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Enhancement Of Communication Through Music For Deafblind/Multi
Sensory Impaired Children.
 TELL ME AND I’LL FORGET.
SHOW ME AND I’LL REMEMBER.
INVOLVE ME AND I’LL UNDERSTAND.
(PHOTO INSERTED)
 From an early age young children are receiving information through hearing & vision
while playing with other children. They receive this information through the activities
of their daily lives. Through this information they express their needs, choices, liking
& disliking by pointing, holding, making eye contact & finally via speech. (Photo)
 A baby who is born Deafblind or Multi Sensory Impaired, may not receive any
information through eyes & ears. Possibly they receive very confusing/incomplete
information through their residual hearing & vision. They face enormous difficulties to
express themselves due to this incomplete and disturbed information. How do they
then learn to communicate with others? It is mainly through touch.
(Photo shown)
 Communication is the most challenging area for Deafblind/MSI children. I am sure,
you all agree with me.
 Every day activities encourage communication.
 Can Music encourage communication? Let us see.
 (When an IEP (Individual Educational Plan) is prepared for our children to enhance
communication skills through different activities such as cooking, shopping, play etc.,
more often music is not chosen as an activity for enhancing communication skills. We
have always heard that visually impaired children are oriented towards music. But
when we talk about Deafblind/MSI children music is not given importance in their
every day routine as a curricular area. What is the reason? Is it because of hearing
loss?
Music is not just song. It is rhythmic sound.
 What is MUSIC
Music – In very simple language it is the art of arranging sounds through rhythm,
melody, harmony & timbre to produce a continuous, unified & evocative composition.
(Music can be produced by Pandit Ravi Shankar. Also music is produced when a baby
bangs a spoon on table. It is not necessary that musical instrument can only create
music. Even birds chirping, rain drops falling, sound produced by mouth organ and
also baby clapping can create music. Music has vibrations, pitch & pace that can be
felt. Deafblind /MSI children can experience music without having to see & hear.
Remember, Deafblind children mainly depend on tactile stimuli and learn through
touch.)
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 How music can help enhance communication?
 INITIAL STAGE
Bonding/Developing relationship.
Meaningful communication is possible when both the persons who are communicating
are involved & take interest and this is possible only when the matter is interesting
and enjoyable for both. Music touches every one. A rhythmic environment makes
easier to build up good relation between learner & teacher. (Very brief Video clipping)
Turn taking
It is necessary to develop in earlier communication stage; Turn Taking develops into
ability to take turns in conversation. When mother plays with baby & creates baby’s
sound baby copies her in turn. Music can make it easier to develop this skill in an
individual session and in a group session. In individual session it happens between
teacher & learner. In group session it is possible to happen between children.
Imitation.
Initial stage of communication of children is through imitating. When mother looks at
the baby and smiles and in return baby imitates the mother and smiles. Music is a
good medium for imitation. When the palm of the child is placed on the drum &
teacher creates simple beats, the child receives
vibrations and tries to imitate. Similarly when the teacher blows the flute the child
receives vibrations by touching the teachers’ cheek. (Clipping)
Choice making
Another important communication development skill is through choices. Through
choosing favorite toys, taste, food, liking, place children communicate so many
things.
Children who are Deafblind & MSI have difficulty at times expressing choices .So
frequently, choices are made for them. This lack of choice makes the child unhappy &
decreases child’s power to control his own life.
Music can help to teach the child how to make choice. He can explore instruments,
realize vibrations, enjoy rhythms & try to choose his/her favorite one.
(Brief Clipping)
 Facial Expression.
The natural expression is inborn. To see expression on child’s face teacher/parents
can read the child’s mind, what he thinks about? What he wants to say.
In the music class when the child slightly open his mouth & he may want to say “Oh
I like it” & care taker can teach him the sign “LIKE”.
When the teacher stops the music & child starts to cry, he wants probably, to say,
“I want more”. Teacher can introduce the sign “more”. (Video)
LATER STAGE
Receptive & Expressive Communication Through signs.
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After initial communication development, the base of the understanding of the child
becomes stronger & he is ready to receive & express himself through signs.
It is very important to create proper environment to introduce new signs. Through
different activities like craft, watering plant teachers/parent try to create the actual
environment, but sometimes children do not like to involve in this kind of activities.
Children have shown deep involvement in music to feel different rhythmic vibration
and pitch.
Through playing musical instruments children can improve fine motor skills, which
helps to communicate because Deafblind children talk through finger.
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Reading & writing
For receiving information in early stage children of Deafblind & MSI read by
exploring. Gradually they learn Braille, large print etc. Subsequently they
express/share their thoughts through drawing, Braille large print etc.
To make reading activity interesting teacher can plan to keep flash cards in music
class to teach alphabets through musical instruments. For Ex. The letter G can be
taught by making the child touch Guitar, F for flute, T for Tabla etc as the child has
interest in playing instruments.
As a musical play activity, the child thereafter, will learn to write/improve writing
skill the name of the instrument after hearing it in Large Print or Braille. (Video)
Disadvantages:
Needs planned activity.
The plan for the child should be individualized according to the ability and need.
Otherwise there could be confusion.
Some children take the musical activity as play.
There is possibility of deviating from the goal set for the child to learn through music.
Fancy musical instruments and room.
More often fancy instruments, which are difficult for the child to manipulate, are used
when there is no need for such instruments. As a result the child gets de-motivated.
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 Thank you all very much
 Thank u MUSIC.