Connecting Learning & Literacy Aside from the fun alliteration of the L’s rolling off the tongue, there is a tremendous connection between literacy and learning. And many opportunities to make community connections—more alliteration!—when literacy is the focus. In my private practice, I travel a large […]
Learning & Literacy through Music Read More »
Visual and Rhythmic Prompt In part one of this post, you learned how I use echo singing to work on auditory comprehension, turn taking, and keeping a steady beat. I also briefly introduced a strategy for cuing speech using a dry erase board and
Sentence Segmentation to Improve Communication – Part 2 of 2 Read More »
Echo Singing or Chanting One of the skills I almost always include in both one-on-one and group music therapy sessions with young children is an echo song or rhythmic exchange. During this type of intervention, the following areas in the Phonological Awareness
Sentence Segmentation to Improve Communication – Part 1 of 2 Read More »
I’ve been thinking lately about what it takes to raise a successful reader. My oldest daughter, now 12, was reading Boxcar Children when she entered Kindergarten. The reading specialist who tested her reading level was amazed at her ability to read with expression. My middle
Recipe for Reading Success Read More »
As promised in my previous post, it’s time to delve further into the topic of rhyming. We learned last time that the onset is the first sound in a one syllable word and all that follows it is a rime. Nope, that’s not a typo.
Rhythm, Rhyme & Repetition – Part 2 of 2 Read More »
The majority of kids in early childhood pick up the skill of rhyming through osmosis. After frequent exposure to nursery rhymes, books, and singing, they spontaneously start generating rhyming words themselves. These frequently appear as “nonsense words” as they play with language. It might sound
Rhythm, Rhyme & Repetition – Part 1 of 2 Read More »
Hot off the digital presses — Petra Kern and the entire team over at imagine just released the 5th edition of an amazing online magazine focused on early childhood music therapy. Click here for a direct link to the magazine. A review of my book is
Book Review of Alphabet Stew and Chocolate Too Read More »
Following the theme of making connections for Music Therapy Advocacy Month, a wonderful discovery for me occurred when I started working with a six year old girl on the autism spectrum named Emily. As part of the assessment process, her primary goal areas were identified
Making Connections Read More »
Welcome to Tuneful Teaching! I am a Board Certified Music Therapist and a mom of three. I am a lifelong learner with a pile of books waiting to be read in almost every room. Through the powerful medium of music, I target non-musical goals such
