Logorhythmics

This material is suitable for young children and adults.

What is logorhythmics? Logorhythmics is a comprehensive method that includes elements of speech therapy and musical-rhythmic education. It is one of the important tools for improving speech. The goals of logorhythmics include teaching children to listen to music, distinguish tempos, and sing in tune with the music. Rhythmic exercises help develop a sense of rhythm and expressiveness in movements.

We practice memorizing poems with visually impaired children. We choose a bright, imaginative poem with musicality and rhythm that makes them want to listen again. If the poem is about animals, we can offer the child to play with toy characters. For visually impaired children, kinesthetic sensitivity becomes important. Children develop the ability to use touch during play. We read the poem with the child several times and answer their questions about the content. From an early age, we introduce children to the beauty of poetry, learning poems emotionally and with expression. While memorizing, we can use movement techniques, such as hopping like a bunny or marching in rhythm with the poem. Together, we capture the rhythm and “music” of the poem. The child should form an artistic image of the learned words. Every poem the child learns enriches their vocabulary, imagination, and memory. Learning as much as possible is the best way to build memory capacity. For visually impaired children, auditory methods are often used for memorization. First, each verse is learned, then the entire poem. We use rhyme as an auditory anchor. Mnemonic techniques can also be helpful for memorization, where the child visualizes images and connects them, allowing the brain to fix these associations. Memorizing poems positively influences diction development in young children. It’s easier to achieve correct pronunciation, diction, and articulation with poetic lines. Working with poems also helps develop breath control, teaching children to manage their breathing without rushing or running out of air mid-sentence.

Why are musical activities important for visually impaired children? Rhythmic games and activities with musical accompaniment are very beneficial for visually impaired children. Educators teach children to reproduce rhythmic patterns by clapping, ringing bells, or drumming. Music activates children’s cognitive abilities, helping them develop a sense of rhythm, hearing, and musical memory. Sessions include movement-based and didactic games, songs with movements, and physical exercises. The accompanying music improves movement quality, introducing flexibility and expressiveness. Children learn to coordinate their movements with the rhythm of the music. The main goal of rhythmics is to develop a sense of rhythm through movement exercises set to music. Speech, music, and movement are closely interconnected. It is known that motor functions—such as coordination, balance, precision, and rhythm—are affected by visual impairment. After completing a course in logorhythmics, children’s speech, vocal skills, motor system, and spatial orientation improve. Systematic rhythmics classes enhance the work of the motor analyzer. Music classes expose children to various musical activities, teaching them to listen, emotionally engage with the music, and improve the precision and rhythm of their movements. Children gain bodily awareness and begin to understand the “language” of movement.