Deaf blind children can be taught to enjoy dance and movement. They do, however, require long and careful preparation to reach this point.We should not underestimate the enormous challenges facing a person with a dual sensory impairment and those supporting them.
The impairment can have a variety of causes some of which are genetic. Rubella (German Measles) was a major cause in days before the development of the preventive vaccine. People with this disability are not necessarily totally without sight or hearing. Some people will have additional physical and/or learning disabilities. Others with this handicap are of high intelligence.
Everyone needs recreational activities.This is especially important for people with sight and hearing problems as it helps to take away feelings of isolation and dependence. Left to themselves young children with this disability are apt to remain passively in one position due to the lack of external stimuli.
On no account should a dance program be started without consulting the participants medical advisor. The dance teacher can safely assume that all the participants will have tension in the eye area, hands, neck, shoulders and legs.
For a blind, deaf and dumb person the most important receptive organ is the hand which has to try and function as both eyes and ears for that person. Methods of communication have to be uppermost in any teacher's mind. Some children will only need to be spoken to clearly face to face. A variety of communication methods exist.
Block is one such method where words are spelled out on to the palm of the person with the sensory problem.
The Deaf Blind Manual Alphabet (also known as finger spelling) is a system where words are spelled out onto the deafblind person's hand. Each letter has a particular sign or place on the hand.
British Sign Language and American Sign Language are fully developed languages in their own right, with their own word order and grammar. Both languages incorporate hand signs and facial expressions.
Visual Frame Signing is where signing is done within the person's remaining field of vision.
Hands on Signing is based on British Sign Language. Here the person with the sensory impairment places his hands over those of the signer and feels the signs being formed.
Makaton uses some of the principal BSL signs but has no grammatical structure and is generally easier to learn.
Tadoma is a rare method of communication for the deaf blind. The person using Tadoma places their hands on the speaker's lips or throat to feel the vibrations.
Braille and Moon are ways of producing texts readable by touch. Braille uses a series of raised dots while Moon is similar to raised letters. Neither can be used for conversation.
Objects of Reference. Some people with dual-sensory impairment learn to use objects to symbolize certain activities, for example a towel may indicate swimming. This method enables people to choose activities, as well as allowing others to let them know what is scheduled.
Many people might wonder how children or adults who cannot see the movements of the dance or hear the music could possibly enjoy dancing.There may be some participants with total hearing loss who although they would not be able to appreciate the music can still pick up its vibrations. A wooden floor produces vibrations and sensations which can be felt by the dancers. Strobe lights may be set to reflect the beat of the music. If dancers hold a balloon it will also pick up the vibrations. Music needs to be played very loud with the bass turned up high.
Article Source: http://www.fitnesshealtharticles.com.
About the Author:
Dzagbe Cudjoe is a dance movement therapist and ethnologist with wide experience of dance in Africa and Europe. As an ethnologist her main field of research was into West African traditional religion. Her area of specialization is working with children who have challenging behaviour or severe physical and intellectual special needs. Dzagbe is now working on helping the parents of such children to appreciate the healing effects of dance. She is the author of the e-manual.
Deaf Blind Children Can Be Taught To Enjoy Dance
