(1,104) STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES BENEFITED FROM MUSIC THERAPY PROGRAM
Participants in the 11th annual music therapy workshop, which was organized by the Sharjah City for Humanitarian Services (SCHS) in collaboration with Korean Iowa University and the Korean Music Therapy Association, included female students from the fourteenth batch of Iowa University who are undergoing training at SCHS, two supervisors, and three professors from Iowa University. Graduates of the previous nine batches of SCHS staff employees who finished a structured curriculum in applying music therapy to children with developmental disabilities were also present.
On this occasion, Ms. Khadija Ahmed Bamakhramah, Planning and Follow-up Officer and General Supervisor of SCHS’s Music Therapy Program, said, “Since its establishment in 1979, SCHS has been keen to develop and improve the services provided to persons with disabilities and achieve its vision of being a pioneering institution in including, advocating and empowering persons with disabilities”.
She added, “12 years ago, in cooperation with Iowa University from South Korea, and the Korean Music Therapy Association in Korea, SCHS launched the music therapy program as a professional intervention through specialized, evidence-based therapeutic approaches that use music to enhance the non-musical skills and abilities of beneficiaries across the physical, linguistic, social, emotional, and cognitive domains. These services use musical elements, such as rhythm and melody, as basic therapeutic tools to design experiences and activities that facilitate the development of basic skills for independent living, encourage self-expression, and enhance interaction. Ultimately social, music therapy services aim to improve quality of life and stimulate all-round development”.
Sustainability in service provision
She added, Since music therapy is used for all levels and forms of experience and musical activities for the beneficiaries' needs, SCHS is regarded as the first state-level organization that deals with the affairs of people with disabilities to incorporate a music therapy program into its offerings.
Professor Khadija confirmed that in order to achieve sustainability and the best results in this field, SCHS was keen to qualify and train the technical and educational staff on the use of techniques and strategies for music therapy by experts and specialists from the University of Iowa with the aim of forming a supportive structure of competencies in the field.
She explained: The program contributes to developing the abilities of students with disabilities in mobility, socially, linguistically and educationally, and provides opportunities for them to improve their quality of life and participate and integrate into society, which is what SCHS is keen to achieve by organizing it and training its staff, to master its techniques and vocabulary at the hands of the most skilled specialists.
Sheikha Jameela Al Qasimi’s trust and support is the basis for success and continuity
The General Supervisor of the Music Therapy Program praised the trust and support provided to the work team by Her Excellency Sheikha Jameela bint Mohammed Al Qasimi, President of SCHS, who strengthened this initiative so that SCHS includes qualified competencies to implement this purposeful program, stressing the importance of achieving sustainability by training SCHS staff on these skills to reach the ultimate goal that is in the interest of students with disabilities and develops their communication, social and cognitive skills and abilities.
An evolving partnership year after year
Professor Hyun Joo Chung from Iowa University spoke about this year's 11th annual four-day workshop, which included theoretical and practical aspects on using music as a therapeutic method, as the training team every year develops educational and training materials for teachers to apply in the classroom.
According to her, the Korean Music Therapy Education Association (KOMTEA) is essential in overseeing the certification process for specialists, assessing the SCHS program's training programs, and offering both material and human support, such as musical instruments and specialists. This collaboration has grown steadily over time as more SCHS specialists have attained music therapy expertise, positioning SCHS as a pioneer in the field in the United Arab Emirates and its surrounding nations.
Professor Hyun explained that the number of SCHS staff employees who have graduated so far in the music therapy program has reached (131) graduates, while the number of female students at Iowa University who have graduated in the program has reached (36) graduate. Services have been provided within the program since its inception until now to (1,104) of SCHS’s students with disabilities.
Mutual trust and remarkable excellence
Since music has been shown to be a potent tool for inspiring children to study and engage with others despite the functional obstacles they encounter, she emphasized that the current partnership with SCHS is founded on mutual trust and a shared commitment to provide the finest services possible to individuals with disabilities.
Professor Hyun pointed out that the eleventh workshop was special by new elements, including the evaluation of clinical cases by SCHS teachers, in addition to focusing on developing an Arabic music curriculum for children. Teachers with training in music therapy led the training sessions themselves, allowing the Iowa professors to provide more in-depth supervision and monitor significant development in the teachers' expertise.
For the first time, 10 trained therapists from the University of Iowa participated in music therapy sessions with SCHS children, enhancing awareness of the therapeutic impact of music across different cultures and languages.
One of the benefits of music therapy
She said, “Music therapy is not just a musical activity, but rather a professional therapeutic process based on scientific foundations. Music is used to enhance communication and emotional regulation, and it can also be combined with other therapeutic methods to increase their effectiveness. Among the benefits of music therapy for children with disabilities:
Improving language skills through singing.
Enhancing motor skills by playing musical instruments.
Developing social and emotional interaction through group musical activities.
Stimulate academic understanding by listening to song lyrics.
Improving problem-solving skills and perception through musical performances.
Through this program, teachers and specialists in SCHS have noticed significant improvement in the language, attention, sensory regulation, and behavioral adaptation of children with disabilities.
Future plans
As we aim to make SCHS the first center in the Arab world to offer integrated music therapy services, Professor Hyun discussed future plans to develop the program by increasing the number of music therapy specialists being trained, training more teachers to ensure the application of music therapy in an organized and sustainable manner, improving clinical research and publishing studies, publishing a music therapy resource book annually to share case studies and effective therapeutic techniques, establishing a department dedicated to music therapy, and publishing books and guides on music therapy: creating effective Arabic music content through songwriting rather than depending on Western materials. program for education that blends music and words in a structured and rhythmic way.
Emphasis on the importance of the music therapy program
SCHS's graduate teachers stressed the importance of the program in their acquisition of new skills and strategies in teaching people with disabilities and its role in developing the capabilities of students with disabilities in various fields and providing them with opportunities to improve their quality of life.
The graduates extended their sincere thanks and appreciation to Her Excellency Sheikha Jameela bint Mohammed Al Qasimi, President of SCHS, who was and is still the main supporter of all meaningful work in the interest of people with disabilities.
They also extended their sincere thanks to Her Excellency the Director General of SCHS, Ms. Mona Abdul Karim Al-Yafei, to Ms. Khadija Ahmed Bamakhramah, General Supervisor of the Music Therapy Program and the Planning and Follow-up Officer in SCHS, and to the Iowa University work team for everything they provided in their training and education.