Neurologic Strategies for Speech & Language for Individuals with Autism and Other Special Needs (6 credits)

with Julie Guy, M.M. MT-BC, and Angela Neve, M.M. MT-BC

When a child has difficulty communicating, knowing that music can help is only the beginning. The bigger question is: Which musical strategies should you use, why are you using them, and how do you know whether they’re working?

In this self-study course with Julie Guy, M.M., MT-BC, and Angela Neve, M.M., MT-BC, you’ll expand your practical toolbox for addressing developmental speech and language goals with children and youth with autism and other developmental disabilities.

You’ll begin by exploring relevant music therapy and neuroscience research related to speech and language development, giving you a stronger foundation for understanding the clinical reasoning behind the techniques you use.

From there, you’ll move from “Building the Toolbox” to “Building the Tools” as you explore In Harmony: A Music Learning Hierarchy for Developmental Speech and Language and neurologic music strategies that can be applied to developmental communication goals.

Through demonstrations, video examples, and clinical discussion, you’ll see how strategies can be translated into actual music therapy interventions. You’ll also develop an intervention of your own and have the opportunity to submit it to the presenters for feedback, helping you apply the material directly to your clinical work.

The course also addresses assessment, documentation of progress, technology, and accommodations, giving you a more complete framework for supporting speech and language development from assessment through intervention and evaluation.

In this workshop, you will learn:

How music therapy and neuroscience research can inform your work with developmental speech and language goals.
How to use In Harmony: A Music Learning Hierarchy for Developmental Speech and Language to guide clinical thinking and intervention planning.
Neurologic music strategies that can be applied to developmental speech and language needs.
How to translate speech and language concepts into purposeful music therapy interventions.
Ways to assess speech and language skills relevant to music therapy treatment.
How to document client progress and connect your interventions to measurable goals.
Ways to incorporate technology and accommodations to meet individual client needs.
How to design your own speech and language intervention and strengthen it through presenter feedback.

Important Prerequisite

This is an application-focused course and assumes familiarity with Neurologic Music Therapy (NMT) terminology and technique acronyms. Completion of NMT training prior to taking this course is highly recommended. Brief reviews may be included, but the course does not provide foundational training in each NMT technique.

Learning Objectives:

1. Participants will be able to list at least 2 relevant non-musical assessments related to speech.

2. Participants will be able to describe how a music therapy hierarchy can be utilized to achieve therapeutic goals and facilitate transfer or generalization of information into everyday life.

3. Participants will be able to describe at least 2 interventions that can be implemented to target development of speech, oral motor control, pragmatics of speech, social skills, or verbal/ nonverbal communication.

4. Participants will be able to discuss how the neuroscience model and treatment approach informs clinical practice related to speech and language.

Schedule:

Section 1 (90 minutes)

Building the Toolbox: Music and Neuroscience Research (as related to speech and language)

Interactive icebreaker, case examples, lecture, small group experiences, lecture and large

group discussion

Section 2 (50 minutes)

Building the Tools: In Harmony Learning Hierarchy for Teaching Speech, Language & Social Skills

live demonstration/video examples
hands-on experiences
discussion

Section 3 (70 minutes)

Building the Tools: Neurologic Music Strategies for Developmental Speech and Language

live demonstration/video examples
hands-on experiences
discussion

10 minutes for wrapping it up and take-aways

Complete and Submit Assignment on your own (90 minutes)

CBMT Domains:

II.B.2 Client assessment techniques (e.g., interview, observation); II.B.5 Client responses to musical elements and non-musical treatment experiences (e.g., physical, behavioral, social)

II.D. Design experiences to facilitate generalization or transferability of skills across clinical/non-clinical contexts when appropriate

III.A Task Statement 36 Engage the client in individualized music therapy experiences to address the client's established goals and objectives within multiple domains of health and well-being (e.g., psychosocial, physiological, spiritual, musical)

III.A.6 Theoretical frameworks for music therapy treatment implementation (e.g., educational, developmental, neurological, psychological)

Neurologic Strategies for Speech & Language for Individuals with Autism and Other Special Needs is approved by the Certification Board for Music Therapists (CBMT) for 6 CMTEs-Continuing Music Therapy Education credits. The Spiegel Academy, CBMT Approved Provider #P-106, maintains responsibility for program quality and adherence to CBMT policies and criteria.

Class Description