Wednesday, June 27, 2012

Talk-n-Drum for Children with Language, Speech and Social Delays


When my husband and I created the Talk-n-Drum Language and Music Program for Preschoolers, we were thinking mainstream education.  I don't know why I was so surprised  to see children with language, speech and social delays react with an amazing level of enthusiasm and engagement in T-n-D activities. After all, it's fun learning anything by making silly sounds with the voice, playing rhythms on cool instruments to recorded music that has a current relatable sound while marching around the room, or sitting in a circle with friends singing & signing a song about the colors of the rainbow. In fact, when parents and teachers of children with these specific delays hear them sing in a new language, or watch them march perfectly to the beat of a drum they are playing, they are astounded! In addition to creating a multisensory approach to teaching speech and language, as performing musicians, we understood the importance of the theatrical element to make the experience entertaining. In this way the students are not intimidated by the material they are learning, trust the teacher and engage quicker, making concepts easier to grasp and retain. A T-n-D class is chock full of learning but it's all done for the FUN of it! 

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