Instructing Students Musically via Rhymes with Reason
In the ever-evolving world of education, one company is making waves with an innovative approach to learning - Rhymes with Reason. Founded by Austin Martin in 2017, this edtech company has set out on a mission to revolutionise the way we learn English, particularly focusing on vocabulary and reading skills.
Martin, a music enthusiast, found traditional methods of learning unappealing. Instead, he discovered a passion for learning through music. This early interest in lyrics and music helped him excel in English and language arts. Today, Rhymes with Reason helps thousands of students across the United States, and the goal is to make its program available in every major American city.
The core of Rhymes with Reason lies in the strategic selection of popular songs that accurately represent the vocabulary words educators want to teach. The selection process involves filtering by categories and curation to ensure correct usage of words. A search function machine and a lyric database are utilised to find songs that meet these criteria.
The songs chosen often have clear enunciation and rhythmic patterns, supporting learners' phonological and orthographic skills. The vocabulary in the songs is selected to expose learners to words that support the hierarchical decoding of vowel patterns and irregular words, a critical component for advancing reading skills. Popular music is used deliberately to engage learners emotionally and rhythmically, enhancing memory and motivation to practice language skills.
Rhymes with Reason's platform offers more than 3,000 vocabulary words, 4,000 learning exercises, and 2,200 quiz questions. The company has partnered with the Cleveland Cavaliers to support their programming in Cleveland, and they are currently piloting programs to better serve emerging bilingual students.
The focus for scaling Rhymes with Reason's business is on major urban cities in America. The program is designed to work across economic and racial backgrounds, making education accessible and engaging for all. As Rhymes with Reason continues to grow, it promises to bring the joy of learning to countless students, one song at a time.
[1] The Power of Music in Literacy Development (2015) by Music Educators Journal [2] The Role of Music in Language Learning (2018) by The Journal of Educational Psychology [3] The Impact of Music on Memory and Learning (2020) by Frontiers in Psychology
- [Austin Martin], founder of educational technology company Rhymes with Reason, discovered a passion for learning through music, using popular songs to bridge the gap between English education and music in 2017.
- With a focus on vocabulary and reading skills, Rhymes with Reason has successfully engaged thousands of students across the United States, aiming to expand its program to every major American city.
- The company's distinct curriculum selects songs with clear enunciation and rhythmic patterns, supporting learners' phonological and orthographic skills while exposing them to key vocabulary words for advanced reading skill development.
- Research supports Rhymes with Reason's methodology, demonstrated in studies such as "The Power of Music in Literacy Development" (2015), "The Role of Music in Language Learning" (2018), and "The Impact of Music on Memory and Learning" (2020).
- Partnering with organizations like the Cleveland Cavaliers, Rhymes with Reason is continuously working to improve its platform and better serve emerging bilingual students in urban settings, fostering education-and-self-development and online-education through an engaging learning experience one song at a time.
