Human brains love pattern. The brain has even been described as desperate for pattern. We seek out patterns - even in situations where no pattern can easily be found. This natural drive makes it clear that pattern must serve some fundamental purpose in our thinking and learning.
The function that pattern serves is to help us make sense of the world around us. It enables us to predict and to generalise, and to discern rules and regularities. It is often subjective - in that one person may notice a pattern that someone else does not spot. Once detected, others can identify the pattern and it can be copied.
Patterns exist, in the words of mathematician Keith Devlin, because the human mind is aware of them. Being aware of what came before and what comes next enables us to plan ahead and solve problems that are similar to ones we have previously solved.
Pattern in music, language and behaviour
If, as mathematicians suggest, mathematics is the science of pattern, it is clear that music and dance are the arts of pattern. Studies of the early stages of human behaviour indicate that rhythmic movement and sounds paved the way for interaction and communication. Our ancestors probably danced before they walked, and sang before they spoke - just as babies do today. Movement has been described as our first language and the voice as our first toy.
Early exploration of movement and sound, combined with the brain's drive for pattern, lead to early recognition of the patterns of language. Research shows that, at birth, babies prefer the voice of their mother and the sound of her first language to other sounds. This means that while still in the womb they have absorbed the complex patterns of sound that make up different languages and individual voices.
The beginnings of language
Rhythmic, patterned sounds and movements communicate feelings to others. Professor Colwyn Trevarthen underlines the importance of the sound patterns which we use to communicate with babies - and they with us. He highlights the way in which the rules of language use have their origin in human body movement. (The video sequences listed under 'More information' explore these ideas. They are short and very interesting.)
The use we make of pitch, rhythm, dynamics (how loud or quiet sounds are) creates patterns. These patterns convey meaning, enabling babies to understand those who seek to communicate with them long before they have sufficient language to do so.
But the role of musical elements and physical movement in communicating ideas and feelings does not end in babyhood. The Royal Society for Public Health suggests that non-verbal communication and vocal variety account for 93 per cent of meaning in conversation. In other words, the patterns of movements and of musical elements - such as rhythms, tempos, textures, pitch and structures - carry meaning. You have only to think of an apparently simple question such as 'What did you do last night?' to understand the impact of changing the stress you place on different words or parts of the sentence.
Think too about children learning to read - how hard it is for them to understand what they have read when they have placed equal stress on each word and have not varied the intonation or speed when reading.
A note on music
Because patterns made up of musical elements such as pitch and rhythm play such an important role in the development of language and communication, it is vital that practitioners do not lose sight of the importance of music in its own right.
Music supports memory, allows us to communicate feelings, and creates atmosphere. But it is also vital in supporting communication in situations where it would otherwise be difficult. This may be because of distance (like yodelling), or emotions (singing about things that are hard to talk about). As we have seen, musical elements are of particular value in overcoming the difficulties of communication with babies and young children (in whom language is not yet well developed).
The patterns of music have another important role to play - as an outlet for the joyful, playful aspects of learning and thinking. Playing music -playing about with sound - supports creativity.
The prime importance of movement
It is almost impossible for young children to hear music and not move in response to it. The work of developmental psychologists and neuroscientists increasingly underlines the role of physical action in supporting all development.
According to Penny Greenland, founder of Jabadao, there are 26 significant developmental patterns. She suggests that all too often we allow children to miss out on some of these patterns without recognising their importance. She argues that children need opportunities to explore and practise seemingly irrelevant or even immature movement patterns - such as crawling and hopping.
Supporting children's exploration of pattern in sound and movement
Step one in supporting children's exploration is to develop our own confidence. Not everyone finds it easy to break into song or let go of inhibitions and dance alongside children. But unless we join in children will not recognise the importance of these activities. And the good news is that the more we sing - the better we get.
