Estimated reading time 2 minutes
Table of Contents
Tips for Teaching an Autistic Child the Guitar #1: Learning Style
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.
This post uses music terms. For definitions, see the Glossary at the end of the article.
Tips for Teaching an Autistic Child the Guitar #2: The Teaching Strategies Are…
How do you teach an autistic child the guitar? It bears repeating, not all students on the autistic spectrum have the same abilities:
- Some students will learn and communicate much like a typical learner. However, others will have very little vocabulary and need a multisensory approach.
- Moreover, students who communicate well may still struggle with learning music. You can even find students who have profound communication issues but will still have a talent for learning music.
- So, you never really know what you’re going to get until you start working with the student.
You need patience when working with autistic students:
- Celebrate successes and progress even if they don’t seem like big gains to you.
- Use positive reinforcement by giving high fives and appropriate praise. However, your praise must be genuine, or the kids will see right through you.
- Be aware that autistic students may have a tendency toward black and white thinking.
Building a helpful and encouraging lesson environment can boost your student’s self-confidence and desire to learn.
More useful tips:
- Be understanding and patient with any social awkwardness.
- Allow some tangents, but don’t let them get out of hand.
- Also, some kids will need periodic micro-breaks during the lessons to keep them fresh and on task.
For many kids on the spectrum, adapting sheet music using color coding will be a game-changer. For more information:
- How to Color Code Musical Diagrams
- How to Color Code Guitar Tab for LD Achievement
- How to Color Code Music to Get LD Students to Perform Accurate Alternate Picking
- How to Color Code Music Notes for LD & Special Needs Distance Learning
- Color Coding the Fingers for Music Learning Empowers Special Needs and LD Student’s Fingering Accuracy
Tips for Teaching an Autistic Child the Guitar #3: Summary
Here’s some final thoughts on Tips for Teaching an Autistic Child the Guitar. Tailor your teaching to your student’s needs.
- Just as typical learners can vary in how they learn, autistic students will also have varying learning needs.
- While some autistic students will do just fine learning with traditional teaching methods, others will benefit from a multisensory approach.
- Be aware of the social aspects of autism and forgive unintended student gaffes.
- Permit some tangent-questions, but don’t let it get out of control.
- Be aware that some students will need micro-breaks during the lessons in order to focus when you need them to.
- Be sure to give four praise comments to every critical comment.
- You need to remain open-minded and flexible by adjusting your teaching style to meet the needs of your student.
Have fun teaching!
Related Posts:
- What Do You Think of the Chord Buddy for Special Needs Guitarists?
- Is Playing the Piano a Suitable Activity for Autistic People?
- How to Graduate from Color Coded Music Notes: Part I
- Playing the Piano with Color Coded Notes
- Color Coded Quarter Note Clapping
- Color Coding Music for Success
- Lego Rhythm Manipulatives
© 2023 Geoffrey Keith
Join me for in-person or online lessons today!
Glossary
Flexibility in Supplemented Equal Temperament’s Theory
Can Supplemented Equal Temperament help you coordinate your guitar and synth tunings so they sound good? A wide range of Supplemented Equal Temperament (SET) charts and preexisting EDOs (equal-division-of-the-octave tunings) can fit under the umbrella of SET. This gives you a lot of control over how you tune your guitars, ukuleles, banjos, and synths. This in turn will allow your whole ensemble to sound better in tune. Read more to learn about the flexibility in Supplemented Equal Temperament’s theory. Estimated reading time 5 minutes.
Read More
![Is Singing Solfege Helpful for Learning to Hear Intervals by Ear - Children Singing - Sing Silent Night with Shape Note Solfege - Deck the Halls (Lyrics and Song) - Angels We Have Heard on High: A Powerful Carol of Joy [Words]](https://successmusicstudio.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/Is-Singing-Solfege-Helpful-for-Learning-to-Hear-Intervals-by-Ear-Children-Singing-300x225.png)
Is Singing Solfege Helpful for Learning to Hear Intervals by Ear?
Is singing solfege actually helpful for learning to hear intervals by ear? Sort of. In some contexts, solfege can be useful for hearing how the intervals sound so you can sing in tune. In others, solfege won’t help at all. Click to answer the question, “Is singing solfege helpful for learning to hear intervals by ear?” Estimated reading time 4 minutes.
Read More![Is Just Intonation Impractical - Tuning Fork - Perfect Pitch: Discover the Truth [Plus Absolute Pitch Test] - What Does Intonation Mean and Why Is It Essential in Music](https://successmusicstudio.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/Is-Just-Intonation-Impractical-Tuning-Fork-300x300.jpg)
Perfect Pitch: Discover the Truth [Plus Absolute Pitch Test]
Do you have perfect pitch or wish you did? Why do certain musicians have this astonishing talent, and others don’t? And is perfect pitch singing really a musical superpower? Keep reading “Perfect Pitch: Discover the Truth [Plus Absolute Pitch Test]” to learn the secret that nobody talks about. Estimated reading time 5 minutes.
Read More
Hot Tube Amps Versus Cool Recording Studio Modelers
Have you been looking at gear and want to know whether tube amps or amp modelers are the better option for your guitar sound? Tube amps are old school and amp modelers are state of the art. However, each has its own advantages and disadvantages. Keep reading “Hot Tube Amps Versus Cool Recording Studio Modelers” to learn the benefits of each. Estimated reading time 3 minutes.
Read More