The article on children with Down Syndrome and The Listening Training Programme is in Music and Medicine Journal, volume 2, Issue 4, October 2010. Local children with Down Syndrome are continuing to be added to the research group and the improvements seen are consistent.
In addition work is ongoing with students on the autism spectrum aged 16 - 19 years who are following the listening training programme from ABT. This will added to work with autistic children in Ireland.
Work with dyslexic children and the listening training programme is also ongoing.
An article was published in the Daily Express on a case study of a young woman with dyscalculia who improved following the use of The Listening Training Programme and Primary Movement.
Is it coincidence that Listening Training and Primary Movement can help those with different labels or is developmental delay a feature across all the labels? These might not cure all difficulties for all but can make significant improvements for the individuals. These programmes are drug free and non invasive . No two children are exactly the same but maybe they have more in common rather than being entirely separate as labels imply.

We should all be aware that a study on hearing of adolescents shows an increase in adolescent deafness. Should not come as a surprise as we see youngsters, joggers etc with headphones where the ear piece fits into the ear, listening to music through them but sadly, at too loud a volume. I can see the advantage of these headphones. They are neat and not bulky to carry about. They are the trendy thing of the day. However it would be better if we recommended the use of headphones which fit over the ear, where sound has a better chance to escape and used with a player where the volume is limited to a safe level. We have a duty to protect the youngsters and so we should be insisting on volume limitation of playing devices and the recommendation of open headphones.
Many of us may remember the concerts we attended where we know now the volume of music could have had a damaging effect. However we only had very limited exposure. The youth of today are in much greater danger as they can arrange this input, at a continuous dangerous level, for themselves. We need to be training these children from a young age, to take sensible precautions so their hearing is protected.

Down Syndrome study

The Down Syndrome study was written up and published Monday August 2nd, in an early online before print version of the article scheduled to appear in the Journal Music and Medicine in October 2010 issue.

Reference
Jeyes,G., Newton,C. Evaluation of the Listening Programme in Assessing Auditory Processing and Speech Skills in Children with Down Syndrome
Music and Medicine August2,2010 doi: 10.1177/1943862110371809

It is important that all should be done to reduce difficulties with communication so that the children will benefit more quickly from their education and, continue that benefit as they move into adult life.

As we move towards a General Election Education becomes a topic for all. Cameron seems to think that getting suitably qualified people in the various subject areas is the key. In Primary school it is more important to be a communicator and motivator so children are not turned off learning. There are lots of good teachers around altready but despite all the input in aspects of teaching the results have not reflected the effort.
I work with brighter children as well as those struggling and I am astounded at the problems I pick up. A brighter child may achieve average but they should do better. A lot of children have excellent hearing but they cannot shut out extraneous noise which distracts or, distinguish clearly between the sounds in words. This impacts on reading, spelling and memory at the least. Retained reflexes mean the child is having to use compensatory strategies to overcome difficulties which requires lots more effort. The children need to be effective learners.
Having a good teacher alone is not enough. The child needs to be an effective learner to learn with ease and gain success from their efforts. We can do so much more to help them and early intervention is the key.

Have been requested to submit recent studies to a journal on Music. I am now in process of converting studies to manuscript stlye requested by journal but should get it done by end of this week.
In academia they work from some minute part of the brain trying to understand how it works and to define difficulties. The teacher and developmental practitioner work from the child, where they have to work with brain and all senses together. Proof of the developmental work being effective comes from the changes in behaviour and improved academic progress. We are at a point where academia is still trying to define the problems but developmental practitioners have at least some of the answers and are effective.