The Use of Chimes and Keyboard Classes in Teaching and Reinforcing Socially Appropriate Behavior
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Authors
Frattinger, Stacy
Issue Date
1996
Type
Thesis
Language
en_US
Keywords
Alternative Title
Abstract
The ability of music to enrich lives stretches around the world. Picture for a
moment a rural village in Kenya. In this village a special school lies in the
beautiful green hills of tea. The children in this school work hard to achieve
simple daily living tasks, harder than many children ever will. These children ali
have various types of disabilities and mental retardation. Now picture a teacher
seating his students each morning on a bench to brush their teeth. As he
assists one, a couple other students run away, and the teacher tires as he
chases each one dawn. One morning the teacher deviates from the daily
routine and plays the harmonica as the class sits on the same bench. At this
moment none of the students leave the bench, but look at him and listen. The
music captures the children. lt touches them. enriches them in a different way
than they experienced before.
The researcher hoped to strike the same contact at Hope Network by
teaching the adults with disabilities how to create music for themselves. Today,
the focus for adults with disabilities is to teach them functional skills, to make
their lives as normal as possible, and help them live in the community. Filling
leisure time is often an aspect that is overlooked. But, when people do not
know how to fill free time appropriately, they often become involved in deviant
acts such as drugs, or theft. These people then end up in facilities and no
longer live in the community (Thaut 1992, p. 88).
The researcher taught keyboard and chimes classes to the consumers,
who put on a recital at the end of eight weeks. A different behavior was
selected for each of three consumers to see if behavior changed. The impact of
followed by the addition of a music contingent. The researcher attempted to
gain answers, or at least insight into the following two questions:
1. What are the strengths and weaknesses of using music as a contingent and
how appropriate is it for those with disabilities or mental retardation?
2. What is the affect of keyboard and chimes classes on individuals' behaviors,
particularly socially appropriate behaviors?
Description
221 p.
Citation
Publisher
Kalamazoo, Mich. : Kalamazoo College.
License
U.S. copyright laws protect this material. Commercial use or distribution of this material is not permitted without prior written permission of the copyright holder. All rights reserved.