
The role of the right hemisphere: Studies have shown inconsistent findings of right hemisphere activation.Other variations include mouthing of words as cues and elimination of hand-tapping all together. Frequent deviations from the original MIT protocol make research studies hard to compare: Some utilize MIT as a protocol, others reduce it down to a facilitation technique with intoned speech.Some of the challenges & controversies are as follows: Though Melodic Intonation Therapy has been studied over the past several decades, its effects and mechanisms continue to be questioned in reviews. To make it easier, write down all the chosen phrases and sentences in order of syllable length, then underline the naturally emphasized words or syllables to determine your melody for intonation.

Therefore, emphasized syllables will be produced on higher notes. Melodic Patterns: Only 2 – 4 musical notes are to be used and should resemble natural prosody patterns. Stimuli should have a high probability of being stated in everyday conversation (e.g., if the client dislikes coffee, you would not choose the phrase “cup of coffee” to practice). Put time and thought into the phrases you choose by working with your client and their caregivers to determine ones that are personally relevant.


During the first stages, stimuli should be no longer than 4 syllables and gradually work to more complex statements made of 5+ syllables. Phrases for Stimuli: Since the goal of MIT is to learn a new way to speak (not just learn & recall a set of sentences), stimuli must be abundant and varied. What You’ll Need to Do Melodic Intonation Therapy
