Music Therapy With My Favorite Little People!

The Daily Muse

 Welcome to the Daily Muse feature of Music Makes Sense!  This daily update brings you up to the minute news about music and music therapy as it relates to our professions, events and individual lives.  You can follow the daily entries by subscribing to Music Makes Sense on Twitter or by "Liking" the Facebook page for Music Makes Sense.  Enjoy, and thanks for reading!

Some of you may have missed the new article by Ronna Kaplan in the Huffington Post last week.  I finally got a chance to read it and it was well worth the time!  


This article in the series by Ronna Kaplan was titled: Music Therapy in Early Childhood Classrooms.  Ronna has been doing an excellent job in her posts to Huffington by explaining music therapy with concrete examples and terms that everyone can understand. 


Her description of a typical music therapy session with an early childhood group was spot on!  I found myself missing some of my favorite little people and all the great experiences I had while doing music therapy in the early childhood setting!  


Please read the article and send it to people you know!  This would be a great way to promote music therapy during music therapy advocacy month!     

Schoolhouse Rocks with Autism and Jingle Bells!

The Daily Muse     


Welcome to the Daily Muse feature of Music Makes Sense!  This daily update brings you up to the minute news about music and music therapy as it relates to our professions, events and individual lives.  You can follow the daily entries by subscribing to Music Makes Sense on Twitter or by "Liking" the Facebook page for Music Makes Sense.  Enjoy, and thanks for reading!

Merry Christmas! 

I hope you had a wonderful holiday! This video is from last year, but I couldn't resist sharing. Isn't it great that this boy is on the front row!


I empathize with music educators who are pressured to put on musical programs while multi-tasking with some students with special needs, but this video really offers up a great example of how things can work out for the best.  Somehow this class made it work and it turned out to be a great show! 


Often times music teachers are left alone with an entire class during "specials" (...classes like music, art, P.E.) while the regular classroom teachers and teacher's aides try to have a break or planning period. Obviously this does not work well for some of the children who need more one to one assistance.

 

iPad Apps for Kids with Special Needs

The Daily Muse     


Welcome to the Daily Muse feature of Music Makes Sense!  This daily update brings you up to the minute news about music and music therapy as it relates to our professions, events and individual lives.  You can follow the daily entries by subscribing to Music Makes Sense on Twitter or by "Liking" the Facebook page for Music Makes Sense.  Enjoy, and thanks for reading!

Many music therapists might be singing, "All I want for Christmas is an iPad-2...!" this year. But once you get that fabled device, how are you going to choose your apps?? If you haven't already been to Snaps 4 Kids you will want to bookmark their site: www.snaps4kids.com. 


This website is a comprehensive review center for all kinds of apps, including music apps. I observed two long pages of music apps they have reviewed!  Their website is very straightforward and even allows you to vote and comment about apps.   


 Let's all give two snaps for Snaps4kids!

The iPad Taking Music Therapy and the World of Special Education by Storm!

The Daily Muse     


Welcome to the Daily Muse feature of Music Makes Sense!  This daily update brings you up to the minute news about music and music therapy as it relates to our professions, events and individual lives.  You can follow the daily entries by subscribing to Music Makes Sense on Twitter or by "Liking" the Facebook page for Music Makes Sense.  Enjoy, and thanks for reading!

The iPad has recently taken the world of music therapy by storm! There were several presentations at the music therapy National Conference this year about different apps and uses for the iPad and almost every therapist I know has an iPad on their Christmas wish list!


There are new apps coming on-line every month that aim to help children and others with disabilities communicate and learn concepts. I think the reason that the iPad has been so successful is its ease of use, size, weight and just the fact that it is cool! Kids especially love anything that is cool! The typical vocal output devices in the world of special education have been clunky, heavy, and a headache to program. They are also limited by their function and not able to play movies or display programs other than simply saying a word that is chosen from the screen. 


This 60 minutes story is a very positive portrayal of the iPad and other tablet devices and their application in the education of children with Autism Spectrum Disorder.  The story focuses on using the iPad for communication, but also has some interesting news about future research and the use of the iPad for assessment purposes.  The really nice thing about the iPad, not mentioned in the story, is that it also has tons of apps that are useful for creating music and writing songs.  Since kids seem to be drawn to the iPad as well as music, it makes for a lovely match!  I hope you enjoy the video.  One of my favorite parts was when one of the boys suddenly started receptively identifying all kinds of objects that nobody imagined he knew!  

 

Music Makes Sense Debuts on All Things Healing!

The Daily Muse     
Welcome to the Daily Muse feature of Music Makes Sense!  This daily update brings you up to the minute news about music and music therapy as it relates to our professions, events and individual lives.  You can follow the daily entries by subscribing to Music Makes Sense on Twitter or by "Liking" the Facebook page for Music Makes Sense.  Enjoy, and thanks for reading!

It's here! I had already mentioned that one of my blog posts would be featured, and now the moment has officially arrived!  Music Makes Sense debuts on All Things Healing! Many thanks to Bernice Chu and all those at ATH for choosing to highlight one of my articles! You can find the article here.



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The Daily Muse: Music and the Brain in NY

     Welcome to the Daily Muse feature of Music Makes Sense!  This daily update brings you up to the minute news about music and music therapy as it relates to our professions, events and individual lives.  You can follow the daily entries by subscribing to Music Makes Sense on Twitter or by "Liking" the Facebook page for Music Makes Sense.  Enjoy, and thanks for reading!

