Success Music Studio

ADD

 

color coded hand icons for music - girl pianist

 

The archive contains posts about teaching ADD students music.

 

ADD

 

A Deficit of Attention?

Do you want to know a secret about ADD? It is not a deficit of attention. In fact, students with ADD have excessive amounts of attention.

 

Sensitive to their surroundings, the person with ADD has problems with random stimuli. Namely, a ticking clock can become really distracting when a student with ADD tries to study.

 

If a noise suddenly happens in the room, it can become very hard for the person with ADD to ignore it. Because they have too much attention, everything grabs their focus.

 

This makes it hard for ADD students to keep to a task. It gets even harder when there are new and fun things to distract them.

 

Filtering Sensory Data

Sorting out sensory data remains an issue. However, what appears to be a self-control issue in school, can become an asset in the real world. Let me give you an example:

 

apple, diet, female

 

What color is the apple?

 

If you said red, look again. Does it just look red?

 

When you look closely, you can easily see many colors across the skin of the apple. Dark cloudy patches, white and yellow spots, and a brown stem all appear on the surface of the apple. If you said the apple looks red, then you unconsciously filtered out the other colors to quickly label it by its main hue.

 

This type of sorting does not come easily to students with ADD. Nonetheless, the talent to look beyond the simple label to see all of the colors that appear on the fruit remains a critical skill if you wish to correctly paint a picture of the apple.

 

Therefore, the student with ADD can easily connect together outwardly unconnected information, because they do not quickly filter out seemingly unrelated data. This tendency helps fuel their creativity.

 

Curiosity

Curious George always gets in trouble because of his curiosity. However, it turns out he would have made a good scientist (or he would if he was human).

 

Similarly, students with ADD often get in trouble for being distractible. However, they are also creative and interested in diverse topics of learning. They have a sense of curiosity about them, an important trait for scientists.

 

“One of the most important qualities of a good scientist is curiosity. Curiosity makes a scientist ask why things happen. It makes him or her eager to learn more or test an idea” (Spectrum Science Grade 3 8).

 

ADD students are observant. True, ADD students have a hard time with filtering. However, the flip side is that they may just discover something that no one else noticed before. Kinda like Einstein did with the speed of light.

 

Creating and interpreting music needs this type of curiosity and creativity as well.

 

© 2021 Geoffrey Keith

 

Back to the Successful Music Student Blogs page

 

The Gifted Dyslexic and Insight Learning - Notepad and Computer - What Exactly Is a Ballad and How Do You Write One?

The Gifted Dyslexic and Insight Learning (Part 4)

Have you ever wondered if you’re gifted and dyslexic? Or are you a parent of a child who’s gifted and dyslexic and want more information. Sometimes it can be difficult to recognize giftedness. Ronald Davis states, “This would commonly be recognized as daydreaming or simply not paying attention. The student is actually paying attention but has shifted to an imaginary world that is more interesting” (“The Gift of Learning” 38). How is this a sign of giftedness? Keep reading “The Gifted Dyslexic and Insight Learning” to learn about the last of our four dyslexic strengths. Estimated reading time 3 minutes.

The Gifted Dyslexic and Insight Learning (Part 4) Read More »

Amnesia, Alzheimer’s, Stroke, and Color Coding Music - Elderly Accordion Player - Perfect Pitch: Discover the Truth [Plus Absolute Pitch Test]

Amnesia, Alzheimer’s, Stroke, and Color Coding Music

Are you a music teacher who has a student with amnesia, Alzheimer’s, or stroke? All three conditions can have a profound effect on a person’s life. If we do our jobs well, we can help them improve their quality of life. Read more to learn how color coding music can help students with amnesia, Alzheimer’s, and strokes. Estimated reading time 4 minutes.

Amnesia, Alzheimer’s, Stroke, and Color Coding Music Read More »

Musical Talent and Giftedness - Kid Playing a Ukulele

Musical Talent and Giftedness

Music teachers: do you have students who show musical talent and giftedness? Do you need some information on how they learn? With musically gifted and talented students, just like any other students, you need to meet them where they’re at, making the adjustments in their playing based on what you see. That way, they can become better students than before they came to you. Keep reading to learn more about musical talent and giftedness. Estimated reading time 4 minutes.

Musical Talent and Giftedness Read More »

What Are Some Signs of a Twice Exceptional (2E) Child - Child at the Piano - Musical Talent and Giftedness

What Are Some Signs of a Twice Exceptional (2E) Child?

“What are some signs of a twice exceptional (2E) child?” Children with both giftedness and learning disabilities are called twice exceptional. In other words, twice exceptional children will pick up some things really quickly – much more quickly than typical learners. However, with other things they will lag way behind their typical learner peers – sometime by a significant amount. Read more to learn the signs of a twice exceptional child. Estimated reading time 4 minutes.

What Are Some Signs of a Twice Exceptional (2E) Child? Read More »

Do You Want Advice on Teaching a Music Student with ADHD - Violin and Sheet Music - What Are Some Signs of a Twice Exceptional (2E) Child - How Do I Organize a Recital Concert - Shatter the Perfectionism Chains in Music Lessons

Do You Want Advice on Teaching a Music Student with ADHD?

Do you teach music lessons? Do you want advice on teaching a music student with ADHD? Teaching music students with ADHD (attention deficit hyperactivity disorder) can be challenging. However, some basic information will make it much easier. Keep reading to get the teaching tips. Estimated reading time 3 minutes.

Do You Want Advice on Teaching a Music Student with ADHD? Read More »

ASD - Girl Playing a Guitar - Once Sheet Music is All Digital, Why Not Always Colour-Code Notes - What Do You Think of the Chord Buddy for Special Needs Guitarists

What Do You Think of the Chord Buddy for Special Needs Guitarists?

“What do you think of the Chord Buddy for special needs guitarists?” I first heard about using the Chord Buddy with special needs students from Sarah Fard at the 2019 Able Assembly. However, I’ve found it works better for some students than for others. Read more to find out who benefits. Estimated reading time 3 minutes.

What Do You Think of the Chord Buddy for Special Needs Guitarists? Read More »

What Are the Advantages of Dyslexia - Episodic Memory (Woman Remembering)

What are the advantages of dyslexia? Episodic Memory

Do you want to know what the advantages of dyslexia are? How can people with dyslexia seem to have terrible memories sometimes, but not others? “He could remember events perfectly, even those that happened when he was an infant” (The Gift of Dyslexia 96). Episodic memory has a central role in the thinking process of many dyslexics which helps explain this puzzling fact. Also, it’s one of the four benefits to dyslexia. Keep reading to learn what the advantages of dyslexia are and how episodic memory plays a part in that. Estimated reading time 3 minutes.

What are the advantages of dyslexia? Episodic Memory Read More »