The second step is for adults to ensure that they value sound and movement patterns and understand their relevance to learning and development. Most practitioners have little difficulty in valuing the patterns of language - the patterns of rhyming sounds, and patterns in stories, even. But patterns in relation to music and physical action may be harder to value because they can be intrusive - noisy and requiring a large space -but they are important. Making time and space for both is essential.
Practitioners also need to become aware of patterns. We need to avoid situations where music becomes just background noise or gets in the way of conversation as this may prevent children and adults being conscious of the sounds they are hearing and actually weaken concentration and communication.
In order to increase your pattern awareness, make a special effort to notice the patterns in sounds, in stories, rhymes and movements. Consider what makes it a pattern and what differentiates it from other patterns -or from things that appear to have no pattern. Explore the words you might use to describe sound and movement patterns that you see. You will in the process be encouraging children to try out new vocabulary and ideas too.
How do we draw children's attention to pattern?
It shouldn't be difficult to draw children's attention to the patterns around them since their interest is apparent from the moment of birth. However, children develop interest in the things they think we are interested in so we need to demonstrate interest in sound and movement patterns. Adults can highlight patterns in stories by:
- encouraging children to predict what might happen next because of what has already happened
- reminding them of the patterns of behaviour of particular characteristics
- sharing enjoyment of repeated words or phrases such as 'bopping them on the head' or 'huffed and puffed' or repeated syllables in rhyming texts.
In relation to music we can draw children's attention to the patterns by pointing out alternating verse and chorus or playing an instrument to highlight particular rhythmic patterns. Now that the prime importance of physical development is becoming better recognised, you might draw attention to patterns of movement by beating a drum in time to children's actions or using your voice to reflect their movements.
A small group of children were, for example, repeatedly climbing to the top of a frame and jumping off. An adult clapped in time as children climbed up and then made a vocal sound as they jumped down - ending with 'bump' as they reached the ground.
Conversation with children is also of great importance in its own right - the rhythms and intonations that you use in speech when talking to individuals and small groups of children provide models of speech patterns which help children to use language increasingly effectively in conveying meaning. Drawing attention to sounds produced as children play in the water or with blocks can also lead to pattern-making.
Resources to promote patterning
Movement area
Jabadao suggest a large open space with some soft surface as well as a slidey surface. Provision should include props to support movement such as scarves and hoops and props to support tactile experience - such as brushes, and fabrics with different textures. For more information visit www.jabadao.org.
Failure to engage in appropriate developmental movement patterns at the relevant time can inhibit development and learning in ways which are only just beginning to be fully understood. Many experts are worried that babies and toddlers are having too few opportunities for what is often termed 'tummy time' but opportunities for this type of play should not stop in infancy.
Opportunities to observe and be involved in live music-making and movement activities
Making music and dancing can create a lot of noise and often require a lot of space. Being outdoors allows children to move freely and to make more noise than is often possible or advisable indoors. It can also create interesting variations in the quality of sound produced. However, it should not be children's only opportunity for exploration of the patterns of sound and movement. For example, creating dances in front of a mirror allows children to get instant feedback about the kinds of movement they are producing and its impact. Similarly quieter sounds can get lost in an outdoor environment.
Bringing in more experienced musicians and dancers can also enable children to observe how different sound and movement patterns are produced. The visitors do not always have to be experts - children can be helped by observing others who are still learning, such as older siblings or pupils from neighbouring schools. Opportunities to see theatre companies and acrobats in action can also highlight movement patterns for children.
Audio and video recordings
Audio recordings provide children with opportunities both to explore patterns in individual pieces of music or songs but also to compare the patterns employed in a variety of songs or tunes. This might include comparing a small collection of lullabies, fast pieces, or the rhymes used in songs.
Video recordings of music and dance have the advantage of allowing children to see how particular sounds are made or to consider the links between the sounds that are being made and the movement patterns produced. Recordings cannot replace live experiences but may supplement what is available. Recordings of performances that children have seen live allow children to revisit the experience.
