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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Why is it important to sing the dynamics for a piece of music? Dynamics play an important role in notated music, helping bring interest and variety to your songs. If you want help understanding how dynamic signs work, click to answer the question: “Why is it important to define the dynamics to sing a piece of music?” Estimated reading time 3 minutes.
Do your students mix up the ledger line notes? Click to learn the process of how to graduate from the color coded music notation. Estimated reading time 4 minutes.
Has your child been asking about music lessons? Have you worried about how it will go? Learning how to play an instrument will help build your child’s self-confidence and self-concept. But what types of instruments will work best with your child’s learning style? In today’s post, we’ll discuss what you should consider when selecting an instrument. Click to answer the question, “What is a good instrument for a dyslexic child to learn?” Estimated reading time 2 minutes.
Do you find sight reading hard to do? Have you ever asked if there is a better way to learn sight singing? Shape notes can really help. Click to answer the question, “Is there a better way to learn sight singing?” Estimated reading time 3 minutes.
Do you have a hard time reading music? Have you ever wondered if color coding the music notes would help? Read more to find out the answer to the question, “Is there a color code for music notes?” Estimated reading time 3 minutes.
Do visual spatial thinkers (and other neurodivergent) musicians need to have sheet music tailored to how they learn? Neurodivergent musicians learn in fundamentally different ways from typical leaners. This means that students with learning differences (LD) can greatly benefit from adapted scores. Read more to find out how it works. Estimated reading time 3 minutes.
Does 12-8 time signature make your eyes cross? Confused about how rhythm syllables work in compound meters? The sing-along soundtrack below will help! Read more to learn about singing rhythm syllables in 12-8 time. Estimated reading time 3 minutes.
Do you want to sing blues, gospel, or even mediaeval melodies? Are you confused about how modes work? Modes have the exotic feel of world music and music from ancient times. “Singing Shape Note Solfege Mixolydian Melodies” helps you discover the sound of the modes. Estimated reading time 4 minutes.
Has your child has been diagnosed with a learning disability? Do you feel confused because your child is so smart, but still struggles to learn? Read more to learn about learning differences and spatial ability. Estimated reading time 6 minutes.
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Do you have trouble performing compound meters, such as the 9-8 time signature? The post’s soundtrack will help you get the sound of 9-8 in your ear as you practice along with it. Read more to learn about singing rhythm syllables in 9-8 time. Estimated reading time 4 minutes.