There has been much hype about the possible links between music and learning (can we say the "Mozart Effect"!), but there is evidence in the research literature about some kind of a connection. I think that most of the research so far just has not been able to satisfy us about how much effect and exactly what kind of benefit can be gained. An organization called Music and the Brain in New York has been operating for over a decade on the assumption that music can benefit children's learning. They seem to have some high profile backers and donors and an extensive curriculum in place. I was especially impressed with their links to related websites. I admire their success in getting funding for the arts. The kids in their programs will benefit from the music instruction in more than just academic learning!

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The Daily Muse: How do you use Music as a Reward?

     Welcome to the Daily Muse feature of Music Makes Sense!  This daily update brings you up to the minute news about music and music therapy as it relates to our professions, events and individual lives.  You can follow the daily entries by subscribing to Music Makes Sense on Twitter or by "Liking" the Facebook page for Music Makes Sense.  Enjoy, and thanks for reading!

Here is my short list of considerations for using music listening as a reward. I have recently been working with a client who loves music listening, but the facility staff have had a difficult time using music as a reward for appropriate behavior. My advice to them in a nutshell included the 3 C's:


1. Contingent: Make sure that there are specific behaviors or tasks that must be accomplished in order to earn music listening.


2. Consistent: All staff members involved with a specific client should be versed in the contingencies and willing to follow through. The staff members must carry through with the established contingencies at all times. It only takes one person being soft on the contingencies to decrease the value of the music as a reward.


3. "Concrete": Use all means at your disposal to make the contingencies clear to the client. Visual charts, verbal reminders and frequent opportunities to earn the reward are the keys to this idea. The client should also be the one to choose the music for the reward.


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Try to Remember: The Rhythmic Mind

The Spring 2010 issue of the Journal of Music Therapy has an interesting article about memory. Dr. Silverman, from the University of Minnesota, was interested in looking at how different combinations of pitch, rhythm and familiarity of a music selection affected working memory and anxiety.

Sixty undergraduate students were asked to recall six nine-digit sequences using the numbers one through ten, but not the number seven. The nine-digit sequences were recorded under different treatment conditions such as the digits paired with pitch only from a familiar melody (e.g., Old MacDonald) or the digits recorded with the rhythm only from a familiar melody, (e.g., Mary Had a Little Lamb.) The other four treatment conditions were: a familiar melody with both pitch and rhythm, an unfamiliar melody with pitch only, an unfamiliar melody with rhythm only and an unfamiliar melody with both pitch and rhythm. Although Dr. Silverman also investigated the anxiety levels of the participants before and after taking the memory tests, he did not find a significant difference in anxiety levels.

The results indicated that recall of the nine-digit sequences was best for the rhythm only condition. Participants actually remembered the least when the digit sequences were paired with only pitch or with pitch and rhythm. Dr. Silverman hypothesizes that working memory can become overloaded with information and does not function as well when more than one stimuli at a time is streaming in. The "rhythm only" treatment condition may have helped the participants to better "chunk" the digits into meaningful and more memorable groups of information, whereas the number sequences paired with pitch or pitch and rhythm together caused an "information overload" in the working memory.

This research may prove highly useful in a variety of settings. I think that when a music therapist does an assessment, for example, it might be a good idea to try a variety of interventions including the "rhythm only" method rather than only trying to use pitch, preference and rhythm together at the same time. Songs may become a memory aid over time after information is committed to long term memory, but using rhythm to aid in short term memory may provide a good evaluation of a client's response to music. Sometimes music therapists only get one chance to do an assessment with a client, so every successful response to music regarding non-musical goals is an important part of the assessment's conclusion and determination of recommendation.

I also think that this new information about rhythm and memory can be a powerful tool to use during behavior modification. There are many times when a client with autism or cognitive delays will benefit from performing something successful in a short amount of time in order to benefit from positive reinforcement. Perhaps using simple and familiar rhythms to teach key information would be the best approach to helping the client use working memory to respond appropriately and then receive a reward.

Just don't let advertisers get a hold of this new research or we might see a lot more impulse buying!

Silverman, M. J. (2010). The effect of pitch, rhythm, and familiarity on working memory and anxiety as measured by digit recall performance. Journal of Music Therapy, 47, (1), 70-83.

Book Review: The Science and Psychology of Music Performance

Parncutt and McPherson have collected a wide range of articles regarding music research as it relates to learning and performance. Each chapter is authored by two clinicians or researchers so that there is always one scientist and one musician representing a chapter. The book is meant to be multidisciplinary and cross cultural so that views from music psychology, education and acoustics are all represented, but not any one country within the music of Western Civilization is dominant. The main thrust of the book is to help teachers and performers apply research findings to the actions of creating and making music. The book is divided into three parts: the developing musician, sub skills of music performance, and instrument and ensembles.

The first part of the book describes issues that may impact a performer from early childhood all the way through professional musicianship. Research is discussed about identifying musical potential in young children and how to nurture and build on early musical skills that are discovered. Key ideas in this section include the finding that musical preference for the type of instrument and musical style are much more important as an indicator for future success as a performer than technical skill. The phenomenon of performance anxiety can also be increased or attenuated early on through performance experiences by the young musician. The authors of the chapter on performance anxiety urge teachers to carefully screen young performers who seem to be equating self-esteem with their identity as a performer.

The first section of the book also emphasizes the role of environment on musical learning by presenting research that the brain is most flexible early in life. The authors recommend that teachers look for opportunities to involve as many aspects of music as they can during childhood in order to capitalize on the brain’s power to network and make associations among its different parts. They recommend, for example, that singing and moving should accompany all instrument playing lessons. The idea that the brain is linked together is a common theme throughout the book and is referred to during discussions of memory, sight reading, improvisation, and instrument-specific technique recommendations.

