Exploring the impact of music on the play experiences of children and young people with Profound and Multiple Learning Difficulties

“每个儿童都有参与游戏的权利”(联合国儿童权利公约：第31条，1989年)。游戏是一项基本权利，对于有严重和多重学习困难(PMLD)的学习者来说，游戏往往被忽视。患有PMLD的人以非传统的方式探索世界，这意味着为传统游戏提供的机会很难获得，而且往往是过时的。然而，有证据表明，音乐和声乐表演似乎对患有PMLD的人具有很强的激励作用，并对他们的健康至关重要。研究问题：1.音乐游戏对学习多动症学习者的参与度和游戏性有何影响？2.音乐游戏对学习多动症学习者的同伴意识和同伴游戏是否有影响？3.在帮助学习多动症学习者进行游戏时，音乐游戏的使用对工作人员的态度和信心水平有何影响？研究方法：通过行动研究，对音乐游戏的原则进行定义、试验和评估，直到开发出一种实用的干预工具。该工具将在小学(5-11岁)、中学(11-19岁)和大学(19-25岁)三个环境中为有PMLD的学习者实施。在实施干预措施之前，没有音乐专业知识的教学人员将接受音乐演奏原则的培训。将对结果进行分析，以考虑干预对不同环境中的学习者和工作人员的影响。将通过多种研究方法收集关于干预影响的大量证据。数据收集策略：-参与者：-多达30名PMLD患者(每个环境10名)-支持PMLD患者的教职员工(即教师、学习支持从业者、其他治疗师)每个环境5-7名工作人员(总共最多25名)。问卷调查：干预前和干预后，建立和考虑工作人员对支持PMLD学习者游戏的态度的趋势。包括关于游戏和音乐主题的封闭式问题和开放式问题，供工作人员发表意见和详细说明他们的答复。将对问卷前后的数据进行比较，并考虑两组数据之间的关系。焦点小组访谈：在整个干预过程中进行，以增加收集的数据的深度，并更好地了解干预对工作人员的影响，支持对游戏的态度和看法。将使用不断比较法的归纳法分析重点小组访谈记录中的主题；收集的数据将继续反映撰稿人的情况。视频证据：从与每个学习者的多个音乐剧课程中收集；记录干预的社会结果，提供事件的多模式记录，并提供多次重温视频的机会。视频证据将为所有参与者提供数据。研究的意义：为了改善患有PMLD的学习者的幸福感和生活质量，我们必须让教师掌握必要的技能，以促进获得有意义和有吸引力的游戏机会。这项研究的结果可能会重塑人们对PMLD学习者的看法，并获得他们的机会。这项研究的结果将为所有与所有年龄段的PMLD患者一起工作或支持他们的人的实践提供参考，并有可能在全球范围内与实践相关并影响政策。

'Every child has the right to engage in play,' (UNCRC: Article 31, 1989). Play, a fundamental basic right, is frequently neglected as a priority for learners with Profound and Multiple Learning Difficulties (PMLD). Individuals with PMLD explore the world in unconventional ways meaning that opportunities presented for conventional play are difficult to access and frequently obsolete. However, evidence suggests music and vocal-play appears highly motivating and fundamental to the well-being of individuals with PMLD. This research will investigate and evidence the impact of using music as a medium to facilitate play, and develop a framework of guidelines and principles for teaching staff to embed Musical Play within their practice.Research Questions: 1. What is the impact of Musical Play on the engagement and playfulness of learners with PMLD? 2. Does Musical Play impact on peer awareness and peer play for learners with PMLD? 3. What effect does the use of Musical Play have on staff attitudes and confidence levels when facilitating play for learners with PMLD? Research Methods: Through action research the principles of Musical Play will be defined, trialled and evaluated, until a functional and practical intervention tool is developed. This tool will be implemented across three settings for learners with PMLD; Primary (5-11yrs), Secondary (11-19yrs) and College (19-25yrs). Teaching staff, with no expertise in music, will be trained in the principles of Musical Play before the intervention is implemented. Results will be analysed to consider the impact of the intervention on both learners and staff across the settings. A substantial evidence base on the impact of the intervention will be collected through multiple research methods.Data collection strategy: - Participants: - Up to 30 individuals with PMLD (10 per setting) - Teaching staff supporting individuals with PMLD (i.e. teachers, learning support practitioners, other therapists) 5-7 members of staff per setting (up to 25 in total). Questionnaires: Pre and post-intervention, to establish and consider trends in staff attitudes towards supporting play for learners with PMLD. Comprising of closed-ended questions, on the subject of play and music, and open-ended questions, for staff to express their views and elaborate on their responses. Data from pre and post questionnaires will be compared and relationships between the two sets of data considered. Focus group interviews: held throughout the intervention to increase the depth of data collected and gain a greater understanding of the impact of the intervention on staff, supporting attitudes and perceptions of play. The inductive approach of the constant comparison method will be used to analyse themes within the transcriptions of the focus group interviews; data captured will remain reflective of the contributors. Video evidence: collected from a number of Musical Play sessions with each learner; recording the social outcomes of the intervention, offering a multimodal record of events and providing the opportunity to revisit the footage numerous times. Video evidence will provide data for all participants.Significance of research: To improve the well-being and quality of life for learners with PMLD we must equip teaching staff with the skills needed to facilitate access to meaningful and engaging play opportunities. Outcomes of this research may reframe perceptions of, and access to, play for learners with PMLD. The outcomes of this study will inform the practice of all those working with, or supporting, individuals with PMLD of all ages, and has the potential to be relevant to practice and influence policies on a global scale.