Communication Through Touch and Music

Does your child have sensory processing difficulties and limited verbal skills? Are they anxious when they don’t know what’s coming next, or do they have tactile defensiveness? Do they get frustrated and dysregulated?

At last, we have access to the TACPAC resource, which helps with sensory communication for pupils who have limited verbal skills and sensory processing difficulties.

TACPAC works in a one-to-one partnership, using the sense of touch through hands and objects with various textures. It also uses specially composed music that matches the touch. Because the match is exact, our pupils do not have to decide which language to follow. There is one sensory message, which our pupils can instinctively understand and respond to. This is called “Sensory Alignment” and enables the brain to regulate responses to sensory input effectively. Most notably, it improves the relationship between the TACPAC partners. It works!

The sensory alignment experienced when using TACPAC helps the brain regulate responses to sensory input more effectively, leading to significant improvements in communication. The emphasis on one-to-one partnership improves the relationship. Hand-in-hand with improved relationships comes improved communication, and that’s what TACPAC is all about. It is a sensory communication resource.

Using TACPAC over time enables your child to develop trust with you as their communication partner. They can then begin to express themselves by showing what they feel or what they want.

We are offering parents and carers the same training that is available to teachers. If you have NDIS, you can use it to participate in our online training. Please inform your schools and teachers if you are using TACPAC at home, as they can follow up in class and with speech therapists at school. Many schools are aware of this resource and the training we offer.

To find out more, please visit tacpacsensory.au/tacpac-for-parents.

Smitha George MA, BEd, Masters of Teaching Non Award program
Australian Lead and Trainer
Smitha is an experienced Special Education Educator and leader, and has experience teaching in three countries: India, Singapore and Australia. She was Assistant Principal for six years in Sydney NSW at two schools one with a student capacity of 900 plus and the other with a student capacity of 400 plus prior to moving to Perth in April 2022. Smitha was instrumental in the establishment of the Education Support Unit at the first school she was Assistant Principal.

Her strengths, skills, expertise and passion lie in supporting and helping children and young adults who are disadvantaged and need additional support to be able to lead independent lives in society. Smitha was the recipient of the 2019 Principals Network Award for Best Classroom Practice in Special Education in the Western Sydney Directorate.

As an educator in a leadership role Smitha has knowledge and experience in:

• Managing the performance and development of teachers and support teachers
• Initiating, leading and evaluating teachers to develop knowledge and skills in supporting students with additional needs
• Cultivating a culture of high expectations and collaboration amongst all teachers and support teachers not only in the Support Unit but across the school
• Building networks with multi-disciplinary agencies (namely-Department of Community Justice, Local Police, Carers, Social Workers, Psychologists and Therapists) to put in place evidence-based strategies to best support students
• Organising and implementing professional learning for Teachers and Support Teachers across Schools for Specific Purposes (SSP) in NSW and for Occupational Therapists and Speech Therapists across Sydney.

Click here for Ticketing Information

Does your child have sensory processing difficulties and limited verbal skills? Are they anxious when they don’t know what’s coming next, or do they have tactile defensiveness? Do they get frustrated and dysregulated?

At last, we have access to the TACPAC resource, which helps with sensory communication for pupils who have limited verbal skills and sensory processing difficulties.

TACPAC works in a one-to-one partnership, using the sense of touch through hands and objects with various textures. It also uses specially composed music that matches the touch. Because the match is exact, our pupils do not have to decide which language to follow. There is one sensory message, which our pupils can instinctively understand and respond to. This is called “Sensory Alignment” and enables the brain to regulate responses to sensory input effectively. Most notably, it improves the relationship between the TACPAC partners. It works!

The sensory alignment experienced when using TACPAC helps the brain regulate responses to sensory input more effectively, leading to significant improvements in communication. The emphasis on one-to-one partnership improves the relationship. Hand-in-hand with improved relationships comes improved communication, and that’s what TACPAC is all about. It is a sensory communication resource.

Using TACPAC over time enables your child to develop trust with you as their communication partner. They can then begin to express themselves by showing what they feel or what they want.

We are offering parents and carers the same training that is available to teachers. If you have NDIS, you can use it to participate in our online training. Please inform your schools and teachers if you are using TACPAC at home, as they can follow up in class and with speech therapists at school. Many schools are aware of this resource and the training we offer.

To find out more, please visit tacpacsensory.au/tacpac-for-parents.

Smitha George MA, BEd, Masters of Teaching Non Award program
Australian Lead and Trainer
Smitha is an experienced Special Education Educator and leader, and has experience teaching in three countries: India, Singapore and Australia. She was Assistant Principal for six years in Sydney NSW at two schools one with a student capacity of 900 plus and the other with a student capacity of 400 plus prior to moving to Perth in April 2022. Smitha was instrumental in the establishment of the Education Support Unit at the first school she was Assistant Principal.

Her strengths, skills, expertise and passion lie in supporting and helping children and young adults who are disadvantaged and need additional support to be able to lead independent lives in society. Smitha was the recipient of the 2019 Principals Network Award for Best Classroom Practice in Special Education in the Western Sydney Directorate.

As an educator in a leadership role Smitha has knowledge and experience in:

• Managing the performance and development of teachers and support teachers
• Initiating, leading and evaluating teachers to develop knowledge and skills in supporting students with additional needs
• Cultivating a culture of high expectations and collaboration amongst all teachers and support teachers not only in the Support Unit but across the school
• Building networks with multi-disciplinary agencies (namely-Department of Community Justice, Local Police, Carers, Social Workers, Psychologists and Therapists) to put in place evidence-based strategies to best support students
• Organising and implementing professional learning for Teachers and Support Teachers across Schools for Specific Purposes (SSP) in NSW and for Occupational Therapists and Speech Therapists across Sydney.

Click here for Ticketing Information