Are you an educator looking for creative ways to improve literacy in your classroom? Or, perhaps you are a parent who wants to help boost your children’s reading skills?

Music is the perfect way to help children enhance their reading and communication skills while having fun learning about one of society’s favorite forms of art – and the best part is, it doesn’t have to cost a fortune.

Below are some wallet-friendly ways to improve literacy through music, as well as the benefits it can have on their entire lives.

 Connect Music and Literacy

You may be surprised at the ways in which music and literacy are connected. Lyrics to your favorite songs are actually a form of poetry, weaving a story with every word.

Music is also used in movies to help tell a story, further connecting literacy with music. Ask students to participate in listen-alouds, where they can draw parallels between lyrics and stories.

Also, have them listen to a song and describe how they feel. You can even suggest some new words to help them with their descriptions. Getting children to use words in a tangible way like this will help them develop better verbal communication skills and a stronger vocabulary.

You can also ask kids to read lyrics to popular songs to deepen the connection and improve literacy through music.

Playing an Instrument can help.   

Listening to music is a fun way for students to work on their literacy skills, but playing music may be even better for their brains. One study suggests that learning a musical instrument improves reading and language skills, especially for disadvantaged students.

The Northwestern University neurobiologist running the study, Dr. Nina Kraus, previously discovered that affluence greatly impacted students’ ability to learn, with lower-income students having more learning difficulties than their wealthier peers.

But, when those same lower-income students were given music lessons, the learning playing field became much more level. In short, no matter the income, learning an instrument is good for children of all incomes and backgrounds.

Thankfully, it doesn’t take a lot of money to introduce kids to instruments. You can watch tutorials for free online, or visit a local symphony or philharmonic, many of which perform free concerts during certain times of the year, to let them experience music in a live setting.

Find the right tools.

So, how can you harness the power of music for your own students or children?

To start, you will want to pick up some essential gear. Speakers, instruments and other tools can make your music lessons more fun for kids.

But, buying additional supplies can get expensive, especially for already underpaid educators or budget-conscious parents. Luckily, many retailers, like Walmart, offer deals and sales that can help alleviate some of the costs.

You can save even more at Walmart by earning cash back by signing up for a Walmart MoneyCard or shopping through Rakuten. If it’s a musical instrument you are looking for, consider searching at a local music shop or looking for a used instrument.

It’s also smart to begin by renting musical instruments, especially for children who have not quite figured out what they want to play, or for younger kids who change their mind often.

Provide positive encouragement.

Whether it’s struggling to read or picking out their first tune on a guitar, children can benefit greatly from a lot of constructive feedback.

Just be sure to keep things positive.

Positive reinforcement can go a long way in inspiring children to do their best in school no matter what subject they are studying. This is especially true for students who have learning disabilities that make it harder to read.

Learning disabilities can already make students feel different from their peers. If you are teaching music and literacy lessons to these students, being overly critical or negative could do further damage to their ability to learn.

So, as you introduce lessons to improve literacy through music, keep a positive tone. Use rewards and praise (which you can do on the cheap) to let kids know when they are doing well.

Music can do more than provide a soundtrack for our lives. When used in the classroom or at home, music can help children and young adults learn how to read and communicate more effectively. It may even help spark a new passion.