App that helps kids find their voice is music to Varley's ears
The burly scrum specialist — a classically trained musician who sang on a charity CD last year — took time out of a hectic training schedule yesterday to help launch the Cope Foundation’s Signalong Songs App in Cork.
“It’s a really positive initiative,” he said. “The app has upbeat songs, a lot of colourful visuals, and is very engaging.
“The concept is about ‘total communication’ — a whole body engagement using hands, eyes, voice, music, signing, and language.
“I am delighted to launch the app and proud to be associated with Cope Foundation and its continuous development in supporting children’s education, and life learning.”
The app was developed over the last year by language and music therapists in response to a lack of Irish resources for parents and children.
The iPad app uses music and signs to help children under eight with intellectual disability develop their vocabulary. It includes five original songs and nursery rhymes that target specific and sometimes challenging vocabulary and signs.
Key words in the songs are signed, and the app features child-friendly. engaging graphics, a sign index as a reference tool for parents and teachers, and vocabulary themes.
While it is aimed primarily at children with an intellectual disability, those involved in its development say it can be used by all, and could help bring together children in pre-school or early primary school settings.
Eamon Nash, a music therapist, said there is a huge body of research which shows that learning through music is especially developmental.
“In the case of all children, but particularly children with intellectual disability, learning through music helps them to retain more and to interact better with those around them,” he said.
Cope chief executive Colette Kelleher said it is great to see technology being used so children of every ability can learn and develop their language. “We are constantly finding innovative and exciting ways of supporting people and we are witnessing great developments every day.”
Everyone involved in the project gave their time for free. The Cope Foundation’s Signalong Songs App, priced €4,49, is now available to download from the iTunes App Store, with proceeds going directly to services at Cope.
