For Music Teachers

How much "Experience" do you need to teach autistic children?

While I have been teaching for fourteen years, I had no actual training as a teacher, and certainly no training in special needs children. It was the flexibility of my musical understanding that gave me a way into this type of teaching.

How can you be effective working with these special needs?

Here are some basic guidelines:

  • Keep it visually simple, with large print
  • Address one element at a time, i.e. only the pitches and not the rhythm
    (Yuk! but we have to make concessions)
  • Do a lot of singing so it stays musical; autism tends to involve rigidity and "mechanical" thinking

    • Getting the best of both worlds

    You're a great teacher! We know this because you care enough to teach those with specialized needs. You've got great ideas, and maybe you already teach by ear. These materials will save you work so you don't have to "reinvent the wheel." If you are a classically-based teacher, musically you will find it a cinch -- Simplicity's the thing!. In terms of teaching approach, you can follow the curriculum as closely or loosely as you want.

    Below are some ways you can adapt the curriculum to your own style:

  • Begin with staff reading, move chords later
  • Follow the sequence up to staff intro, expand reading with other materials, and resume with chords
  • After introducing the treble clef, add bass clef with notated chords, then give those chords names and resume.

    • The sky's the limit!
  • For Music Teachers

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    Email: PianoByEar@yahoo.com