Reflections on Teaching Piano to Young Children Diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorders

Abstract

It is not possible for professionals, including music teachers, to avoid interacting with and teaching children living with or affected by an autism spectrum disorder, because this condition is prevalent among young learners. Although previous studies have explored the effect of music and music therapy on children with autism, few have studied the practical instruction of teaching a musical instrument to these learners from the perspective of autism and its comorbidities. We used a qualitative research method, namely an action research model that incorporated observations, journal writing, and reflection. Twelve learners with autism spectrum disorder were given piano lessons, and during this process, adaptations of teaching methods and the materials were assessed. To help us achieve our objectives, we used the book My First Piano Adventure for the Young Learner as our guide. Our main findings were that incorporating physical exercises to improve fine and gross motor skills, using visual adaptations in instructions, and being sensitive to co-occurring conditions such as attention deficit disorder, anxiety or hypersensitivity to the environment enhanced the learning experience. This approach should fit in well with the modern paradigm in interventions that entail teaching children on the autism spectrum: teaching skills in a natural environment, integrated across domains, and bearing in mind the need to feel empathy for learners’ unique diversity.