TME Tuesday: The Passing Song

I occasionally have clients who are working on body awareness, coordinated movements, and completion of one-step directions. How to address these things? Voila! Write a song!! (Of course, writing an original song is my answer to almost every thing - that's one of the things I love about music therapy! Don't have a song that prompts every thing your client needs? WRITE YOUR OWN!!)

Therapeutic Music Experience

The Passing Song

Mary Jane Landaker, MME, MT-BC

 

Purpose: To promote motor planning; to provide opportunities to practice motor skills; to address palmar grasp development; social interaction; completion of one-step directives

Source: Original song. © 6-13-2012 by Mary Jane Landaker, MME, MT-BC.

Materials: small handheld instrument or object for each group member (bean bag, shaker egg, squishy ball); OPTIONAL: guitar

Environment: Group members sitting in a circle to facilitate passing. Therapist or song leader outside of the circle to assist group members in completing the task

Song/Chant/Words: Passing Song.pdf

I                               IV                          V7                       I           V7

I have a shaker egg in my hand. I pass with one hand as fast as I can.

I                               IV

Pass with one hand, pass with one hand,

  V7                               I         V  I

I pass with one hand as fast as I can.

Replace underlined words with other words to change the targeted movements:

·         With my left hand

·         With my right hand

·         Tossing gently

·         With my eyes closed

·         Fast

·         Slow

·         Low

·         High

·         Others as appropriate

Procedure: R = Reinforcement opportunities; C = Redirection/Cue opportunities; A = Assessment

1. Pass out objects or instruments to group members
2. C= start singing the song, demonstrating the desired movement if possible. (If not possible for MT to demonstrate the movement, recruit a model for the behavior to show the group)
3. A=assess which group members are completing the task as specified
4. R=reinforce group members who are completing the task as directed by the song lyrics. Redirect group members who are not completing the task as specified.
5. C=continue to sing same verse until all group members are completing the skill as desired
6. Repeat steps 2-5, changing lyrics to provide opportunities for group members to address different motor skills.

Therapeutic Function of Music:

Music coordinates, directs, and shapes the desired outcomes of this experience. The lyrics are repetitive in nature, offering group members a measure of predictability which encourages entrainment to the macrobeat. In addition, the lyrics have elements which are easily adapted to accommodate differences in motor development. The lyrical elements which are adapted occur in the same place in the song every time which also promotes entrainment to the macrobeat. The lyrics remain predictable for the majority of the song. The pitch, timbre, dynamics, and tempo are variable, offering the therapist many options to adjust and adapt to engage clients in the desired outcome of motor skill development. The melody covers an entire octave, so the key of the song must be chosen carefully. The rhythm is primarily on the beat rather than syncopated.

Melody	Pitch	Rhythm	Dynamics	Harmony
Repetitive, variety of scalar and stepped patterns – covers entire octave so key must be chosen carefully.	Variable to accommodate client ranges	Limited syncopation – most figures occur on the beat or in eighth note patterns	Variable to engage attention of group members	Major tonality

Form	Tempo	Timbre	Style	Lyrics
Limerick form – A,A,BB, A	Variable to accommodate client motor skill development	Vocal with optional guitar	Children’s song type	Repetitive, embedding directions into lyrics, variable based on clients’ motor needs and issues

Chart adapted from Hanson-Abromeit, D. (2010). A Closer Look at the Therapeutic Function of Music. Presentation at 2010 American Music Therapy Association National Conference: Cleveland, OH.

Adaptations:

·         Continue to repeat one movement, but use different direction locations to reinforce direction concepts.

·         Change object to increase stimulation to hand or to adapt the grasp required.

Extensions:

·         Ask group members to fill in the lyrics after watching a role model demonstrate desired movements.

• Use as clean-up prompt, asking entire group to pass to a targeted area (box or bag for storage). Objects move around the group circle, ending up in the box/bag.

 
As always, dear readers, if you would like a copy of the sheet music for the song, please contact me through the website. 

Happy Tuesday.