WCU students' article published in online magazine | Arts & Culture

The following is a press release from William Carey University:

Kathryn Quattlebaum, MHR, and Nicole Ribet, William Carey University music therapy students from Gulfport, recently had their article, “The Colors of Communication: Listening and Responding to Cues,” published in Imagine Early Childhood Online Magazine. Quattlebaum, a freshman, and Ribet, a senior, study under the supervision of Jim Pierce, assistant professor of music therapy, and Dr. Paul Cotten, professor of music and psychology. The students were able to use their research and classroom experience  to work with children with communication and developmental disorders. Under the direction of a speech pathologist, they  utilized classroom activities intended to improve the preschool students’ receptive language skills through music therapy.

One activity used was Hap Palmer’s “Colors” song from the CD Learning Basic Skills through Music Volume One. The chorus of the song discusses where children would see certain colors, and the verses instruct them to stand up and sit down when particular colors are called. After various trials that involved changing the instructions of the activity and adapting the lyrics to simplify the song, the WCU students found that the activity was successful in engaging the children and helping them improve their receptive language skills. Quattlebaum and Ribet recorded the song “Colors,” and included an mp3 format of the song with the article that appeared in the September edition of the online publication.

PHOTO: Kathryn Quattlebaum, MHR, and Nicole Ribet, William Carey University music therapy students from Gulfport, recently had their article, “The Colors of Communication: Listening and Responding to Cues,” published in Imagine Early Childhood Online Magazine. Pictured are (seated, left to right) Nicole Ribet, a senior music therapy student from Gulfport, Kathryn Quattlebaum, a freshman senior music therapy student from Gulfport, (standing, left to right) Jim Pierce, assistant professor of music therapy, and Dr. Paul Cotten, professor of music and psychology.