The second section of the book covers the individual skills that are necessary for music performance. This ranges from sight reading to memory and improvisation skills to the structural elements of expression. The chapter on sight reading admits that sight reading is not emphasized in contemporary music education, but argues that professional musicians could benefit from better sight reading skills because they could learn music faster and potentially find more frequent paying jobs. The authors of the chapter on sight reading and improvisation both agree that performers can increase their skill by combining theory, analysis and memorizing of rules and patterns. They also espouse a need for more research into the idea of group creativity.

Memory is a central feature to many sub skills of performance and figures prominently in the book. Several chapters recommend, either directly or indirectly, that teachers should explore methods of memorizing based on understanding of the material and not just through rote learning. The research reviewed in the book reveals that most students tend to compartmentalize theory from playing and ultimately end up memorizing by rote, but that most successful solo artists use a thorough analysis of a musical work to help them memorize the notes.

The final section of the book examines the individual disciplines of music performance. The editors have included almost every genre of performance except for percussion and dance. Each chapter, whether on the solo voice, piano performance, or choir singing, tries to explain how new research in acoustics and physiology may be helpful for the teacher and student in each setting. The chapter on solo voice, for example, examines the anatomical design of the voice and its function in singing. It provides pedagogical implications for teachers and singers based on new research made possible by advances in medical technology, particularly the MRI and X-ray. Many of the authors in this section lament the fact that much of current teaching methods rely on anecdotal or experiential evidence for their instruction rather than on empirical findings.

Overall, the book is well presented and easy to read. The editors have included all the bibliographic information at the end of each chapter for easy reference while reading. The authors and editors seem to have a strong desire to bridge the gap between research and practice. Many of the chapters offer intriguing insights that can be immediately integrated into private lessons in almost any performance area. There is definitely something for everybody in this book. Violinists to pianists to singers will all find research-based knowledge that can be transferred into practice during rehearsal.

Book Review: Tataku: The Use of Percussion in Music Therapy

Wow! This is really a terrific book! Bill Matney actually used to work for Music Therapy Services of Texas when I was Director of Client Services several years ago. We were pleased to have him as one of our therapists, primarily serving clients in the public schools. He continued in his career by taking a position with Lewisville Independent School District and also lecturing at Texas Womens University.

Mr. Matney's book is a wonderful compilation of many of the different applications of drumming that have been used in therapy settings. Bill is a trained percussionist and I can attest to his professional ability as a drummer. In this book, he has synthesized theory and practice from the leaders in drum circle facilitation and drumming and wellness like Kalani and Christine Stevens. This book can serve as a handbook and manual for music therapists and teachers in implementing much more effective use of drumming in the classroom. Matney's discussion of drum circle facilitation along with his nice illustrations and picture examples provide an excellent reference source that is easy to use.

Before this book, much of the literature was either about drumming instruction or intended for specific types of therapeutic drumming. Christine Steven's, Healing Drum Kit, was groundbreaking in its way of teaching some simple drum techniques, but also promoting drumming for relaxation and wellness. Mr. Matney has now provided us with a much more comprehensive manual for learning to play many different types of percussion instruments from around the world. He has provided traditional rhythmic patterns that can be used for each instrument and ideas for group activities. In each case he has also provided links to therapeutic goals and adaptations for people with disabilities or people using drumming to address wellness and psychological objectives. The final chapters provide a thorough and easy to follow description about facilitating drum circles.

The bottom line: This book makes sense for the music therapist who wants to use drumming in a variety of settings. The teacher in special education could also use this book to provide ideas for group drumming in the classroom. The music education teacher could use many of the more advanced ideas for regular education group activities and information for teaching multicultural ideas.

The book at Amazon:
Tataku: The Use of Percussion in Music Therapy

Behavior Management Redux

I have talked before about managing behavior in group settings. As a therapist, I also frequently work with clients on an individual basis. After talking about some clients with one of my therapists I thought that the subject deserved to be revisited. Music therapists are often called upon to work with the most volatile children because music seems to be a motivator or sometimes a calming influence. When I work with clients who have been reported as having episodes of spitting, hitting, throwing things, or even self-abuse I usually don't see these inappropriate behaviors during music therapy because the kids love the music so much. Their interest in music, however, is not enough to guarantee appropriate behaviors. There are several musical and non-musical things that can be done to increase the chances of having productive work session with students who require behavior intervention strategies.

1. Try using a picture schedule for the activities you will be doing. I have a picture that represents each song or activity, beginning with a Hello song and ending with a Goodbye song. The student is expected to take each picture off the schedule in the order of the activities. A picture schedule is helpful because it provides a visual reference that can be used to redirect attention. It also gives the student an indication of where they are in time. Once a student is familiar with the general flow of a music therapy session, the picture schedule allows him to know how much longer he needs to maintain his focus of attention and behavior. The schedule can also be set up to allow breaks or rewards as indicated by pictures. It is much easier for a child to respond to first/then expectations if he has the visual representation.

2. Keep the session or work time short when working with a new student or situation. The idea is to aim for success by completing a session from beginning to end without any major behavior incidents. Once a successful routine has been established, the session time can be increased incrementally across sessions.

3. I have sometimes had success in using a visual timer. This type of timer can indicate how long the student has left in the session or how long before he or she can obtain a specific reward. I like to find out what object rewards or activities the student receives in the classroom and you may have to use those in the music session until a pattern of appropriate behavior has been established. Ideally, we want to give the child a musical reward so that if he or she can maintain good behavior for the specified amount of time, then a favorite instrument or song is presented.

