Offer each child a choice. A paper route can show the same count, rest, duration or pattern idea and reason without giving a reason for choosing that route. It does not show physical music-making skill or what the child heard. Ask consent before sound, offer comfortable volume and a no-camera setting. Large cards, high contrast, tactile bands, AAC, a neutral scribe and a child-directed adult support access; avoid loose parts. The adult may read labels but must not solve a fresh check.
| Day | Optional sound route | Quiet broad/tactile route | Drawing, AAC or directed-adult route |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Make three gentle locally approved taps at numbered slots, then identify the three X places. | Place three broad raised X cards at 1, 2, 3 and give a fictional purpose. | Draw three boxes or direct a neutral adult to mark X in each; indicate purpose. |
| 2 | Make sound at 1 and 3 with a deliberately quiet middle, and name count 2. | Put X, REST, X in large cells and compare A. | Use AAC “sound, quiet, sound” or direct an adult to change A's count 2. |
| 3 | Optional two gentle events after a first silent slot; compare to middle rest. | Move a raised rest card from 2 to 1 and count two X cards. | Sketch both rows or direct an adult's two swaps; identify where quiet moved. |
| 4 | Hear or make a locally suitable long event across two counts, then a short; point to duration band. | Fit a broad two-cell LONG band and one-cell SHORT card on the three-count board. | Draw the band and one square, or AAC “two spaces, one space”; identify one event versus two. |
| 5 | If chosen, sound the child's new G decision after independently marking it. | Use three large raised cards to read G and choose one change. | Point, draw or direct an adult to record G's changed count and reason without prompting. |
| 6 | If consented, hear the original low/rest/high cue and make or select a sound response without straining. | Place LOW, REST, HIGH labels on a tactile slope, describing only a planned contour. | Draw an up-line or use AAC low/high; state that this silent route does not prove hearing. |
| 7 | Try a quiet suitable tap versus a supplied original tone for X at 1 and 3; describe the chosen source. | Use TAP or TONE raised label cards over X positions with rest at 2. | Draw chosen source icons or direct adult labels, keeping X–REST–X unchanged. |
| 8 | Optionally perform a six-slot P then P or P then Q with safe pauses. | Build six broad cells and move the second rest for contrast. | Draw two rows, use AAC “same/change,” or direct an adult to mark count 4–6. |
| 9 | Share an original quiet sound idea with one willing person if child chooses. | Show an original score to an actual willing adult and point to an intended choice. | Use AAC, drawing or neutral adult presentation to a willing person; choose puppet rehearsal or pass too. |
| 10 | If chosen, sound the child's independent six-slot H revision for a willing person. | Read H on six tactile cells and change one second-row card independently. | Mark H through drawing/AAC/adult direction; distinguish real sharing from puppet rehearsal or pass. |
No route is assigned by presumed diagnosis. All preserve the day's compositional reasoning target. The optional sound route can add teacher-observed aural/production evidence; the card/drawing routes cannot stand in for that separate evidence.