DOCUMENT RESUME ED 109 305 95 CEOL4072 AUTHOR Sellen, Jane TITLE Music as an educational Tool for the Mentally Handicapped ApE Student. INSTITUTION Western Iowa Tech, Sioux City. SPONS AGENCY ,Office of Education (DHEW), Washington, D.C. PUB DATE 73 NOTE 193p?.; Appendix one, Pictorial Review, will not reproduce on microfiche EDRS PRICE MF-$0.76 HC-$9.51 PLUS POSTAGE DESCRIPTORS *Adult Basic Education; Demonstration Prpjects; *Educational Programs *Emotionally Disturbed; *Mental Retardation; *Music; Prograw Evaluation; Residential Programs; Tables (Data); Testing; Test Results IDENTIFIERS Woodbury (Iowa) County Home ABSTRACT The-demonstration project report describes a successful adult baSic education program in music as a device for expanding the learning potential of the emotionally disturbed and mentally deficient residents of the Woodbury (Iowa) County Home. Background information on the project and a description of its progress, incliging the need for consultants, tools, and aides, are preSented. Highlights of the project were performances for guests. The Wide Range Achievement Test (WRAT) and the Hospital Adjustment Scale (HAS), though somewhat unsuitable for the project,4were chosen as measurement instruments to be administered to deteraine quantitative improvement. Results of the HAS ranking indicate the music activities did not influence scores in communications and relations with others, nor in care of self and social responsibility. Improvements were noted in work activities and recreation and overall hospital adjustment scores. The WHAT results indicated no difference in treatment groups in reading, spelling, and arithmetic. Summary statements by program personnel describe the music activities and their beneficial aspects for the Home's residents. Nearly three-quarters of the document consists of .appendixes providing a pictorial review and detailed progress reports submitted weekly by the two teachers from September, 1971, to June, 1973. (NH) *********************************************************************** Documents acquired by ERIC include many informal unpublished * materials not available from other sources. tRIC makes everyeffort * * to obtain the best copy available. nevertheless, items ofmarginal * * reproducibility are often encountered and thissaffects the quality * * of the microfiche and hardcopy reproductions ERIC makes available * * via.the ERIC Document Reproduction Service (EDRS). EDRS is not * responsible for the quality of the original document. Reprciductions * * supplied by EDRS are the best that can be made from the original. * *********************************************************************** MAR -3 1 1975 REPORT Music As An EduCationai Tool For the Mentally Handicappe ABE Student US DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH EDUCATIONwcLrARE NATIONAL INSTI,U1Eor EDUCATION u 14i 1 I 4 r 4ffJf r5 unv .4, ,,, 0,i A 116 ,01. 7f r r.f,fb v ,1141 ro Jane Sellen, Project Director Western Iowa Tech Sioux City, Iowa INDEX Page Introduction 2 Background 4 Project Progress Consultants 8 Tools and Aides 11 Highlights , 14 Tests, Testing and Analysis 18 w Summary 40 Conclusion 49 Appendix Pictorial Review Progress Reports bs 201 921 - 2- Music As An Educational Tool for the Mentally Handicapped ABE Student The U.S. Department of Health, Education and Welfare through the Office of Education granted the sum of $10,000 to Western Iowa Tech for FY72 for this demonstration project. Before the end of the first year it was clear that not enough time had elapsed and sufficient data had not been acquired so that a request for a one year extension was made. The extension was granted; therefore the project covers FY72 and FY73. As a, demonstration project it was proposed to use vocal music as a device to attempt to expand the'learning potential of the residents of the Woodbury County Home. j. :IT July 10, 1973 Ms. Jane Sellen Adult Education Coordinator Western Iowa Tech .3075 Floyd Boulevard Sioux City, Iowa 51105 Dear ,Tne: We feel that itis our responsibility to review the graduate program in adult education at the end of each fiscal year. Our office has reviewed your program "Music, an Aid to Teaching Adult Basic Education."We feel - that your program is one of its kind in the United States. Judging by,the reports from cther members of our staff and having viewed your program from the start, I feel your students have made tre- mendous improvement'in dress, personalities, attitudes and abilities., The performance ofthe class at the graduation cermony mu4t have been, in impressive demonstratI'n of their abilities showing to all those present that the students and faculty have worked very hard. I hope-you will continue this progrPm;as it proves that adult education does work with dedication and lots of hard work. Please accept my congratu- lations to all persons involved. Sincerely, Ken Russell hief 'Indult Education KR:dm Cj 4 BACKGROUND The Woodbury County Home is the custodial residence for ninety to one hundred men and women. It