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Estimated reading time 2 minutes
Table of Contents
Introduction
Are you a parent or a music teacher of an ADHD student who struggles with reading music? Though many people with ADHD have a hard time reading music, multisensory teaching methods can help! Read more to answer the question, “Do people with ADHD have difficulty playing from sheet music?”
Yes, People with ADHD Can Have Difficulty Playing from Sheet Music
“Do people with ADHD have difficulty playing from sheet from music?” According to Sara Raviotta*, 85% of students with ADHD also have mild dyslexia.
- In addition, she quoted the International Dyslexia Association that “20% of [the] population has dyslexia,” and the CDC that, “up to 13% has ADHD.”
- This means that at least 1 in 5 kids that music instructors will see will have learning and/or attention issues. However, she goes on to say, “Among musicians [it] may be closer to 50% [that] have dyslexia.”
If this is true, why do so many people with dyslexia and ADHD gravitate to music? Because music lends itself well to their visual-spatial styles of learning. For more information:
How Do We Help People with ADHD Read Sheet Music?
“Do people with ADHD have difficulty playing from sheet music?” Many students with ADHD will have problems with reading music. However, some students with ADHD have no problems at all with playing from a score.
If your student struggles with reading music, I suggest you color code the score:
- Playing the Piano with Color Coded Notes
- Playing Piano with Color Coded Left Hand Notes
- How to Color Code Guitar Tab to Empower LD Achievement
- Color Coded Quarter Note Clapping
If you find these helpful, check out the rest of the color coding posts in the ADD post archive. Every other post deals with color coding:
Final Thoughts to “Do People with ADHD Have Difficulty Playing from Sheet Music?”
“Do people with ADHD have difficulty playing from sheet music?” While not all students have issues with reading, parents and music teachers should keep an eye out for it just in case.
If your student needs help, color coding the music is a scientifically proven multisensory teaching method that works for ADHD, LD, ASD, and other special needs students.
Related Content
- Color Coding Music for Success
- How to Color Code Music Notes for LD & Special Needs Distance Learning
- Color Coded Eighth Note Clapping
*At her presentation in 2022 at the ABLE Assembly (a special needs arts conference).
© 2023 Geoffrey Keith
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