4. Keep the session flowing and moving at a good pace. I counsel my therapists that during music therapy sessions there should be a music stimulus as much as possible. Suggestions for this idea include singing instructions such as raising a hand to make a choice or putting instruments back into a bag. This helps to keep the music going and limits down time in between activities. I see the most aberrant behavior in between activities so it is also important to have all materials in order and easily accessible to minimize dead time.

5. Focus on the positive behaviors. It is too easy to become preoccupied with the unwanted inappropriate behaviors and forget about any good moments that might occur. Positive verbal praise should be a given for anything the student does correctly or well. The reinforcement should be immediately after the good behavior and varied in content. Specific and creative verbal praise is much better than a redundant, “good job!”

Top Ten Behavior Management Strategies For a Successful Music Group

I work with several students who can have aggressive and inappropriate behaviors. These situations may include spitting, biting, pinching, throwing objects, yelling, bad language, jumping up and down, running, and any number of other undesirable behaviors. Sometimes these behaviors are inadvertent, but it always seems like they are done by students who are very large and strong. It can be dangerous and intimidating at times even if these students are not directly aggressive towards me. As a music therapist I usually don't see many of the undesirable behaviors that teachers deal with on a daily basis. I am seeing students for music therapy services who have been documented to respond with unique and significant behaviors towards music stimuli. They are usually motivated to have improved in-seat behavior and have a happier and more cooperative disposition during their preferred music activities. I have discovered that their positive reactions to specially designed music activities can also be facilitated by the following strategies, although they are not listed in any specific order of importance: 1. Keep "busy hands" busy! Many kids are much calmer when they have some object to hold or manipulate. The object does not necessarily distract their attention from the music activity, but simply engages that part of them that needs tactile input or something to fidget with. The Greek people have "worry" beads that many older men often have in their hands, working the beads around a chain. This unconscious activity can be a key factor in helping a student keep his hands to himself as well as providing a calming influence. During music activities, I am able to substitute the object with musical instruments or an object related to the song for the duration of a music activity and then return the original object in between music activities. 2. Make success the goal. Time is an important element to consider with kids who have trouble with behavior. When I am first starting out to work with these clients I usually run a very short music therapy session in order to see if we can make it through the entire session with as few behavior issues as possible. The goal is to make it to the end and then verbally praise the student for a job well done. Non-verbal rewards may also be used and worked into the student's regular work for reward routine. After a few successful sessions the length of the sessions can gradually be increased. 3. Picture it! Visual picture schedules can be a powerful tool in many different situations, but for children with behavior issues they can be crucial. The picture schedules should include a picture or icon to represent each song or music activity. Work towards having the students remove each picture from the schedule as the music session progresses. The schedule will provide a visual timeline to indicate how long they will be participating. The pictures will also indicate preferred songs or instruments that might be used as motivators or rewards after participating in a number of other activities. Since children learn in different ways it can be very important to have the visual cue provided by the picture schedule even if the music session follows a routine. 4. Structured space. Chairs and tables can add to a sense of personal space. Chairs are even more helpful if you need to add more structure by including armrests or even a tray that attaches to the chair. I have even had clients who seat belted themselves into a chair on their own just because they apparently liked the structure and security that provided. Tables are nice because they can be a symbolic as well as literal barrier between you and a child who may pose a danger. Sitting at a table is an appropriate activity, but it also provides more limited space for out of seat behavior, reaching, grabbing, etc. 5. Adapt! Music therapists pride themselves on being able to improvise on the fly by changing the style, tempo, lyrics or dynamics of any given music in order to influence behavior. If one song or music activity is not working, move on and try something else even if it is a song you have been practicing all week for a student or group. One of the most important parts of helping a student participate in a music group is the greeting song. The "hello" song introduces the music session and tries to elicit attention and participation from the target audience. If the regular "hello" song is not working don't be afraid to try something else. Try to find a song that the child really likes even if it has nothing to do with saying hello. Use this song or a song with instruments that they like to begin the music session. After you gain their attention sing the regular "hello" song. 6. Ignore attention seeking behaviors. Many times behaviors such as spitting, hitting, throwing things or bad language are inadvertently reinforced by the startled reactions of teachers and students on the receiving end. Sometimes these behaviors will fade if they are ignored. Unfortunately, I have learned from experience that this can be especially difficult for spitting behaviors, but it is worth it in the long run. I have seen many unwanted behaviors self-extinguish themselves after being ignored across multiple encounters. 7. Be moveable! This idea can often be paired with #5. If the student is not interested in regular activities, it may be necessary to start out in close proximity to the student's location. After you gain his or her attention you can try to move to a designated area or continue to do the music session in the location where you made a connection with the student. I remember one instance when I was seeing a client for the first time in her home. The parents had a room set up as a work room that the girl was used to being in, but she did not like new people and would not come down the stairs. I ended up going upstairs with guitar in hand and literally sang the client down the stairs one stair at a time with an improvised song and lyrics! 8. Social stories with a twist! Social stories have been used with great success in teaching appropriate behaviors, especially to children with autism. Putting a social story to song can sometimes augment the power of the story by increasing the student's attention and interest to the story. Social stories are often paired with pictures. Pairing a social story with a song helps to make the story moveable. For example, if you have forgotten to bring along the picture cards for a social story that you need but it has been paired with a song, you can sing the story and it should help the student pay attention and remember the instructions in the story. 9. Beware tambourines! I have seen a tambourine become a very dangerous weapon! Just imagine a flying disc with metal plates spinning on the sides! Use lightweight instruments without obvious pointed ends or other features that could turn dangerous if used as a throwing object or hitting tool. When using drums, try using a gathering drum that sits on the floor and can be held down easily or a paddle drum where the student uses the mallet and the teacher holds out the drum. 10. Choices, choices, choices... I like to establish a routine set of songs and activities across several sessions so that the students anticipate the songs and the length of the session. Once this routine and structure have been established the students will be presented with choices for songs and activities within the overall scheme of the established routine. Many of the children with behavior management issues thrive on sameness in their daily schedules. Songs and music activities are naturally structured by the music itself. If there is a student who is particularly sensitive to change, then allow for choices to be made within a routine and familiar song such as varying the tempo, dynamics or instrumentation. This strategy has often been successful in teaching about change without setting off a reaction of unwanted behaviors. One more thing! Jenny, one of my readers, recently suggested some great articles about traveling, starting at a new school, and moving homes when you have a child with ASD or sensory needs. Music can always be used in conjunction with other strategies, but there are some very good basics to keep in mind. I hope you find these posts useful as well! Thank you!

