An alternative for dyslexic children: Verbal - Auditory - Musical Program (Pilot study)

Abstract

A pilot study was carried out to find out some methodological variables of the Verbal-Hearing-Musical Program, (V.H.M. Program) aimed at the rehabilitation of dyslexic children.

The first unit of the Program was applied to 6 dyslexic children of low socioeconomic status, whose ages fluctuated between 8 and 10 years, two of them being male and the remaining four, female.

It was found that six work sessions would be enough to conclude the first Unit of Module 1. Regarding the number of children per group, two monitors thought that individual work was recommended at least in this first Unit.

Two sessions a week of 45 minutes each, was another of the results found.

Finally, regarding the behavior of the children, it was found in the behavioral area that attention, interest and understanding of instructions were favorable for the application of the Program.

In the area of reading, there was an adequate follow-up of the reading, with diminishing support, high comprehension of what was read, effort to achieve an individual reading, and only difficulties in the quality of the reading were evident (which is to be expected when starting the process of learning to read and write).

In the rhythmic-musical area, all the aspects evaluated were favorable. There was mostly an immediate grasp of symbology, fluid execution of rhythmic structures and no difficulty in apprehending the growing complexity of rhythmic-musical structures.

It was concluded that with this background, the effectiveness of the V.H.M Program can be tested in an experimental design.