Music Education For Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder

Individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder(ASD)often have repetitive behaviour,as well as difficulties in communicating with others,developing language,and social functioning.In some cases,children with ASD syndrome will find it hard to communicate with people using non-verbal communication such as eye contact,body language,gesture,and facial expression.Benefits of music for individuals with ASD have been proven to be effective in helping them promote their therapeutic needs,improve communication and language skills,as well as their behaviour skills.Children are often exposed to learning music from music classes,therefore it is important to understand how individuals with ASD can receive optimal music-learning experiences.There are a lot of resources that focus on how Music Therapy can help individuals with ASD to improve their social,cognitive,and motor skills.But there are lack of resources focusing on how music teachers or music education can help individuals with ASD to learn,understand,and enjoy music.This thesis will focus on how music teachers successfully work and teach individuals with ASD,covering three strategies that music teachers currently use in teaching individuals with ASD: basic strategies(tools to help student to understand the learning progress),stylistic strategies(flexible teaching style and modified lesson plans),and attitudinal strategies(understanding of students).Using the Qualitative Grounded Theory method,interviews were conducted with three piano teachers who currently teach individuals with ASD.The data analysis shows the similar experiences shared by the music teachers and how they have been using the three teaching strategies that are mentioned above in successfully teaching their students.They also shared some elements in their teaching;accepting individuals' different levels of success,having a positive mind set,and focusing on the student's learning experience.These analysis and strategies can be used as a guideline for music teachers who plan to teach individuals with ASD.