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
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© 2022 Geoffrey Keith
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Do you naturally problem solve intuitively? Do you want to understand how insight problem solving works? Whether you’re in science, engineering, the arts, or business, those “eureka” moments can be game changers. Keep reading “Insight Meaning and Examples of Insight Problem Solving” to learn how it works. Estimated reading time 3 minutes.
Does your child want to learn how to play the piano? Do you want to know the best way to teach piano hand placement? Finger placement on the piano keyboard is an important skill that should be taught at the earliest stages of learning. Keep reading “How to Play Piano (Kid’s Color Coded Piano Hand Placement)” to learn how it works. Estimated reading time 3 minutes.
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.
Do you have a special needs child who loves music? Are you confused about the difference between music therapy and music lessons? The goals for music therapy won’t be the same as for music lessons. Keep reading “Music Therapy vs Music Lessons” to help you decide which is best for your child. Estimated reading time 2 minutes.
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.
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.
“Does ADD and ADHD make people more creative?” Yes. Lots of famous people with creative talent have ADD or ADHD. Moreover, creativity and ADD/ADHD are connected in an unexpected way. Keep reading to find out what it is. Estimated reading time 3 minutes.
“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.
Are you a teacher of an autistic guitar student? Each student has a unique learning style. Autistic students are no different, which means you need to be flexible when teaching kids on the autistic spectrum. Read more to get tips for teaching an autistic child the guitar. Estimated reading time 2 minutes.
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.