Adapted Song Series: Clap, Clap, Clap

The adapted song series features songs with simple chord progressions that have been useful in music therapy settings. These songs have memorable tunes and offer logical and predictable opportunities to substitute words, sounds and actions for lyrics and movements in the original song. These songs are especially useful for teachers and parents in between music therapy sessions.

Clap, Clap, Clap is from the Musik Garten album, Family Music: Clap With Me.

This song is so catchy that teachers and kids will never forget the tune. It is easily sung without accompaniment and the motions that go along with the song help to keep it lively and engaging. The original song asks for movements like: clapping, tapping toes, and clicking heels. There is an instrumental interlude between each movement request in the lyrics.

Adaptations:

1. Sing on “la” or other syllable sounds (i.e., “ma,” “za,” “ha,” “ho,” are very successful) during the instrumental interludes. This is perfect for working on speech and language objectives for beginning consonant sounds and vowel sounds.

2. Conduct the instrumental music with your hand or make a “music wand” with ribbons and streamers.

3. Encourage students to make choices about what motor movements can be done. I have used: blink your eyes, pat your knees, pat your head, stomp your feet, etc.

This song has been so successful for use with children who have disabilities because you can tailor the movements to be as simple as blinking your eyes. This allows children in a wheelchair or with severe physical disabilities to successfully be part of the group activity. Clap, Clap, Clap also uses very few chords and can easily be played in the key of D on the guitar or keyboard. The lyrics are very repetitive and therefore provide multiple opportunities for children to hear instructions. Finally, I like the structure of the song since it provides predictable sections of music without lyric accompaniment. Verbal prompts and instructions can be used at these times to reinforce what will happen in the song.

Amazon has the CD here:

Clap With Me

Memory Booster! Using Music to Memorize Lists and Facts.

The popularity of shows on television, like Fox's "Don't Forget the Lyrics," and party games such as "Encore" emphasize the power of music to help us remember words and numbers. If I write the phone number 867-5309, you may naturally start singing the hit song by Tommy Tutone! I often use music to help my clients remember phone numbers, addresses and lists of information like the months of the year or counting by twos, fives or tens. The children I work with have a range of disabilities from autism to mental retardation, but the principles of music that facilitate memorization remain the same for helping anyone remember key items of information.

1. Use "chunking" - Telephone numbers, as they are written in the United States, (###) ###-####, are good examples of dividing up information into manageable pieces of information. One way I have used this idea is by dividing up lists like the twelve months of the year into two groups before making up a song to help children memorize them. In addition, I use two different songs for each set of months in order to differentiate the "chunks" and make them more memorable.

2. "Piggyback" songs - These are songs where new words are used with an old melody. A great example of this is the Alphabet Song which is set to the tune of Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star. Piggyback songs are easily overused, but very helpful for teachers and parents who are not musically trained. I usually make up original melodies for use in memorizing material, but it is possible to find appropriate popular tunes that appropriately fit the text to be memorized. I suggest not to use the same tune for all of the different "chunks" of information. Folk songs or songs from the 50's and 60's are usually very good sources for trying out piggyback tunes. These songs are usually very simple in structure, easily sung and very familiar. The melody for (Oh my darling) Clementine, for example, works well to sing about the days of the week:

There are seven days,
There are seven days,
There are seven days of the week.
Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday.

3. Add body movements - Kinesthetic memory can be a cue for cognitive recall and kids love to move their bodies to music. A perfect example for this is when kids are chanting, "Hip, hip, hurray!" and naturally pump their arms and fists high up into the air. Adding body percussion such as clapping, stomping or patting your knees at times in the songs can help to emphasize certain lyric information. Strategically placed claps or stomps can also "chunk" the song into smaller parts and allow the singers to refocus and get back on track with the group if they were behind or forgot some of the lyrics. These actions can be very useful for children who have mental retardation or Down Syndrome. Sometimes it takes many repetitions of the song, but in my experience, they eventually learn the action and prefer songs with movement over songs that only use singing.

4. Sign language - Add sign language for key words or even for the whole song. Signing is both kinesthetic and visual! When using sign language for a song pay special attention to keeping the signs in tempo with the rhythm of the music and making the signing motions larger or smaller according to the dynamics and lyrics.

5. Use melody and harmony effectively - Most songs have obvious lyric and melodic phrases that sound incomplete if not finished. One example of this could be singing, "This little light of mine, I'm gonna let it ______," and just leaving the word and the melody blank. This space can be used for important information since it is the most likely place in the song that a word will be remembered when the melody is sung as a cue. An added advantage to this song is that the lyric phrase is repeated many times, providing even more emphasis for important information.

6. Try a Bigmak! - Ablenet has a step by step Bigmak or Littlemak that can be programmed with multiple words or phrases so that the recordings are played sequentially as the button is pushed. This is a great feature for lists and allows non-verbal children to participate in the songs.

