Music, therapy, and early childhood - Elizabeth Schwartz

A comprehensive guide to music therapy with young children, providing a detailed examination of development from birth to age five, with theoretical perspectives and extensive scales of developmental milestones. Information is provided on nine different chronological periods, including benchmarks for physical, sensory, motor, cognitive, emotional/social, and language development. An expansive catalog of musical goals is provided for singing, playing, moving, and musical understanding within each period. The book then synthesizes current research on musical development in young children and provides lists of musical behaviors as well as a presentation of the theories of musical development proposed by Briggs/Bruscia and Edwin Gordon. Therapeutic issues are addressed through a guide to understanding what developmental obstacles are encountered by the special needs child and how these obstacles impact musical participation and overall development. Practical tips and solutions for the music therapist are presented.