At Breakthru, we view academic studies as highly important but when it comes to dealing with children with special needs, we feel that learning other skills can sometimes be more beneficial to their growth. Children are encouraged to participate in game time daily as we feel that this opens them up to be more confident and open and harnesses their creativity skills as they would probably not get the chance to do it outside of the centre. Over the next few weeks, we’ll be showcasing some of the activities we do on a daily basis here at Breakthru. To start with, our first highlight is on rhythm and dance!
Dancing
Contemporary and Modern Dance
These will be for the high functioning teenagers. Teenagers are taught a short and simple choreography and they are then asked to learn and practice it. This encourages them to use their memory skills in remembering something that they enjoy doing in addition to their academic studies. The repetitive motions of choreography work also allow these children to refine their motor skills, which is beneficial to children who have problems with movement. As for the younger kids, they will be able to participate in weekly drama classes where they get to act, sing, dance and harness their talents in a fun and playful way under the careful eyes of our drama teacher. This also ties in with music play which is also done at the centre. Studies have shown that children who are exposed to music tend to have higher academic achievements.
Tap Dance
This is mainly done for the children to appreciate the rhythm involved. Children will be taught the same choreography over a period of time until they’re very comfortable in following the steps. These are mainly for the children who are unable to express themselves with words but are more comfortable with their body movements. This allows them to have fun and at the same time have their own personal expressions as they go along with the dance!
Stay tuned for the next installation of activities here at Breakthru!
