SOCIAL:
Note client’s behaviour when sitting directly in front of him or her while singing or playing a musical instrument (e.g. guitar). Observe client’s behaviour as the therapist moves an instrument high, low, left, or right (e.g. drum, maraca) and also when the therapist moves around the room with the instrument. Note client’s engagement in activities (eg. vocalizing, playing instruments) and whether client actively takes part in the activity or needs coaching.
Provide opportunities for the client to play with the instruments. Find instruments that the client can pass to the therapist as well as play simultaneously with the therapist (e.g. large drum or any percussive instrument with 2 or more mallets). Encourage the client to engage in improvisation (e.g. how is client feeling, make up a story).
COMMUNICATION:
Using singing and spoken language, provide opportunities for the client to fill in words (e.g. lining out/carrier phrase, songwriting, call and response). Ask questions and note if client’s language is spontaneous or if they are communicating through imitation of therapist. Rate the quality of speech through sung syllables, intervals, and words of songs. If the client is non-verbal, make note of purposeful body language and gestures.
PHYSICAL:
Improvise vocal music which provides opportunities for object, number, or color recognition (e.g. [Name of client] is playing on the [color] drum). Provide a variety of targets for client to touch to assess vision and eye-hand coordination (e.g. hitting different color drums; handbells, tone bells, xylophone; moving drum high, low, left, or right and ask client to hit it with a mallet). Observe client’s responses to hidden instruments (e.g. hidden bells in hand), instruments with different pitches, dynamics, and textures (e.g. variety of drums). Note if client can focus on therapist’s words while music is being played in the background. Place instruments on either sides of the client to assess the ability of both sides of the body and the motor skills of each side (e.g. different sizes of drums played with a mallet)
EMOTIONAL:
Observe client’s affect during different musical activities (e.g. listening, music-making, movement). Assess client’s reactions to familiar objects and new objects. Note client’s responses to varying moods, idioms, styles, genres, and musical elements (e.g. tempo, dynamics, pitch etc.)
COGNITIVE:
Present a choice between 2 instruments, perhaps unfamiliar instruments, and observe general appropriateness of playing and ability to follow instructions. Over a period of sessions, observe the client’s ability to sustain musical activities (e.g. playing instruments in response to music; participating in an action song). Note their memory of past activities (e.g. songs, patterns, how to play an instrument). Use pictures, words, letters, and numbers to make up a musical score for client to follow with their instrument. Improvise vocal music which provides opportunities for object, number, or letter recognition.
MUSICAL:
Assess the client’s overall abilities with a variety of different instruments (e.g. percussive, wind, strings, voice). Note their sensitivity to different musical elements (e.g. rhythm, tempo, dynamics, tonality, pitch etc.). Use both active and passive musical activities (e.g. listening to music, improvising to music, moving to music, responding to therapist’s music)
SPIRITUAL:
Observe the client’s general characteristics (e.g. cooperative, resistive, assertive, timid, explorative, self-abusive etc.). Sing and play about the client and about the therapist
(e.g. name, physical appearance etc.). Note how much the client is able to connect his/her inner world with the outside world.
Note client’s behaviour when sitting directly in front of him or her while singing or playing a musical instrument (e.g. guitar). Observe client’s behaviour as the therapist moves an instrument high, low, left, or right (e.g. drum, maraca) and also when the therapist moves around the room with the instrument. Note client’s engagement in activities (eg. vocalizing, playing instruments) and whether client actively takes part in the activity or needs coaching.
Provide opportunities for the client to play with the instruments. Find instruments that the client can pass to the therapist as well as play simultaneously with the therapist (e.g. large drum or any percussive instrument with 2 or more mallets). Encourage the client to engage in improvisation (e.g. how is client feeling, make up a story).
COMMUNICATION:
Using singing and spoken language, provide opportunities for the client to fill in words (e.g. lining out/carrier phrase, songwriting, call and response). Ask questions and note if client’s language is spontaneous or if they are communicating through imitation of therapist. Rate the quality of speech through sung syllables, intervals, and words of songs. If the client is non-verbal, make note of purposeful body language and gestures.
PHYSICAL:
Improvise vocal music which provides opportunities for object, number, or color recognition (e.g. [Name of client] is playing on the [color] drum). Provide a variety of targets for client to touch to assess vision and eye-hand coordination (e.g. hitting different color drums; handbells, tone bells, xylophone; moving drum high, low, left, or right and ask client to hit it with a mallet). Observe client’s responses to hidden instruments (e.g. hidden bells in hand), instruments with different pitches, dynamics, and textures (e.g. variety of drums). Note if client can focus on therapist’s words while music is being played in the background. Place instruments on either sides of the client to assess the ability of both sides of the body and the motor skills of each side (e.g. different sizes of drums played with a mallet)
EMOTIONAL:
Observe client’s affect during different musical activities (e.g. listening, music-making, movement). Assess client’s reactions to familiar objects and new objects. Note client’s responses to varying moods, idioms, styles, genres, and musical elements (e.g. tempo, dynamics, pitch etc.)
COGNITIVE:
Present a choice between 2 instruments, perhaps unfamiliar instruments, and observe general appropriateness of playing and ability to follow instructions. Over a period of sessions, observe the client’s ability to sustain musical activities (e.g. playing instruments in response to music; participating in an action song). Note their memory of past activities (e.g. songs, patterns, how to play an instrument). Use pictures, words, letters, and numbers to make up a musical score for client to follow with their instrument. Improvise vocal music which provides opportunities for object, number, or letter recognition.
MUSICAL:
Assess the client’s overall abilities with a variety of different instruments (e.g. percussive, wind, strings, voice). Note their sensitivity to different musical elements (e.g. rhythm, tempo, dynamics, tonality, pitch etc.). Use both active and passive musical activities (e.g. listening to music, improvising to music, moving to music, responding to therapist’s music)
SPIRITUAL:
Observe the client’s general characteristics (e.g. cooperative, resistive, assertive, timid, explorative, self-abusive etc.). Sing and play about the client and about the therapist
(e.g. name, physical appearance etc.). Note how much the client is able to connect his/her inner world with the outside world.