AASL is a Certified Provider of Interactive Metronome Therapy. This is why we like to stay up-to-date on the latest research. Here’s what we found recently: A recent study from the New York Academy of Sciences shows that clapping can make a significant difference during speech therapy. The abstract is below. You can read the full study on clapping and interactive metronome therapy here.
Abstract
The auditory system is extremely precise in processing the temporal information of perceptual events and using these cues to coordinate action. Synchronizing movement to a steady beat relies on this bidirectional connection between sensory and motor systems, and activates many of the auditory and cognitive processes used when reading.
Here, we use InteractiveMetronome, a clinical intervention technology requiring an individual to clap her hands in time with a steady beat, to investigate whether the links between literacy and synchronization skills, previously established in older children, are also evident in children who are learning to read.