is a large old brick, three story building which has been well cared for. There are dormitories on each flodr,for women and for men and a'large dining room i the semi-basement whereall the residents eat together. The Home is situated 'approximately three miles beyond the city limits of Sioux City. At one time the surrounding land was farmed, but this has not been true for several years. A large garden is maintained by the residents but there are few other available activities beyond helping with the indoor A housekeeping chores. The Home is a governmental responsibility of the County Board of Supervisors. The Direcebr of the County Mental Health Services supervises the Matron of the Home; the Matron reports to the Director who reports to the Board although this line of communication is_not always strictly followed. The residents range frOm eighteen to eighty years of age. Strictly speaking, no one over sixty-five is to live in the Home but in fact if an individual can care for himself and is not chronically ill he or she is allowed to continue living there. residents are either emotionally disturbed or mentally deficient. Almost all have spent time either at the Cherokee Mental HealtI -Institute or at the Glenwood State Hospital. Injsome respects the Home might be referred to as a "quarter-way house" in the context of the familiar Halfway 11S1/3 efr* S - House. In fact, a few residents have now been transferred to the Halfway House known as River Heights and some have entered Sheltered Workshop- Training situations at Goodwill Industries while continuing to reside at' the Home. Concern for clean and cheerful physical surroundings is evident. The Home is immaculate, the atmosphere pleasant, the residents obviously com- fortable and "at home." The question of how to fill the time of the residents constructively and stretch their potential for a more independent life was a persistent concern of the Mental Health Services Director, Trav,is Campbell. When the writer, Jane Sellen, approached him in 1968 about holding some Adult Basic Education classes in the Home he was most receptive. The Board of Supervisors were less eager. They questioned what might be achieved and if an unwelcome element might be introduced into the smooth- running operation,The Board, however, was willing, after some close ques- tioning, to give Adult Basic Education classes a try. Those original three classes of five to seven residents meeting in one ( hour sessions twice a week have expanded to six hour-long.classes per day, four days per week or twenty-four hours of Basic Education instruction weekly. Some student's attended four one hour sessions, some two each week; approxi- mately forty-five residents have been regularly enrolled in Adult Basic Education classes in the years FY72,and FY73. The addition of vocal music classes was made in January 1971.This writer became interested in the possibility of using vocal music as a sup- plementary teaching method and was confident she had the tight teacher to_ make the idea worthwhile. 11S1/4 - 6 - Eugenia Webb, the proposed teacher, is a womanof leadership ability, great compassion and concern, trained musicallywith a psychology major, mother of six children,* and with the necessary enthusiasm andequanimity for such a situation and with such a clientle. Furthermore,'she had taught beginning reading ABE classes, at Goodwill Industries, Work Incentive (WIN) Licensed Practical Nurse students in science brush-up classes, andclasses 0 for truck driver trainees who needed review on how to study the manual. Again, reluctant approval was given by the County Board of, Supervisors who continued to question the value and results to be achieved with those residing in the Home. The Director of Mental Health wr_i. enthusiastic. So was the Matron who could perceive the possibility ofusing some of the musical talents she knew a few residents possedsed and who thoughteventually a program for some group outside the Homemight be given, being "done for" has been the pattern of those at the Home. In addition, group singing came 4 close to the arts'end crafts activities which she had been seeking for the residents. So in January, 1971 the classes were organized. In six weeks it was clear that an accompanist was essential. Again a well qualified person was available in Helen Moss. She had originally volunteered in beginning reading ABE classes; has taught two nights per week adults reviewing for the GED (General Educational Development) Test, and has been a professional piano teacher for a number of years. Beyond that, her concern and desire to help the less fortunate are always apparent. Classes met originally for forty-five minute session each Wednesday morning. Approximately thirty were regularly enrolled in each of the two classes. 11S1/5 -7.- The dining room was chosen for the location for the music classes. it is a large attractive sunny room in the semi-dasement. A-00 piano is located there. The tables are pushed back and chairs arranged in rows near the piano.