ASD stands for Autistic Spectrum Disorder. It acknowledges that there is a great range for people with autism, thus the word spectrum.
People on the autistic spectrum can be as varied as typical leaners. I specialize in students with ASD, LD, ADHD, and special needs. A few examples from my students will give you an idea of how extreme the ends of the spectrum can be.
One of my students is gifted. He learned to read words as he followed along as his grandparents read him stories when he was a toddler. His sight reading is excellent. He is in college now but does two one-hour lessons online per week just because he loves it.
He is currently learning a piano masterwork composition and also is learning how to comp chords from lead sheets. He’s not even a music major. His biggest challenges are organizing his schedule, socializing, and sticking to tasks.
I had another student who studied four instruments with me (piano, guitar, trumpet, and bass guitar) and earned the George Revelas Award for Music Excellence. He did not have learning issues except that anxiety would inhibit his ability to learn.
Another ASD student has about a 100-word vocabulary. Yet, he can play intermediate level piano. He needs a lot of color coding though.
Likewise, another student with a limited vocabulary also needs a ton of color coding. In addition, I do more hand-over-hand work with him than I do for most students. (If you do hand-over-hand work, make sure you ask if it’s okay before touching the student.) For him, I have to custom write his songs.
Most kids and adults with ASD fall somewhere in between, so it’s all about getting to know the student.
Not all students with ASD have issues with learning. However, if your child or student struggles with reading music, try these links:
See the posts below for full descriptions.
– Geoffrey Keith
© 2022 Geoffrey Keith
Back to the Successful Music Student Blogs page
“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.
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.
“Once sheet music is all digital, why not always colour-code notes?” Since most sheet music can now come in digital format, will there be any good reason not to color code the notes all the time? I’ve long advocated using color coding for helping special needs students to learn music from sheet music. However, the opening suggestion (by a person on social media) goes one step further. It proposes making a permanent change to how people read sheet music. Click to find out the arguments for and against adopting universal color coded music notation. Estimated reading time 2 minutes.
Do you want to know some of the positives to having dyslexia? Does all information seem connected to you? Global thinking is the capacity to see cohesive relationships between different domains of knowledge. It’s also one of the four strengths resulting from dyslexic brain structure. Keep reading to learn the details of how everything being connected to everything else can be a positive aspect of having dyslexia. Estimated reading time 3 minutes.
How do I switch from minor key shaped notes to standard notation?” Sight singing minor keys in standard notation can be challenging. Because it can be difficult to figure out if you’re in a major key or the relative minor. Read more to learn how to transition from shaped notes to standard notation for minor keys. Estimated reading time 3 minutes.
“How do I finally get my students to be able to read music without color coding?” In today’s post, we’ll look at the last stage of graduating from the colors: flashcards. Keeping reading to learn how to graduate from color coded music symbols. Estimated reading time 3 minutes.
Do you want your autistic child to play piano? Or are you an adult with autism who’s wondering if piano would be a good fit? Playing piano brings a lot of benefits beyond just the fun of playing music. Read more to find out the answer to the question, “Is playing the piano a suitable activity for autistic people?” Estimated reading time 2 minutes.
Would you like to introduce your kid to piano? (Or are you a music teacher who has a student with learning difficulties?) Multisensory teaching methods will help! Click to learn about playing piano with color coded left hand notes and rhythm. Estimated reading time 2 minutes.
Do you want to sing Eastern European folk melodies and mediaeval chants? Are you puzzled about how the aeolian mode works? Modes have been a feature of music from ancient times to today. Singing Shape Note Solfege Aeolian Melodies lets you explore the exotic sound of the aeolian mode. Estimated reading time 2 minutes.
Can’t read piano music? (Or does your child have difficulty reading music?) Color coded notes and rhythms can help! Click to learn about playing the piano with color coded rhythm, fingering, and notes. Estimated reading time 3 minutes.