Hey Mr. DJ! Dancing Activity for the Special Education Classroom.

I learned this activity in my music therapy internship, but I do not know where the original idea came from. We called it, "Disco Nerf!" This group activity can be done in a variety of special education settings or even at home as a family. I think it works especially well for junior high and high school groups. Dancing is an age appropriate activity, but these kids don't usually get to attend the regular school dances and parties.




Equipment:

- Nerf Ball
- CD player (remote control makes things easier)

Rules:

- Whoever has the ball when the music stops has to make up a dance move.
- Whenever you get the ball you have to do your dance move if you have made one up.
- If you get the ball a third time when the music stops, then you become the DJ!
- Everyone starts over with no dance moves when there is a new DJ.

Activity:

Form a circle making sure that there are teachers or peer facilitators at strategic locations in the circle to assist students with disabilities. (Remain sitting in chairs to add more structure to the activity if there are students who get too excited or lack focus of attention skills.) Select a person to be the first DJ and have them control the pause button on the CD player. The DJ should be facing away from the group so that he or she cannot see where the ball is. The DJ starts the music and the group quickly passes the ball in a circle like it is a "hot potato." The DJ randomly stops the music and waits for the person with the ball to make up a dance move. The dance moves should be kept simple and the dancer should be able to do the move while holding the ball. Request the DJ to restart the music and continue passing the ball. If a person who has made up a dance move gets the ball while the music is going, he or she should do their dance move before passing the ball to the next person. Prior to starting, you should determine if dancers will have to make up two different dance moves if the music stops while they have the ball on two different occasions. (Sometimes I just have them do one dance move depending on how well they can remember.) Once a person has the ball a third time when the music stops, they become the DJ and everyone starts over without any dance moves. The ball just moves quickly as a "hot potato!"

Applications, goals and objectives:

This activity can easily be used to collect data on objectives. It is also an easy way to have peer assistants partner with students who have disabilities. Many students with cerebral palsy or other disabilities will need help to hold and pass the ball, but in my experience they always love the activity!

Here are some suggested goals to observe:

- Following one and two-step directions.
- Gross motor movement.
- Peer interaction.
- Focus of attention.
- Sequencing skills.

Now go and, "Shake your booty!"

Up, Up, and Away! Music Activities With a Parachute.

Small parachutes are a fun and unique way to complement music activities. Parachutes are common in P.E. classes, but I enjoy using them for my clients in the special education setting to target a variety of learning objectives. Unlike the huge one pictured here which can be used for large groups, I suggest using an 8' - 10' parachute in small group activities. Parachutes that are smaller than this do not catch as much air nor achieve the same effect of suspension in the air and subsequent slow, floating down.

When to use a parachute:

1. Gross motor movement.

-Children who are in wheelchairs benefit greatly from using a parachute because it is easy for them to participate with a group in a movement activity that does not require lower extremity motor skills. There are also many applications for students to practice grasping and raising their arms up in the air. (Make sure that the parachute has handles or loops attached to it to facilitate the activity.) I like the song, "Reach Up High," by the group Parachute Express for this activity.

-Children can participate in dancing with or without wheelchairs by taking turns running in and out from under the parachute and dancing underneath before it drops down. The students in wheelchairs can be pushed in and out or allowed to dance as the parachute goes up and down over the top of them. Popular music is the best choice for this activity. Currently, Hannah Montana and the Jonas Brothers are favorites in the classes I go to.

2. Academic/Social skill development.

-I like to use a very light blow up ball about 10" in diameter for these activities. (Nerf balls seem to be too heavy and bouncy.) Most of the parachutes come with different colored sections so take turns calling out colors on the parachute and see if you can move the ball to the requested color. There is a fun song by Aaron Carter called, "Bounce," that works well for this activity.

-Another option for using a ball is to see if the students can roll the ball on the parachute to one of their peers. This requires that they work together and also that they recognize their peers. Try this activity at the beginning of the school year when there are new students in the class.

3. Relaxation.

-The parachute provides refreshing bursts of air as it is thrown up high and floats back down. The key to successfully gaining this effect is that the group must stretch up high to place the parachute and then slowly allow it to return to the ground.

-Stretching and breathing are important components to relaxation. The motion of the parachute up and down are good physical cues to help students breathe in and out slowly in preparation for music assisted relaxation. One good song to use for this is Enya's song, "Watermark." This song repeats a series of up and down melodic lines that evoke the feeling of raising and lowering the parachute.

The Role of Music:

1. Lyric instruction. Songs that sing about reaching up or going "high" or "low" are perfect for the parachute activities. There are also songs that talk about fast and slow or moving left or right. Songs about colors such as Hap Palmer's, "All the Colors of the Rainbow," can be used as a way to discuss colors and to guide the bouncing ball around the parachute.

2. Setting the mood. Songs are a powerful way to set the mood for the activity. Relaxing music will evoke slow motions up and down, while fast music with a lively beat is good for trying to keep a ball bouncing on the parachute without letting it fall off.

3. Melodic cues. Music like Enya's, "Watermark," guides the participants in moving up and down like the melody. Other motions such as swaying or spinning may also be tied to the melodic line.

Jump in the fun -- and don't forget your parachute!

Relax! How to Use Music and Relaxation to Help Your Students With Disabilities.

I have had the opportunity to lead several music assisted relaxation groups in public school special education classrooms. These groups have included a range of ages and types of disabilities including Down Syndrome, autism, mental retardation and Cerebral Palsy. One of the key points I like to emphasize with my clients and their instructors is that learning to relax can become a conditioned response. This means that relaxing can be practiced so that it is more effective and useful in the future.

