Developing Early Verbal Skills Through Music

Book excerpt: Drawing on current research about the connections between music and speech, this book explains how and why musical activities can be used to support the mechanisms and processes needed for speech. Containing specific guidance on the physiological, neurological, and learning differences children face when trying to make sense of speech, including hypermobility, autism spectrum conditions, Down Syndrome, auditory processing differences and motor timing difficulties, this guide provides an in-depth evaluation into how you can enhance your practice. Discover evidence-based and easy-to-use activities such as how to use whistles for breathing, drums to support the ability to 'hear' or produce speech sounds, and how to use songs to support speech.