Aims: To provide opportunities to enable pupils to experience relaxation, using a repetitive routine set to music, delivered within a low arousal environment.
Objectives
- To learn to relax, to be comfortable with sharing space with others.
- To help pupils see relaxation as a positive leisure activity.
- To experience the calming ‘effect’ of music as an aid to relaxation.
- To introduce music as a positive activity – that can be used as an independent leisure activity outside of school time.
- To extend range of pupil experiences.
- To experience stillness as a form of relaxation.
- To experience an activity where the adult demands are minimal but the opportunities for demonstrating anticipation as well as imitation skills are available.
Adult’s role
- To recognise that pupils with ASC can live in an almost constant state of anxiety.
- To recognise that it is essential to pupils’ quality of life that they learn strategies to relax.
- Adults to support pupils by physically or visually modelling ‘actions’ – fading prompts as routine becomes established.
- To ensure environment is a low arousal as possible.
- To be sensitive to how a pupil wants to participate, e.g., a tactile sensitive pupil may not want an adult to physically touch them but may be happy to copy adult modelling – may want to observe or take part from a ‘safe’ distance.
- Adults to be flexible to the differing needs of each pupil and be prepared to differentiate approach / support.
- Adults to teach sequence, as pupils gain familiarity you may judge it appropriate to fade away support / prompts – depends on age and ability of pupil.
Equipment / Facilities
- CD player and copy of ‘Music & Movement’ CD
- Quiet, low arousal space / room.
- Adult ratio appropriate to support / model either one pupil or a small group of pupils.
- At the end of the CD decide if you are going to ‘Finish’ the activity or extend the relaxation experience.
Options:
1. Have available a box of sensory, tactile objects that pupil / s can explore such as glitter tubes, koosh balls, massage brushes, torches, lengths of different textured materials etc.
2. Have a selection of ‘mood music’ CD’s to encourage listening to music whilst experiencing ‘relaxation / stillness / active listening’.
GUIDANCE.
- Ensure designated space / room is ready for activity e.g. a clear space, no busy or noisy groups of other pupils nearby which may act as a distractor.
- Pupil / s to transition v.v. schedule or alternatively, pupil requests as part of ‘I need a break’ agreement.
- Pupil to find a space within allocated ‘Quiet Room’ and to sit down. [Depending on age of pupil – can sit pupil between adult’s legs – where the pupil is not face to face but where the adult ‘physically’ models from behind pupil].
- To listen to CD – to follow instructions on CD or to copy adult modelling.
- To follow the instructions to gently ‘move to music’.
The CD is 8 minutes long.
- There is some introductory music to cue the pupil / s to the fact the activity is due to start – (allowing the pupil / s to find space to sit).
- 2minutes = rocking upper body to music
- 1 minute = swinging arms
- 1 minute = Rubbing hands together – matching tempo of music
- 1 minute = Clapping hands
- 1 minute = Tapping head
- 1 minute = tapping tummy
- 1 minute = music cues it is time to relax
- After the 8 minutes pupil can transition to exploration of ‘sensory box / objects’ or replace CD with relaxing ‘mood music’ so the pupil has further opportunities to learn to relax to music but without adult instructions / intervention.
- Ensure you have a clear, visual method of indicating when the session has ‘Finished’ and a means of transitioning the pupil to the next timetabled activity.
- Use can be made of pupil feedback – use of smiley faces / emotional thermometer / choice of achievement stickers etc