Good Vibrations Toolkit
Added to website 13/11/2018. Updated 06/09/2023.
A practical toolkit of inclusive approaches for music making with deaf and hearing impaired children and young people. Developed by soundLINCS, it contains information, activities, advice and resources to support inclusive music delivery.
Drawn from two decades experience of facilitating inclusive music, soundLINCS has developed the Good Vibrations music toolkit for adults working with deaf and hearing impaired children and young people. It is developed in partnership with Leicestershire Schools Music Service with support from Leicestershire Hearing Support Service. The toolkit inverts the exclusive question of ‘Why do music with deaf and hearing impaired children and young people’ to an inclusive ‘Why wouldn’t you?’
The toolkit promotes active participation in music making as a way to enable musical engagement and progression. The contents include:
- Advocacy and information – relevant resources to help build knowledge and support including research, literature reviews, case studies and articles from experts in the field such as Music and the Deaf, National Deaf Children’s Society and the Ear Foundation.
- Tips – inclusive approaches for working with deaf and hearing impaired children and young people in any circumstances and in a musical context
- Musical activities with inclusive starting points that can be adapted or developed in line with a practitioners own creativity, practice and knowledge of their participants
- Insightful contributions from Dame Eveyln Glennie and Paul Whittaker
Good Vibrations is a simple and approachable starting point for any adult on the journey of providing music to a deaf and hearing impaired young person. The toolkit aims to do this for any person wishing to begin their journey. For example, a teacher or music leader who has a new young person with hearing impairments within their group may begin to understand practical ways of support. They might also use the information as a case for support to access further resources. For whichever stage of the music delivery, the toolkit is an accessible and approachable starting point to begin striving for a musically inclusive practice.
Next Step
Good Vibrations can be a quick read for immediate inspiration or a longer read for deeper understanding for whichever direction, interest or depth the reader may need. It promotes an understanding of how people who are deaf and hearing impaired can experience music and will be of interest to all school staff, Music Service and MEH, musicians, parents and carers. In short – any adult with an interest in developing inclusive approaches for working with deaf and hearing impaired children and young people.
About the Provider
soundLINCS
soundLINCS is a not-for-profit community music organisation delivering high-quality and innovative music making opportunities for all ages, abilities and needs since 1998. Our vision is that everyone has an opportunity to be empowered through music.
