New Literacy Program Something to Sing About

“Tune up to Literacy,” by ASCAP award-winning composer-educator, Dr. Al Balkin, is an unique 4-volume collection of over 90 songs designed to energize the K-6 language arts curriculum. Based on the premise that a song can be the most powerful, personal, and above-all, permanent agent for both concept learning and attitude development, it addresses (often interactively) such concepts as: subject, object, nouns, pronouns, adjectives. alphabet, vowels, consonants. verbs, punctuation, sentence structure et al. It also presents motivational and values oriented songs on basic language skills as reading. writing, creating, listening, talking, even questioning. The musical style is a distillation of jazz, pop, rock, Latin, country, Broadway, rap, gospel, and more.

“Without apology, the songs are also fun to sing,” composer Balkin states.

Inez Tenenbaum, Superintendent of Education for the State of South Carolina, said, “Your program (Tune Up to Literacy) can be of great benefit to teachers across the State as they look for exciting ways to introduce and reinforce key literacy concepts."

"Replace dull and dreary language drills with delightful, joy-filled songs! (with)’Tune Up To Literacy,’” Creative Classroom magazine suggests in a review of the program.

Balkin, a Western Michigan University professor emeritus and a composer for the "Captain Kangaroo" children's television show, has taught music from nursery school to graduate school, performed on the NBC Today show, and is a textbook co-author and career-long advocate of arts-infused, inter-disciplinary learning.

According to Balkin,“Tune up to Literacy” is a “program of programs. Each song is a program unto itself to be used whenever and wherever it best suits the curriculum,” he says. The package includes; 4 song volumes with teacher manuals; the Rhyme-A-Ton (a one-syllable rhyming dictionary); 5 CDs of songs, both sung and played, and played only. The price is $195 with free shipping. Quantity discounts for schools are available.

“While school systems have found it very useful for their curriculums, the program is also ideal for individual families as well,” Balkin says.

For more information, call 1-888-414-TUNE(8863) or visit www.tuneuptoliteracy.com. Song samples are included.