Music with special needs children: a powerful aid

Abstract

The author begins by looking at the value of music and its contribution to the whole curriculum, as seen by the National Curriculum Music Working Group. He compares these lofty aspirations with the all too frequently met reality of fairly routine music teaching. But he goes on to show how the aspirations can easily be achieved, and how he has tried to achieve them in his work with language-impaired and other slow learning children. Great emphasis is laid on pupil choice and responsi bility in all activities. The benefits upon children of the right kind of musical activity can be observed, if not measured.