When people say autism, the movie Rain Man springs to mind for many people. The movie paints the picture of a man who has limited ability to communicate and socialize, with little awareness of his surroundings. However, he possesses a gift for math.
I’ve taught students who acted like Rain Man. However, not all people with autism are gifted, and many people socialize well enough that it’s not instantly obvious that they are autistic.
Autism is often described as a spectrum (ASD) because there is such a great range of behaviors and abilities for people with autism.
I have a friend with ASD, and he likes to say that autism is a learning disability. However, it’s not an academic learning disability, it’s a social one. Academic learning disabilities (LD) can also manifest alongside ASD.
Nevertheless, people with ASD will generally have a difficulty with picking up on facial and vocal social cues. This makes socializing difficult. They will also have difficulty with change and will also be passionate about their interests. Sometimes they will become so involved with the things they’re passionate about that it makes socializing with others problematic.
Because autism lies on a spectrum, autistic musicians can interact with music in many ways. Some people with ASD will be talented musicians who have an excellent ability to sight read. These students will generally respond well to traditional teaching methods. However, because of the social issues, music teachers will still need to be sensitive to the student’s needs.
Other music students on the spectrum will also have LD. For these students, adapted music lessons, with an emphasis on color coding, will be effective.
Students who trend toward the classic end of the spectrum will often benefit from music therapy more than adapted music lessons. However, some classic autistic students do fine with adapted music lessons.
I recently attended an online conference at Berklee College of Music called the ABLE Assembly. In this specific session, the presenters talked about how iPads can provide an access point for special needs students. Mainly, they focused on students with extreme coordination issues.
They showed how to use the accessibility controls in Garage Band to tailor the iPad to each student’s strengths. The results were really good and provided a way for students, who would not do well in traditional music lessons, to interact with the music.
– Geoffrey Keith
See the posts below for full descriptions.
© 2022 Geoffrey Keith
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Do you feel uncomfortable with special needs labels? Do you like one label but hate another? Terms like special needs and learning disabilities are critical for gaining access to support services. However, they can come with some big downsides. Click to learn about the special needs and learning disability label dilemma. Estimated reading time 4 minutes.
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Do you need to find music that will help your student relax and calm down? Do you want to find compositions that will help focus your child’s attention so that homework can get done? Music can be a tremendous help for ADHD children, but not all styles work equally well. Click to find out what genres get the job done and to learn the 10 best calm relaxing music selections for ADHD kids. Estimated reading time 3 minutes.
10 Best Calm Relaxing Music Selections for ADHD Kids Read More »
Do you need to know what kinesthetic learning is? Do you want to be able to integrate it into your music lessons? Kinesthetic learning uses physical activity to improve the learning experience. When done right, it’ll make your lessons more fun, engaging, and effective. Click to learn how to use kinesthetic learning in music lessons. Estimated reading time 3 minutes.
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Do you need to know what pervasive developmental disorder is? Do you need advice on how to best teach your students? On one hand, PDD can affect how someone interacts with music. On the other hand, it can be a wonderful resource for boosting morale and generally enhancing your students’ lives. Click to answer the question, “What’s pervasive developmental disorder and its impact on music?” Estimated reading time 4 minutes.
What’s Pervasive Developmental Disorder and Its Impact on Music? Read More »
Do you want to know how a hello song can help you in music lessons? These are used a lot by music therapists and classroom teachers. However, they can also be useful for private music lesson teachers as well, especially if you work with young children or special needs children. Click “How to Use a Hello Song in Music Lessons” to learn more. Estimated reading time 2 minutes.
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Have you been thinking about keeping percussion instruments on hand for your music lessons? Do you want an idea of what should go into your bag? A percussion bag or box is useful for any music instructor. It can make the difference between happy, engaged students and pandemonium. Click “How to Set Up a Music Teacher’s Percussion Bag” for some tips to get you started. Estimated reading time 4 minutes.
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Do you need to know what Asperger’s is? Do you want to know how it impacts learning music? Asperger syndrome is characterized by difficulties with social situations, because interpreting non-verbal communication is challenging for them. However, people with Asperger’s will otherwise have good facility with language and good cognitive abilities. Keep reading “What Precisely Is Asperger’s and Its Effect on Learning Music?” to find out more about what it is and how it interacts with music lessons. Estimated reading time 3 minutes.
What Precisely Is Asperger’s and Its Effect on Learning Music? Read More »
Does your child or student have dyscalculia? Do you need help getting them to play rhythm accurately? Children with dyscalculia have struggles with math, and math and music have a lot in common. So, it makes sense that students with dyscalculia can have problems learning music. However, this post is stuffed with teaching tips that will help students learn. Keep reading “How to Teach Music Students with Dyscalculia” to learn multisensory strategies that will help kids of all abilities have fun playing and singing. Estimated reading time 4 minutes.
How to Teach Music Students with Dyscalculia Read More »
Do you want to know what fine motor skills are and how they impact special needs music lessons? Fine motor skills are small, precise movements and therefore are a critical component of musical instrument lessons. Gross motor skills are also important in music. However, most instruments require a high level of finger precision, which is why in today’s post we’ll mostly focus on activities to develop finger dexterity. Keep reading “What’re Critical Fine Motor Skills for Special Needs Music” to learn how to increase finger dexterity in your special needs students. Estimated reading time 3 minutes.
What’re Critical Fine Motor Skills for Special Needs Music Read More »
What precisely is the purpose of a clef? It’s the symbol to the left side of the staff that helps you know how to play the sheet music’s notes. The three most common are: treble, alto, and bass. Keep reading to learn what they are and how they work. Estimated reading time 2 minutes.
What Precisely Is the Purpose of a Clef? Read More »