Sales Crowd

By B.Z. Nuseibeh

 While therapists and medical professionals have long recognized the measurable benefits of occupational therapy and physical therapy for children with developmental disabilities and other special needs, the far-reaching benefits of music therapy have only relatively recently been discussed in depth.

The latest research proves that music therapy offers children with special needs a wide range of long-term benefits. It helps children improve their gross and fine motor skills, aids in academic achievement, improves social interaction skills and helps with communication.

Do you remember learning the alphabet? Did the familiar “A-B-C” song help you retain that information? That’s a small example, but a good one, of how music can help us learn and retain academic knowledge. Music therapy helps organize a variety of information in smaller, easier to learn, bits.

One of the greatest upsides to music therapy that makes it one of the best activities for children with special needs, is the fact that it music very appealing to the children themselves. For example, children with autism are often extremely interested in and stimulated by music. They respond more often to music than many other types of sound. In fact, there are some children who will respond only to musical stimuli. Their affinity for music is a great motivator for them to participate in therapy and helps make music therapy that much more effective.

According to the American Music Therapy Association (AMTA), since music is processed by a different area of the brain than speech, it’s easier for children with special needs to absorb and retain a wide range of information using music therapy. The well-known mood enhancing or soothing aspects of music help the children improve their emotional state. Research shows that group music therapy for children empowers them to channel feelings such as frustration and anger into creative forms of expression and communication.

Music therapy also helps these children focus. Again according to AMTA, research proves that children in early education programs who participate in music therapy group activities greatly improve their ability to pay attention and stay on task. Furthermore they score higher in language skills, fine motor skills, social interaction and cognitive development.

Finally, the benefits of music therapy in helping children with physical disabilities or other special needs to improve their motor skills are enormous. For example, learning to play a musical instrument through adapted guitar lessons or adapted piano lessons can help these children improve their fine motor skills as well as hand-eye coordination. The repeated rhythms of music therapy have been proven to help with gross motor skills also, helping children who have irregular gaits or challenges with muscle control.

Truly, music therapy is one of the most effective and helpful ways to teach special needs children. One of its best, most appealing qualities is that it’s fun. Like all of us, children are drawn to music. It engages them, improves their mood and helps them focus. Music therapy makes learning enjoyable and offers a remarkable variety of benefits to children with developmental disabilities and other special needs.

Betsey Zenk Nuseibeh, of Melodic Connections is a special educator and a board certified music therapist in Cincinnati. Her foundation focuses on providing music therapy for special needs children, special needs music lessons cincinnati, and other programs for adults with disabilities.

making learning music fun for elementary school children

By Kevin Tuck

 If you’ve been a teacher of young children’s classes you’ll know one very important thing: you always need have a lesson plan. That is, if you want to end the day in a positive frame of mind!

A lesson plan can be very simple, in fact experienced teachers can almost do it without even writing it down, however they always have to be prepared with something ready to do in their lessons.

In our area of music there are a few tips that make elementary classes much more fun, both for the students and the teacher.

1. Do a variety of activities

You know the old saying: “Too much of a good thing…” - well in teaching there is never a more true statement! Even if the children love a particular game or song they will eventually lose interest in it, so make sure you stop while they are still liking it and move onto a new one.

2.Each segment should be short and to the point

Short 5-10 minute activities are always best, depending on what you are doing of course. In a general music/singing lesson at elementary level you would normally start with a song or two, break it up with some percussion or rhythm work and them move onto another song and maybe a game at the end.

3. Break up the routine with something unexpected!

Its definitely a good thing to keep the students guessing about what they might expect next! Keep some stability of course, but occasionally you can mix it up by getting them to go outside and play a game, or going to visit another class and singing them a song. If you do this every now and then and it works for you students might start really loving your classes!

4. Have a surprise around every corner

All children love surprises, especially young children! You can mix up your rewards by suddenly picking out one student and giving them a reward for singing well or playing nicely. Incentive schemes always work, but mix it with surprises and you’ll find they’ll respond even better.

Don’t call it “work” - its a “game”!

You can call just about any activity a “game” and approach it as such, it’ll become much more fun! So if you’re going to do rhythm clapping for example, instead of saying “Let’s do some rhythm work”…. say “Lets play a rhythm game!” with a big smile on your face! One small change to your expressions and what you say will make a huge difference!

Always have plenty of “spares” up your sleeve!

As a teacher you always need to plan more activities than you’ll ever need for every lesson. You can always have a bunch of simple music theory worksheets copied and ready if you need them, and learn a couple of songs that you know will work every time.

Hopefully some of these ideas will help you make your elementary music lesson plans fun and enjoyable for your students.

Kevin Tuck has taught music at elementary and high school levels and also in his own private music studio. Nowadays Kevin is involved in editing all sorts of music lesson plans and music theory worksheets for the Fun Music Company.

Guitar Music Center

By Geromme Talampas

 They are started small music center over the past years and offering quality products from the top leading manufacturers.

about our products and services are passionate and unique, just they know how passionate musicians are about their instruments, sound & the quality parts that they use.

Our Events and product section also contains information on the industry & local scene.

Guitar music center has expanded and relocated to Melbourne Australia founded and has since provided 10 years of high quality guitar instruction. And also offers drum, piano/keyboard, and computer recording lessons. they provides a spacious and comfortable atmosphere in which to learn from highly qualified instructors. Guitar music center is probably the best learning tool a guitar player can have in the modern guitarist and had chance to access for every song that they want.

Published by: Guitars and Tone Casualties

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