Service Project 2

Service-Learning Activity 2

Created by: Chelsea Gibbs

Who: This intervention is for the use of music therapy practicum students at the non-profit, Build Inclusion, who are working with young adults with disabilities with the goal to obtain competitive, integrated, and meaningful employment.

What:  This is a song writing intervention that is targeted to focus on self-awareness, self-confidence, communication, and the transference of a jobseeker’s strengths to the workplace.  Elements of Universal Design for Learning are utilized to ensure each jobseeker gets the most out of the intervention.  Cognitive, social/emotional, and communication goals are addressed. 

Universal Design for Learning (UDL) and Social-Emotional Learning (SEL): Instruction for the intervention will be given using multiple means of representation and allow for multiple means of engagement and expression.  Directions will be given verbally and a printout of the lyrics will be offered to each jobseeker.  Jobseekers can engage with the activity through discussion, writing, or drawing.  The intervention focuses on self-awareness which is one of the five SEL competencies. 

The Need: After interviewing a previous music therapy practicum student at Build Inclusion, they stated they wished they had a better understanding of cognitive and intellectual disabilities so they could have better prepared interventions to be not only age-appropriate, but also cognitively appropriate.  The MT student specifically wanted interventions that targeted social/emotional goals.  This intervention offers space for jobseekers to engage and interact in a variety of means. 

Materials:

·      Prepared to play and sing “Introducing Me” by Nick Jonas

·      Writing utensils

·      Provide lyrics for the jobseekers whether that be on a board or with a printed handout

·      Auxiliary percussion instruments 

·      Song writing template provided at the end of this document

How:

·      Explain to jobseekers that you are going to play a song for them.  

·      Give jobseekers the option of relaxing and listening, listening while writing notes/doodling, or listening while having the lyrics in front of       them.  They can choose any variation of the options.  For example, they may want to look at the lyrics while drawing on the lyrics page.

·      Once materials are passed out, play through the song.

·      Allow jobseekers a few minutes to wrap up their final thoughts.

·      Project or have readily available to you the song writing template.  

·      Take turns having jobseekers fill in the blanks.  Alternatively, depending on the size of the group, each jobseeker could fill out their own song writing template.  Do what is best for your group.  

·      Next, offer jobseekers the opportunity to play an auxiliary percussion instrument while playing the new song(s).  If the group is small enough and each jobseeker has created their own song, they could play along with you as the rest of the group listens.  Again, these are variations, and it is up to the MT to do what makes most sense for that particular group of jobseekers. 

 Here is a link to the lyrics and guitar chords:

https://tabs.ultimate-guitar.com/tab/nick-jonas/introducing-me-chords-978259

Here is a link to a recording of the song:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ukWPR88H53Q

Here is the template:

Hi my name is ____________________________________________

                                                             (Name)

Which rhymes with ­­­­­­­­­­­________________________________________

                                                 (Word that rhymes with name)

And here’s the story of a little more about me

I like____________________________________________________ every day of the week

                                       (Something you like) 

And singing ______________________________________________

                                (Song name or name of song you like)

Maybe play the ___________________________________________ with the bass

                                               (Favorite instrument)

And I, I really like it when ___________________________________

                                                      (What else do you like)

Have you kept up so far

If you wanna know here it goes gonna tell you this

Introducing me lets you see who I am and what I care about

It helps us get to know each other

I’m gonna share what I can then I’ll ask about you instead and become new friends

Credit: Song template provided by www.aspiremusictherapy.com

            Accommodations, adaptations, and layout of intervention provided by Chelsea Gibbs