulu-Natal in the School of Education. Her research centres around three goals: (1) Conducting an action-participating research to empower the ECCE educator practically with rudiment of music to use music-based pedagogy in ECCE classrooms- influencing early childhood practitioners’ perspectives on the use of age-appropriate music pedagogy to help young children develop fundamental abilities (2) Investigating challenges of foundation phase lecturers in conducting digital formative assessment and (3) Investigating students’ views on virtual learning. She also engages in Community development programs such as empowering the Foundation Phase rural first-year students with effective reading skills and empowering the Rural ECD educators with rudiment of music to aid their productivity in teaching activities.

Glynnis Daries (Ph.D.) is a senior lecturer in the Foundation Phase of Teaching at Sol Plaatje University. She is the acting Head of the Department of Education Studies. In a career that spans over 14 years, she has played the role of a teacher, facilitator, manager, academic, researcher, mentor, and advocate for the early years. She completed her Ph.D. in early childhood care and education in January 2017 at the University of the Free State. Her Ph.D. focused on the ‘funds of knowledge’ of practitioners and young children at community and privately owned early years centers. The study contributed to a deeper understanding of the sources of knowledge and the daily practice of practitioners with very young children. She contributed to new thinking about the professionalism of early childhood practitioners. She is currently part of two inter-university research projects that focus on Early Childhood Development (ECD) and Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE). The first project focuses on how teachers, principals, parents, university lecturers, and Department of Education subject advisors work successfully as a Community of Practice (CoP) to stimulate change for Foundation Phase learners and parents. The Family Math project incorporates the use of mother tongue instruction and the manipulation of concrete Teaching and Learning aids to develop mathematical knowledge and skills in the Foundation Phase. Parental involvement, homework support, and the use of concrete manipulatives is emphasized. The second research project in ECCE centres is designed around a Participatory Action Learning and Action Research (PALAR) approach to family and community involvement.

Arasomwan, Avosuahi Deborah & Glynnis Daries . “Music and Rhymes as Mechanisms for ECCE Learners’ Socio-emotional Intelligence Development,” E-Journal of Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences 6, no.2 (2025): 44-57. https://doi.org/10.38159/ehass.2025614

© 2025 The Author(s). Published and Maintained by Noyam Journals. This is an open access article under the CCBY license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/).

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