Trial Assessment

New environments can be intimidating for our children with special needs and we often allow inquisitive children to walk around the school and classrooms during their first visit. This helps them visually understand the environment and the people around them.

Some children may be initially resistant to the size and/or the sound of the real piano. A toy piano or handbells can be offered to them instead. Once they are more comfortable, they will be given the opportunity to interact with the real piano again. We may also sit on the floor with younger children who may require more time to warm up to less familiar adults and materials.

At TRS, we value relationships and our educators are committed to understanding your child as who he/she is. We do our best to engage them positively during the session as we believe a positive relationship facilitates learning and growth in our children.

Through a range of starter activities, our educators assess your child’s skills and abilities.
Below are some skills that will be assessed during trial classes:

– Literacy: alphabet and colour recognition through matching and/or sorting

– Sequencing

– Motor skills e.g. pressing with palm, index fingers, and motor coordination between two hands

– Visual processing skills to read from left to right i.e. one-lettered, or multiple-lettered

– Visual referencing skills to track from music score to piano

– Rhythm and pitch

– Attention span

– Stamina

– Tracing, copying and/or writing skills

– Motivation

– Communication skills

– Behaviours in a classroom setting

After your child settles into the activity routines, we will ask parents about the home and school environments to get more information on your child’s learning needs. This can include likes, interests, motivation, learning needs and style, communication preference, dislikes, strengths, weaknesses and behaviours.

Based on the information collected during the trial session, the Educators team will come together to evaluate and design an individualized education plan for your child’s music education with us. A suitable teacher with relevant teaching experience will be selected to cater to your child’s unique learning needs. Although each child is typically assigned to one teacher, your child’s progress will be monitored by the entire teaching team so that learning is maximised in the long term!