23.7. 1993 Vitoria-Gasteiz / Spain - World Federation of Music Therapy

On the video you'll see JOOST. He got a brain tumour
when he was 6 years old. When he was admitted to L.
he could not walk or speak anymore and was suffering
from painfull spasms in his body. Listening to baroqueand
folkmusic relaxed him and therefore Joost came for
musictherapy every day. One time every week a
collegue and I played his favourite music "life" for him, to
bring the music to him as close as possible.
B R E A K I N G D O W N L E A R N I N G B A R R I E R S W I T H
M U S I C
M AY GAERTNER
This paper describes how music promotes
emotional and psychological growth in children with
Learning Disabilites and Behavioural Problems. It
shows how music penetrates the mental barriers to
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learning, and helps learning disabled children to
overcome their difficulties.
This is a report of two succesful cases,
previously labelled as “desperate” and “hopeless”, and
how music brought about a “breakthrough”.
Gareth
After many years of teaching, I returned to
University and was studying for a Diploma in
Specialised Education (Remedial). I was given Gareth
as one of my casestudies. I was told that he desperately
needed help, and lots of love.
Gareth was 9 years old, and had been at school
for four years. He had spent two years in the first class
and been promoted on account of his age. This was his