PROGRESS REPORT - BILL
Art Recreation - Therapist – Katherine Rudolph
Exploring the Word in Colour and Speech
- COURSE OF THERAPY
Bill is a student in the 5th class at Primary School.
He has blond hair blue eyes and is of normal weight and height for his age.
Bill is insecure and needs to find himself, and become stronger and
more courageous in his social interaction. Problems centring in movement and in posture as well as lack of self-confidence, fear of failure, and a slight melancholy are now contributing to his being
ill at ease. His attention span needs to be increased. This is not an uncommon situation, given the generally hectic pace of life and the competitive expectations of the present times.
Formative Speech and Modelling the Platonic Solids are being
given to stabilize the will and strengthen his sense of self. Colour work may come later. Speech and Movement exercises are being given in connection with a Story-in Motion. In such a setting there
is an engagement and an interest in the subject matter, and the child tends to feel less self-conscious, even adding his own input to the characters and plot.’ Crossing exercises’ emerge to help link
the right and left sides of the brain. All is linked together with narrative and adventure. Breathing and throwing a ‘comet ball’ with word and phases create a kind of game to help deepen the
- IMPULSE FOR SPEECH
Bill is eager to express himself, although his voice and breathing
He usually can communicate very well. At times his voice has
stronger and fuller, before sinking again. A game of ‘Hard of Hearing’ is sometimes played to help him to increase the volume. Bill’s thoughts are quite keen and he likes to speak out what is on his
- BREATHING- FLOW OF SPEECH
Bill’s breath comes more from the chest than the
diaphragm. This we must work on correcting. He breathes more deeply in the ‘breathing games’ when he is involved in the process. Thinking and speaking the various words and components of rhyming
games, for example, allow him to forget himself and throw ‘on the breath’ as the word is uttered. Thus his breathing and his well-being will improve at the same time. The same is true with throwing
the batons on the rhythm and alliteration.
- BALANCE OF VOWELS - QUALITY OF VOICE
Bill’s vowels are a bit stronger than the consonantal element. Vowel
exercises help strengthen the constitution. He needs forming forces in his speech. Slurred sentences sometimes occur out of a kind of shyness. As he learns to enunciate more clearly and rhythmically,
his willing should improve. Singing will also come into the Story-in-Motion.
- BALANCE OF CONSONANTS
The palatal sounds K G H can be strengthened.
The fluency exercise K L S F M shall be brought to help facilitate breathing. Bill’s feeling need to be released. Pent-up anger is present of which he is not completely aware. Speaking clear
consonants can help his process. He can become more self-assertive.
- THE PLATONIC SOLIDS
Work on the Platonic Solid helps centring.
There is a common centre in each of the Solids throughout all the metamorphoses. That is parallel to the centre one must hold in times of change. Fifth Class students are changing slowly into
adolescents, and finally into adults. The flexibility maintained in going from Sphere to Tetrahedron, to Cube, to Octahedron is similar to going though stage after stage of change in the course of
growing up. The Icosahedron and the Pentagonal Dodecahedron can come as later as Bill matures into adolescence.
His sense of form is improving and as he sees
that he can master these forms, he becomes more confident.
- EVALUATION AND RECOMMENDATIONS
The process of the Story-in-Motion needs to
continue, going forward. This can only occur as the verses and the opening Five-Point Star stance is learned.
Bill needs to practice at home. He is already
doing some work; this has to be encouraged and assisted. Learning the verses by memory affects a deeper part of the brain, and helps improve the will-power. Speech and movement, walking and talking,
along with gesture create a necessary challenge. The easy striding and speaking help foster self-confidence. Forward and backwards movement in spirals along with will exercises in speech, leading to
a sheltered bushland, spark the imagination and help centring. Courageous deeds at seas may be in the offing, unfolding sometimes with humorous moments, which helps release tension and stress.
Alliteration is important for incarnating into the limbs. As he finds his own centre and develops independence, more of Bill’s own concepts can come into the Story. This kind of work will help him
‘hold his own’ in the social sphere.
The attentiveness and cooperation of Bill’s
parents is of great assistance. I recommend continued sessions for several months with at least fifteen minutes to one-half hour per day practicing at home.
Copyright 2013 Katherine Rudolph Exploring The Word in Colour and Speech