Do you want to know how to teach LD students music? The archive contains posts about teaching LD students music.
Some people say that the acronym LD means Learning Disabilities, while others say that it means Learning Differences.
Both terms have some relevancy. Students with LD usually have average or above average intelligence. However, they have areas where they struggle to learn. Thus, why some call LD learning disabilities, because of the difficulty with learning.
Nevertheless, a case has been made that students with LD learn in an essentially different way. Thus, why some call LD learning differences. This is the view taken in The Successful Music Student blogs.
Having a strong visual-spatial aptitude is linked to both learning disabilities and to talent in music, art, and math.
Look at the bug on the cube below. Which surface does the bug rest on? Front or back?
Did you see the cube flip back and forth? This illusion is called an unstable object. The mind needs more information to resolve the picture. As a result, your brain keeps switching how it sees the cube.
People with LD perceive something similar to this illusion as they see letters, numbers, and musical symbols move around on the page.
Since many people with LD have strong visual-spatial abilities, they are more prone to these types of optical illusions. Therefore, a learning difference can turn into a learning disability.
Intuitive, creative, original thinkers, visual-spatial learners have often had an impact on science, the arts, and sports.
However, when it comes to interpreting abstract symbols, strong spatial abilities can cause problems. The good news? Multisensory teaching can help the LD student learn effectively.
© 2021 Geoffrey Keith
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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.
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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.
“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.