In my EDIT 2000 course that I am taking this semester, we were given the option to start a 20% Project. The idea was taken from Google engineers who were allowed to spend 20% of their time working on a pet project separate from their area of work. As we learn about how to use technology to teach our students and to learn ourselves, I will be devoting time to my own question I want to pursue.
I took ballet for many years before coming to college and I can honestly say that dance is one of my passions. From time to time, we would learn a dance choreographed in ASL, which I always though were very fun and we'd learn bits and pieces of a different language. Once, we even had a student who was deaf perform an ASL dance with us. This really got me thinking about how other Deaf people learn to dance. A quick Google search will turn up thousands of videos of Deaf dance troupes and their performances and also articles on how dance teachers will help their students learn choreography. Dancers who are deaf are not uncommon and can be just as talented as hearing dancers.
I want to be a speech therapist when I graduate so I will be working with students with hearing impairments as well as students with speech-language impairments. I want to spend time researching how dance and dance therapy can be combined with speech therapy to help students. I will be looking for people who have used dance as a part of speech therapy and how it can help students.
1. Claire, I really liked the idea behind your driving question; I think whenever passion and purpose are combined, the end result is always spectacular. Further, it was well-written and easily understood.
ReplyDelete2. I could be wrong, but I was under the impression that the 20% project was supposed to use technology to either disseminate, or in some fashion shape the project (i.e. how could technology be combined with dancing and deaf children).
3. The American Sign Language University has a website devoted to the topic. Perhaps that would be helpful.
1. You obviously have passion behind the project and a true interest. You communicated your thoughts clearly and made me intrigued. I am very interested in music therapy and art therapy with speech therapy - but I had never put too much thought into dance therapy because the connection was not as clear. You were able to bridge the gap and I look forward to finding out what else you learn about.
ReplyDelete2. I would also be interested to see if there was a way technology could be used in this project. I'd also be interested in reading any accounts from SLP and/or dance therapists currently using the two together.
3. You could look into the Expressive Art Therapy field. These therapists use a myriad of arts-related therapies (dance therapy, art therapy, music therapy, psychodrama, etc.) together and may have more information related to dance and speech together.
1) I really love your topic. I danced for 12 years, and it was definitely one of my passions for a long time. It is clear that you really love your topic and will do a great job researching it.
ReplyDelete2) I would love to see WHAT happens when deaf dancers are taught a routine. What technologies are used and how does it actually work? I can't wait to hear the explanation and how speech is involved.
3) You could talk to other SLPs about what connections they have seen between dancing and motion and speech therapy.
1. I think it's really cool that you took one of your passions (dancing) and you want to be able to teach it to people who aren't as able to do such things. It's a very admirable endeavor and I hope to see more cool posts from you.
ReplyDelete2. I agree with the previous commenters in that I am wondering how your'e going to incorporate technology into this.
3. While it may not be extremely helpful, I know that Special Olympics posts their gymnastics routines to some of their websites and you could learn from some of the head coaches.
Good suggestions by many!
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