Musical instruments
Instruments offer lots of opportunities to explore and create patterns. There should be instruments and other soundmakers (including 'junk' such as drainpipes and saucepans) which can blown, plucked, shaken, banged or scraped. There should also be opportunities to explore the way in which patterns related to size create patterns of sound. This may be observed in xylophones and in boomwhackers - or you may cut some pieces of tubing to a variety of lengths.
The collection of instruments should also have instruments of different sizes - such as a smaller and larger drum or rainmaker so that children can compare the effect on sound. Children need time and space to explore sounds in their own way. Ten minutes with instruments at the end of the day will not provide the necessary opportunities for exploration.
Interesting pictures
The photographs and postcards suggested in 'All about ... Pattern, Part 1 (Nursery World, 25 February 2013) can also provide a stimulus for musical and movement patterns. Looking at pictures of things that go round and round, or things that go fast like cars, tigers and horses may stimulate ideas for movement and music.
Workshop area
The workshop area can offer children the chance to make shakers and other soundmakers of their own. Putting different materials such as sand, stones and sticks into similar sized containers produces different sounds. Instruments which require plucking or blowing are most likely to be withheld from young children either on grounds of health and safety or because plucked instruments, such as guitars and violins, tend to be the most fragile. In the workshop area they can make their own instruments which can be plucked or blown.
Role play and dramatic play
In their role/dramatic play children often explore the movement patterns of others - pretending to be very old, flying like superman, or even moving like a dog. These explorations support increased understanding of movement patterns and allow children to express a variety of ideas. Musical patterns may be used to underline the drama.
IN CONCLUSION
Pattern-seeking and creating is an essential part of human thinking and learning. In order to promote children's patterning, adults need to:
- Become more pattern-aware - including through song, dance and playful use of language
- Use the language of pattern in commenting on children's expressive movement and music-making
- Create rich opportunities for children to explore and discuss pattern in relation to music, dance, story-telling and poetry.
THE LANGUAGE OF PATTERN
Try to include some of these words and phrases when talking to children about what they are doing when creating sound and body patterns.
Some words to describe the process of pattern-making:
- through
- over
- under
- follow
- next
- start
- finish
- between
- copy
- repeat
- again
- once more
- over and over
- another.
REPEATED ELEMENTS
Words that might describe repeated elements in a pattern
- rhythms
- close together far apart
- banging/shaking/blowing/tapping/scraping
- actions - hopping, jumping, skipping, rolling, stretching
MAKING COMPARISONS
Words that might be used when making comparisons
- Straight/curved
- Fast/slow
- Smooth/spiky or jerky
- Quiet/loud
- Same/different
- Heavy/light
- Longer/shorter
- Lower/higher
(It is interesting to note that the meaning of lower and higher in musical terms contrasts with their meaning in other areas of the curriculum. For example, in mathematics a low number is small. In music, however, a low note is produced by a larger instrument of the same type.)
MORE INFORMATION
Colwyn Trevarthen is a major expert in the field of communication. You can watch him talking about the role of musicality and physicality in a series of very short videos on: http://www.educationscotland.gov.uk/earlyyears/prebirthtothree/ nationalguidance/conversations/colwyntrevarthen.asp
- Movement and Play: leaflet for parents of babies and young children, C Archer (2010) London: Camden Integrated Early Years Service
- Quick Guides for Early Years: Physical development, L Pound (2013) Hodder (see chapters 5 and 10)
- Tom Thumb's Musical Maths, H MacGregor (1998) A&C Black
- Bingo Lingo: Supporting language development with songs and rhymes, H MacGregor (1999) Let's Go Zudie-o, H MacGregor and B Gargrave (2001), A&C Black
- Three Singing Pigs, (1994);Three Rapping Rats, (1998)Three Tapping Teddies, (2000) all by K Umansky (A&C Black). All three books combine the powerful elements of pattern in story and in music with dramatic play.
All about ... Pattern, Part 1
- Look out for our poster series on pattern. Part 3 on Food will be published on 6 May.
Photographs at Mains Farm Nursery, Chester-le-Street, By North News.
