Aiken Drum is a traditional Scottish song.
I have found it works well in groups of 4-8 learners.
It can be sung at a slow pace so all learners have chance to participate and enjoy the experiences.
It is particularly suitable for singing with learners at an early stage of development as they can choose what instruments/multisensory items they wish to play.
An AAC singer can use a voice output switch to sing the repeated lines e.g. ‘lived in the moon’ or ‘played with Aiken Drum’.
I have covered a light plastic football with shiny ‘space blanket’ and secured it with a rubber band. This represents the moon and it can be shown or passed around the group as we sing the first verse. It is visually attractive and makes a rustling sound.
Personal names can easily be inserted into the song.
The learners are given a choice as to what each would like to play – they could choose by eye pointing or reaching or choosing a symbol/photo or signing/gesturing or by speaking.
As each learner has a turn, the moon comes close – ‘Now Joanna she lives in the moon &c.’ Then the learner is enabled to play on the instrument/noisy thing.
Then all the learners play their instruments together in the verse which begins ‘Now we all play together.
