Adopt-a-Class workshops use music as a medium for developing crucial skills in key areas, such as expression, language development, co-ordination, listening skills, social skills and co-operation/sharing skills. Two schools are involved in the project each year. Social skills are promoted by encouraging contact between pupils, the Orchestra's players, workshop leaders and teachers. Group music activities develop co-operation and sharing skills and can significantly improve attention levels. Specifically, the Adopt-a-Class workshops use music as a medium for developing crucial skills in key areas: • to explore and encourage expression of feelings and emotions through the response to changing musical stimuli and by improvising on percussion instruments • to encourage language development through vocalisation • to develop co-ordination through music skills involving rhythm and beat • to encourage listening skills by distinguishing between slow and fast or loud and soft notes, and different rhythmic patterns (e.g. crotchet-quaver-quaver) • to encourage creativity as students write their own melodies and song lyrics The programme also contributes to the teachers' professional development, increasing their understanding of the creative use of music and giving practical training in a variety of approaches to music and movement. The workshop leader and musicians, who have formal Music Therapy training, act as mentors to the teachers throughout the project, helping them grow in confidence both in teaching music in class and bringing students to the London Philharmonic Orchestra’s mainstream schools concerts. To ensure that cost is not a barrier to participation, neither the schools, nor the students will be asked to pay anything to take part. As the Orchestra does not receive public funding for this or for any of its education projects, we ask for your support to help us make this programme possible this season.