It is unfortunate how Covid-19 has impacted our daily lives, however, we must remain positive. I remind parents that it is ok if progress looks different this period. It is inevitable that your child’s progress will likely be slower this period, and for some students with higher needs, learning might completely stop.
Last December, 15 of my students showcased their skills at our year-end recital, held at the Yong Siew Toh Conservatory of Music. The recital was an opportunity for my special needs students to perform alongside neurotypical children.
When it comes to special needs children, there is never a one-size-fits-all approach. From my experience teaching special needs children between 3 to 16 years old, I have found that the students who make the most progress have these 4 traits in common.
Because playing the piano is a physical skill that can be trained and developed, I often tell my students that their only challenge is themselves, and it is as much a mental challenge as it is a physical one.
When teaching a child with selective mutism, I work hard to develop a nonverbal communication system and strive to make our lessons a safe space for the student to “chit-chat”.
I began working with special needs children by chance. In fact, I was teaching music and movement group classes for 2 to 4 year-old children when a parent reached out to ask if I would be able to conduct one-to-one lessons for her autistic son. I gamely said yes, not knowing that it would set me down this immensely rewarding path.
Many autistic children are musically inclined, trailing off and humming tunes on occasion – often whatever is on their mind at that moment. This is a strong signal that music can be an effective teaching method for them.