Generally the clients that I work with in the special education classrooms do not have typical life stressors that would induce anxiety and require relaxation, but there are other reasons that relaxation can be an important tool for them and their teachers. I have found that many of the special education students are easily overwhelmed with environmental stimuli in their daily environment. Most teachers recognize this situation and have created quiet areas of their room that have been somewhat sectioned off and made comfortable for students to experience some quiet time without so much of the distractions of the classroom.

In other situations, students sometimes become agitated or emotionally upset without apparent cause. When this happens, it has been helpful to have a familiar music relaxation or music listening strategy already in place as part of the behavior intervention plan. In addition, the students may also benefit from social interaction, gross motor movement, stretching and opportunities to become peer models or leaders as they participate in small group relaxation activities.

I have used various music assisted relaxation activities with school-age students. There is not a specific protocol that must be followed, but rather some general suggestions and ideas to reference as you implement relaxation activities into your classroom:

1. Music choice - Music for relaxation should be chosen according to several criteria. The most important quality of the music is a slow tempo with a predictable underlying rhythmic pulse. I recommend a tempo of about 60 - 80 beats per minute. Music without lyrics is recommended, but there may be some singing if it does not distract too much attention from the experience. The melody should be pleasant and part of traditional music and not atonal or experimental. Try to use songs that do not have sudden changes in tempo, dynamics or unexpected starts or stops. The melody should also stay in the mid-range and not sound extremely low or high. There are some very good songs by Enya, Kevin Kern and Daniel Kobialka that I have used in my groups.

2. Facilitator - The person doing the relaxation facilitating, either a teacher or student, should use a calm, steady voice. Practice speaking slowly and clearly, pausing often to listen to the music. The music should be loud enough to mask unwanted environmental sounds, but not so loud that the facilitator has to speak any louder than he or she would in a normal conversation. The facilitator should sit in a chair and demonstrate the breathing or stretching movements.

3. Breathing - Breathing is the foundation for these relaxation groups. Start out the group with several deep cleansing breaths by breathing in through the nose and out through the mouth. Continue the relaxation by practicing some deep breathing in and out using slow eight or ten count intervals. Breathing can be verbally reinforced by describing the "revitalizing," "fresh," "relaxing," air going in and the "discomfort," "anxiety," and "stress," leaving the body. After a few minutes of breathing, the facilitator should encourage the group to get more comfortable in their chairs, close their eyes if desired, and breathe normally. Breathing should fall into a steady, relaxed rhythm.

4. Stretching - I encourage breathing and "stretching" as the main components of the relaxation sessions for these groups with students who have disabilities. Simple gross motor movements demonstrated by the facilitator provide "concrete" actions for the group to follow. I usually do shoulder rolls forward and backward, reaching for the ceiling and the floor and slowly tilting the head from side to side and forward as the basic movements. Other stretches can be done by reaching forward or sweeping the arms up and down as if doing very slow jumping jacks. Combine some breathing in and out on selected motions for added effect.

5. Imagery - For groups that do not have people with disabilities it is very effective to use some kind of imagery to facilitate the relaxation. Suggestions include imagining a warm light that slowly warms and relaxes each part of the body or being guided to a restful place in nature where comforting sounds and worry free relaxation can take place. Most of my clients in special education do not respond well to abstract imaginations and descriptions, but music that has environmental sounds or large pictures with client preferred settings may be possible applications after a relaxation routine is familiar and established.

The relaxation experience should begin and end with similar breathing and gross motor movements. Between these times the facilitator is free to try different stretches or breathing as they wish. This allows for leadership and choice-making opportunities for the students. Picture cards that illustrate the gross motor movements can be made so that students can make a choice between pictures and then present their choice to the group. The facilitator may also pass out supportive instruments such as an ocean drum to add to the atmosphere of the experience. An 6'-10' parachute shared by the group is a wonderful way to practice slow breathing and movements!

The relaxation session should last about 5-10 minutes depending on the attention span of the participants. If this group relaxation is practiced on a regular basis, you will notice that the students will tone down their activity simply in anticipation of the experience and even more when the music begins playing. Teachers will find that just by playing the music that they regularly use for relaxation they may be able to aid a student who is upset or agitated and help them regain some self-control. The relaxation protocol may also be helpful to use on days when an unplanned change of the school schedule has disrupted the regular routine and the students are unusually off-task.

There are many applications for the use of music assisted relaxation activity in relation to objectives in a student's Individual Education Plan. Following directions, making choices, gross motor movement, counting skills, focus of attention, gesturing and verbalizing are all specific objectives that can be tracked for progress during music facilitated group relaxation.

Now...take a deep breath....exhale.....

(For teachers after a long day, take a look at this article: Instructions For Self-Guided Relaxation
)

Bigger is Better! The Unique Powers of Drums, Guitars, Rainsticks and Other Large Musical Instruments In Therapy.

This week I made the observation that one of my clients responds more significantly to large instruments. He seems to prefer a large gathering drum, the guitar and a Q-chord placed in his lap. He is not the only client that enjoys these instruments, but it prompted me to detail the specific qualities that large instruments have that make them so powerful for some clients. Teachers and parents can benefit from understanding the qualities that make these instruments unique. Here are three ways large instruments can sometimes be so effective:

1. They are cool! Many large instruments are visually attractive. My large gathering drums and African drums have tropical patterns and colors that are appealing to children. The larger ocean drums come with colorful fish panoramas and provide focus of attention on the moving beads inside. There also seems to be something fun about getting to play the biggest instrument out of a group when given a choice.

