What is it about?
This study explores how rhyme helps us learn new words. Specifically, we looked at whether adults remember new words more easily when they rhyme with other words they’ve heard. We used both behavioral tests (like memory tasks) and brainwave recordings (EEG) to see how adults process these rhyming words while they’re learning. Our goal was to understand whether the structure of language—particularly rhyme—can support early word learning.
Featured Image
Photo by Google DeepMind on Unsplash
Why is it important?
Learning words is critical for vocabulary growth, and this study provides scientific evidence that rhyme can actually facilitate word learning in adults. This is important because many children struggle with language development, and educators often look for effective strategies to support vocabulary growth. Rhyming is already a common part of children’s books and songs, and by understanding how the brain responds to rhyming during learning, we can better design educational tools that are grounded in cognitive science.
Perspectives
This publication is special to me because it bridges my deep interest in how language develops with methods that let us peer into the brain while learning is happening. It was also a collaborative effort that brought together multiple perspectives—from neuroscience, psychology, and education. I hope this work encourages others to think critically about how simple features of language, like rhyme, can have powerful effects on learning, especially for children who may be at risk for language delays.
Julie Schneider
University of California Los Angeles
Read the Original
This page is a summary of: The Facilitatory Role of Rhyme During Word Learning: Behavioral and Event-Related Potential Evidence, Journal of Speech Language and Hearing Research, August 2025, American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA),
DOI: 10.1044/2025_jslhr-24-00836.
You can read the full text:
Contributors
The following have contributed to this page
