Before the Jump: Singing Games for ELL Participation in an Inclusive Classroom
by Alison Spear

Introduction

During a Grade 2 music lesson, a structured singing game unfolds through a repeated sequence of clapping, tapping, and jumping within a circle formation. The activity aligns with the BC Arts Education curriculum, which emphasizes participation in creative processes and active engagement in the arts, alongside the Core Competency of communication, defined as the ability to collaborate to share and develop ideas (British Columbia Ministry of Education, 2019).

One student—a recently arrived learner with a refugee background—initially remains positioned at the edge of the group. According to her abbreviated AIP (Abbreviated Individual Plan), current goals include developing single-word responses for action verbs, increasing participation in group activities, and engaging in oral communication within low-risk, supported contexts.

Within typical classroom interactions, participation is limited when linguistic demands are high. However, as the song repeats, the student begins to replicate the physical sequence—first clapping, then tapping, and eventually anticipating the jump. Her participation remains non-verbal but demonstrates alignment with group timing and shared attention. When the sequence reaches her, she completes it and passes it onward. Over successive repetitions, vocal elements emerge incrementally, beginning with isolated lexical production (“jump”) and progressing toward short, scaffolded phrases supported by peers.

This moment—before the jump—captures the transition from observation to participation. The progression from embodied engagement to emergent linguistic production demonstrates how singing games provide access to communication prior to proficiency (Basiri, 2026; Torr et al., 2017; Pyle et al., 2022). It also reflects the student’s AIP goal of participating in shared interaction through multimodal engagement rather than relying exclusively on verbal output.

Participation is therefore not a spontaneous outcome, but a designed instructional condition. This article argues that singing games function as organized systems of participation that support communication, ethical reasoning, and equitable inclusion (DeCapua & Marshall, 2011; BCTF, 2024).

Stepping Into the Circle: Participation as an Equity Issue

Participation in ELL contexts is shaped by structural conditions rather than individual disposition. Linguistic complexity, cultural expectations, and affective barriers constrain engagement even when comprehension is present (Sah & Zaidi, 2025; Samuels, 2021). Fear of error further restricts opportunities for communicative development (Dabbagh, n.d.).

The British Columbia Teachers’ Federation concept of communities of belonging emphasizes that inclusion requires meaningful participation rather than physical placement alone (BCTF, 2024). Participation must therefore be intentionally structured.

Research on collaborative learning reinforces this position. Participation does not emerge inherently from group work; it requires clearly defined roles, structured interaction, and shared expectations (Filipovic, 2025). Singing games respond to this need by embedding participation within predictable and collective structures that allow learners to enter shared activity with reduced linguistic and social risk.

Finding the Rhythm: Cognitive Load and Multimodal Access

Language learning requires simultaneous processing of linguistic and conceptual demands, often resulting in cognitive overload (Alhamami, 2026). Montessori’s principle of isolation of difficulty provides a framework for reducing this complexity by separating elements of participation (DeCapua & Marshall, 2011).

Singing games operationalize this principle by allowing learners to participate through rhythm, repetition, and movement, rather than requiring immediate verbal production. Research on young learners demonstrates that multimodal engagement—including gesture, physical interaction, and shared activity—supports participation prior to linguistic proficiency (Rios Vega, 2025).

In the vignette, the student’s movement-based participation reflects this principle directly. Engagement occurs before language, enabling access through embodied experience. Repetition supports pattern recognition and contributes to gradual language development, aligning with research on self-regulated learning (Basiri, 2026; SD64, 2025).

Moving Together: Communication and Ethical Development

Montessori theory situates development within purposeful, structured activity. Principles of purpose, control, and grace and courtesy support self-regulation and social responsibility through participation (Goacher & Bobu, 2026; Bai, 2026).

Singing games reflect these principles through coordinated group interaction. Participation requires attentiveness to others, turn-taking, and responsiveness, supporting both communication and ethical development.

This aligns with culturally responsive pedagogy (DeCapua, 2016), in which communication is relational and identity-based. Ethical reasoning similarly develops through participation. The Ethics Bowl framework demonstrates that communication and ethical thinking co-develop through structured interaction (Fillion, 2019), while Pottish-Lewis (2024) emphasizes that participation is relational.

Research on storytelling reinforces this connection. Learners require opportunities for both mirror and window experiences to support identity and belonging (Rios Vega, 2025). Singing games, particularly those rooted in shared cultural practices, contribute to this relational dimension.

Learning the Pattern: Singing Games as Structured Participation

• purpose through defined sequences
• control through repetition and predictability
• isolation of difficulty through reduced linguistic demand

Through rhythm, gesture, and coordinated movement, learners participate in shared activity without requiring linguistic accuracy (Gagné, 2023; Hooton, n.d.).

Research in play-based learning supports this interpretation. Structured play enhances language development and social interaction (Torr et al., 2017; Pyle et al., 2022), while storytelling research demonstrates that participation can occur through multimodal engagement before verbal expression develops (Rios Vega, 2025).

Safe to Move: Trauma-Informed and Inclusive Participation

Singing games align with trauma-informed practices, particularly for learners with experiences of displacement. Predictable, rhythmic, and embodied participation supports emotional regulation and a sense of safety (Lin, 2025).

In the vignette, the student’s gradual engagement reflects reduced affective barriers facilitated by repetition and shared activity. Participation occurs within a collective, low-risk environment.

These conditions align with the ECEBC Code of Ethics (ECEBC, n.d.), which emphasizes safe, inclusive, and responsive learning environments.

Taking the Turn: Designing for Participation

Participation functions as a foundational condition for learning. When participation is inaccessible, learners are excluded from opportunities to develop communication, self-regulation, and ethical reasoning (Sah & Zaidi, 2025; Basiri, 2026).

Singing games provide a structured response by enabling participation before proficiency (DeCapua & Marshall, 2011). Their design aligns with research indicating that participation increases when learners engage through structured roles, shared activity, and multimodal access (Filipovic, 2025; Rios Vega, 2025).

The vignette illustrates this principle clearly: the student’s participation aligns directly with her AIP goals, demonstrating how structured singing games support both language development and inclusion.

Ready to Jump: Participation as a Precondition for Learning

Singing games function as foundational pedagogical structures. They operationalize Montessori principles of purpose, control, isolation of difficulty, and grace and courtesy while aligning with trauma-informed, culturally responsive, and learner-centred pedagogy (Basiri, 2026; Lin, 2025). Participation is not an outcome of learning; it is a precondition (DeCapua & Marshall, 2011). Designing for participation through singing games supports communication, ethical reasoning, and belonging within inclusive educational frameworks (Fillion, 2019; BCTF, 2024; Pottish-Lewis, 2024).

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