Expressive Language: Song: "What a Wonderful World" by Louis Armstrong
Objective: Expressing descriptive language and emotions.
Technique: After listening to the song, have the individual describe what they find wonderful in the world, using descriptive vocabulary. Encourage them to express their feelings about different aspects of the world depicted in the song.
Receptive Language: Song: "Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See?" adapted from the book by Bill Martin Jr. and Eric Carle
Objective: Identifying and comprehending colors and animals.
Technique: Listen to the song version of the book. Pause after each animal's name and have the individual identify the animal and its color. Ask follow-up questions like "What animal is next?" and "What color is the bird?"
Pragmatic Language: Song: "We Will Rock You" by Queen
Objective: Understanding and using appropriate social interactions in a group context.
Technique: Listen to the song and discuss the concept of cheering and clapping along. Practice turn-taking by having the individual lead the group in clapping during the chorus. Discuss when it's appropriate to clap and cheer.
Expressing Emotion: Song: "Don't Worry, Be Happy" by Bobby McFerrin
Objective: Expressing positive emotions and coping strategies.
Technique: Listen to the song and discuss the message of not worrying and staying happy. Ask the individual to share things that make them happy or activities they enjoy. Create a list of personal "happy" moments.
Speech Sound Production: Song: "Silly Sally" (Original)
Objective: Targeting the "S" sound.
Technique: Sing the song with a focus on exaggerating the "S" sound in words like "Silly Sally," "saw," and "sun." Have the individual join in and practice saying these words with proper articulation.
Motor Speech: Song: "Head, Shoulders, Knees, and Toes" (Traditional)
Objective: Developing motor speech coordination and rhythm.
Technique: Sing the song and have the individual touch their head, shoulders, knees, and toes in rhythm with the song. Focus on clear articulation of the words and rhythmic movements.
Phonemic Awareness: Song: "Bingo" (Traditional)
Objective: Recognizing and manipulating individual sounds within words.
Technique: Sing the song, but pause before each "B-I-N-G-O" sequence and ask the individual to fill in the missing sound. For example, "There was a farmer who had a --N-G-O..."
Using songs to target these specific skills provides a structured and engaging approach to speech therapy. Tailoring the song choices to the individual's goals and interests ensures that therapy remains enjoyable while effectively addressing communication needs.