Soundbeam comes to North Yorkshire Schools
Four SLD Schools from across North Yorkshire have been accessing soundability sessions through an action research project run by the SportsSpecial SSP in connection with Connecting Youth Culture and the Access and Inclusion division at North Yorkshire County Council
Soundability or the use of soundbeam, has traditionally been used in music therapy, however this innovative project has seen the equipment being used in PE and dance, enabling young people with severe and profound and multiple learning difficulties to express themselves through sustained physical movement.
The schools taking part were; The Dales school, Northallerton, Springhead School, Scarborough, Springwater School, Harrogate and Brooklands School, Skipton. Each school received seven sessions, delivered by Kate Paul, a dance therapist from Scarborough.
Initially pupils interacted with soundbeam on a 1 to 1 basis, enabling most pupils to understand the concept that their movement triggered a change in sound. Gradually the group size increased to simulate a typical class size. Although this wasnt always successful at a couple of schools, where the pupils engaged better in smaller groups, 2 schools reacted very well to this, enabling quality whole class sessions to take place. Activities using the soundbeam included parachute games, SAQ, multi skills and dance/movement.
Schools are continuing to use the soundbeam equipment with support of the partnership, to further experiment ways of incorporating it into the PE curriculum, exciting times lay ahead!
For further information on the use of soundbeam, please contact Sally Evans sally.evans@mowbray.n-yorks.sch.uk
Soundability or the use of soundbeam, has traditionally been used in music therapy, however this innovative project has seen the equipment being used in PE and dance, enabling young people with severe and profound and multiple learning difficulties to express themselves through sustained physical movement.
The schools taking part were; The Dales school, Northallerton, Springhead School, Scarborough, Springwater School, Harrogate and Brooklands School, Skipton. Each school received seven sessions, delivered by Kate Paul, a dance therapist from Scarborough.
Initially pupils interacted with soundbeam on a 1 to 1 basis, enabling most pupils to understand the concept that their movement triggered a change in sound. Gradually the group size increased to simulate a typical class size. Although this wasnt always successful at a couple of schools, where the pupils engaged better in smaller groups, 2 schools reacted very well to this, enabling quality whole class sessions to take place. Activities using the soundbeam included parachute games, SAQ, multi skills and dance/movement.
Schools are continuing to use the soundbeam equipment with support of the partnership, to further experiment ways of incorporating it into the PE curriculum, exciting times lay ahead!
For further information on the use of soundbeam, please contact Sally Evans sally.evans@mowbray.n-