MUSIC & MOVEMENT
By: Carmen Willings
teachingvisuallyimpaired.com Music activities can provide students with the opportunity to: develop an appreciation for all types of music; develop a mode of self-expression; develop listening skills; use positive expressions of feelings; improve coordination and rhythm; increase language skills; develop awareness of rhythm; and develop space awareness through movement. Take advantage of music time to sing songs which use names. This can help all students get to know the names of their peers. This is also an excellent time for students to get their wiggles out prior to whole group discussions and activities that require longer periods of sitting and attending.
Create an object box with real or real like objects (see the box above). Have each object represent a song and allow the students to select an object to determine what song to sing. (Tip: close your eyes and feel in the bin. Are the items recognizable? Keep in mind that you have the advantage of a visual memory.) Many students listen to the songs but don’t seem to participate. Consider recording some of the songs to encourage the student to practice and sing along first at home. Teach Concepts Through Music & Movement
Take advantage of this time to teach body concepts and positional concepts through songs that teach concepts such as Hap Palmer or Greg & Steve. Incorporate songs that require students to follow directions and perform actions. Remember a student who is severely visually impaired cannot learn by observing and imitating the actions of others. You may need to physically put the student through the actions of the song or allow the student to experience the actions you are performing. Also incorporate simple finger-plays to develop finger dexterity.
Choose songs that will provide practice with concepts such as in/out, like/different, up/down, front/back or encourage identification of body parts. Provide a variety of musical instruments to play along with the songs/music. Work with the students on their listening skills. Provide experiences that focus on the auditory discrimination of people’s voices, instruments and sounds related to activities. Teach the differences in sound, pitch, rhythm, speed, volume, move, dance, share space and learn names of body parts. Move from simple sound identification to tonal and volume discrimination, to the reproduction of sound, to discriminating between similar or different sounds. The following is a list of songs that incorporate directional concepts, a variety of actions and teach body parts. Structure the situation by:
CD: Sally the Swinging Snake by Hap Palmer
Song Title & Concept/Skill/Vocabulary:
Something Special: Clap, walk, shake, high, low, in between, side, other side, back Rubber Band Man: thumbs, shoulder, wrist, ankle, arms, stomach, toes, elbows, fingers, nose, stretch, snap, land softly, hang loose, stretch tight, bend left, twist right, far apart, together , long, thin, short, wide Dancing with a Stick: Inside, outside, hands, foot, elbow, shoulder, head, whole self CD: Walter the Waltzing Worm by Hap Palmer
Song Title & Concept/Skill/Vocabulary:
What a Miracle: Hands, feet, arms, legs, spine, foot, clap, stamp, swing, bend, stretch, twist, balance Flick a Fly: thumbs, shoulder, wrist, ankle, arms, stomach, toes, elbows, fingers, nose, stretch, snap, land softly, hang loose, stretch tight, bend left, twist right, far apart, together , long, thin, short, wide Dancing with a Stick: Inside, outside, hands, foot, elbow, shoulder, head, whole self Book with Tape: Music for Little People by John M. Feierabend
Song Title & Concept/Skill/Vocabulary:
Head & Shoulders, Knees & Toes Head, shoulders, knees, toes, eyes, ears, mouth, nose The Wiggle Song: Thumbs, wiggle, fingers, hands, arms, head, legs, all of me Mother Goonie Bird right wing, left wing, right foot, left foot, head, sit down The Jack-in-the-Box Up, jump, flop, around, plop CD: We All Live Together Vol. 3 by Greg & Steve
Simon Says
head, eyes, nose, mouth, eyebrows, ears, teeth, hair, cheeks, neck, chin, shoulders, arms, elbows, fingers, hands CD: Kids in Motion by Greg & Steve
The Body Rock
feet, arms, head, hands, hips, knees The Freeze stopping on command Tummy Tango left and right CD: Kidding Around by Greg & Steve
Hokey Pokey (Part 1 & 2)
Turn yourself around, right hand, left hand , right foot, left foot, head, whole self 
Songs for Teaching is an online source for educational music for all ages. It offers thousands of children's songs, lyrics, sound clips and teaching suggestions.
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