2. Accessibility. Large instruments offer height and large playing surfaces that are often easier for children to approach. They do not require children to hold on to them in order to make a musical sound. This is especially true for children who do not have fine motor skills and have difficulty holding on to small shakers or handles. A large drum head, for example, is a perfect place for these children to play without worrying about hand strength and grasping. I also love that a Tubano drum is just the right height for younger children to stand next to and play. When they get older, the Tubano is easily played from a sitting position and can stand up straight on the floor - no tilting necessary! The Q-chord is the king of accessibility since it can sit on a tray table for wheelchair access or on a lap. The strum-plate on the Q-chord is also very easy to manipulate and does not require fine motor skill to activate.

3. Vibration. Large acoustic instruments provide much more in the way of sensory feedback. The gathering drum provides wonderfully low and rich vibrations. The drum can be placed on the floor or shared between two people on their laps so that the vibrations can permeate through the legs. The guitar is similar, but also provides the melodic elements so that the vibrations change with the high and low pitch. Many of my clients who are sensory defensive will reach out and strum the guitar as one of the few objects they seek out in their environment.

There are many other kinds of large instruments that can be effective during music activities when working with children who have disabilities. Pianos and keyboards are not as easily transported, but they offer all three aspects in that they are very unique, accessible and full of aural and tactile stimuli. I have also used large rain-sticks. For the best effect, try to find a rain-stick that sounds for as long as possible.

Sometimes it just makes sense to use a BIG instrument!

Schoolhouse Strategy: Drum Circles for the Special Needs Classroom

Drum circles offer a sense of independence within a community situation. A typical drum circle usually involves a variety of instrument sounds including different sized drums, shakers and bells. The participants play their instruments, dance and even sing around a central drum facilitator. Sometimes a large drum may provide a steady underlying pulse for the group to build upon, but other times the group plays to whatever rhythm develops, changing as the drumming continues.

A drum circle depends on the ability of the participants to play a steady beat or respond to the musical dynamic with a part that fits into the musical experience. A few people off the beat or not able to follow the directions of the leader will not disrupt the cohesion of the musical product. In a classroom with children with special needs it is still possible, however, to use a drum circle effectively for a group activity. The following strategies may be helpful for successful drumming with children who have disabilities.

1. Establish a strong beat. You may want to use an audio recording in the background to provide a steady pulse and supportive drum circle atmosphere. It is important to have a pleasing musical product in order to encourage participation by the children. Some good recordings are found on Christine Stevens, The Healing Drum Kit or Sweet Honey In the Rock, Still the Same Me. Christine Stevens has recorded drum circle tracks specifically to be played as a background for an individual or small group drumming experience. The CD from Sweet Honey In the Rock has recordings of traditional African drumming. Another way to establish a pulse for the drum circle is to use a large paddle drum or gathering drum to play a steady, consistent beat that is solid enough to be heard and felt during the group drumming.

2. Vary the instrumentation. A drum circle does not require a majority of drums. The circle activity will become too loud and lack variety. Use at least three different timbres in the drum circle. Different instruments will appeal to individual children and the drum circle facilitator will have flexibility in having different timbre groups play.

3. Have a drum circle facilitator. The facilitator is key to the successful drum circle. Children with disabilities can learn to start and stop a drum circle using gestures. A four count start or stop is a good way to practice this. They can also direct the group to get louder and softer or have selected groups of instruments play. Adaptations can be made to help the children be facilitators by giving them adaptive technology such as "Big Mac" switches for verbal commands to start and stop. The drum circle facilitator may also be the "DJ" and operate the audio recording to guide the drumming experience.

The drum circle allows for much creativity and exploration. Concentrate on non-verbal communication skills that go along with objectives from Individual Education Plans. Focus of attention, imitation and following directions are all skills that will naturally occur during group drumming. Encourage the drumming to continue for several minutes at a time before doing starts and stops. This will allow the players to entrain their playing with the beat of the pulse. The entrainment effect happens naturally over time as a steady beat is played.

1..2..3...Drum!

Schoolhouse Strategy: Picture schedules

I work in many classrooms where picture schedules are used to help the students transition between activities throughout the day. Picture schedules are especially effective in helping students with autism spectrum disorders. I was talking with a teacher today, however, who was unsuccessful in convincing a regular education teacher to implement a picture schedule for a student during "inclusion" time in her class. Although most teachers in special education understand the value of using picture schedules when appropriate, I have been surprised in my visits to literally hundreds of different classrooms that picture schedules are not used more frequently to help small group activities run more smoothly.

As a music therapist I depend on the power of songs and music activities to structure events and actions across time. Typical songs have a beginning and end that act as placeholders in time, while the rhythm and tempo of a song may be considered the ticking of time as it passes. Familiar songs can therefore provide a predictable framework that helps students with disabilities to pace themselves. Students with autism, for example, can better understand what is expected through these musical cues so that they can focus their attention and manage their behaviors for a predictable amount of time.

The intrinsic power of songs and music activities to provide structure minimizes the amount of undesirable behavior that occurs during a music therapy session. I have found, however, that using a picture schedule in certain instances has helped tremendously during transitions between songs as well as providing visual cues for appropriate behavior during songs and activities. I often employ a picture schedule comprised of seven to ten pictures that represent each song or activity in the session. In my experience, the clients are able to learn the schedule after only a few sessions. Although some of the songs change from week to week, the pictures remain the same, so the students know at any given time where they are in the session time line and what is expected of them. As a supervisor, I have frequently suggested to my therapists that they begin using a picture schedule to help some of their sessions run more smoothly. They have often been amazed at how effective such a simple tool can be.

One final note on the subject would be that I advise using pictures with word labels. Social stories, for example, are often very effective in helping children with autism to pattern a behavior. There is power in reading a word. The word-picture combination is a more effective format for the picture schedule.