Teaching Piano to Students With Special Needs

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Mary Ann Froehlich. Teaching Piano to Students With Special Needs

Introduction

Chapter 1: Music and the Brain

Brain-compatible Music Education

Bridging the Hemispheres

Concentrated Practice

Music and Chemical Changes

Music and Intelligence

In summary –

Chapter 2: Accepting the Challenge

Legal Rights

Reality Check

The Suzuki Philosophy

Chapter 3: Teaching Techniques

#1 – Cross-brain Experiences

#2 - Listening

#3 Task Analysis

#4 Show Don’t Tell

#5 Imagery and Visual Aids

#6 Whole Body Activities

#7 Coding and Analyzing Written Music

#8 Modifying Music

#9 Playing with Students

#10 Composing Music

Chapter 4: The Ideal Learning Environment

#11 Positive and Safe Environment

#12 Parent Involvement

#13 Relationship Building

#14 Rewards and Contracts

#15 High Expectations

#16 Goals and Projects

Chapter 5: Beyond Theory: How Making Music Changes Lives

Independent Music Making

Resiliency

Chapter 6: Practical Steps

Your Most Important Assets

Initial Steps

Playing Pieces

Music Reading

As Your Student Progresses

Measuring Success

Anna

Chapter 7: When Adult Students Have Special Needs

A Musical Cure

In Closing

In Final Review

Resources

Music Organizations

Music Materials

General Organizations

Notes

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During his first piano lesson Dylan told me, “My last piano teacher and I had a hard time. But I heard that you like teaching kids with tricky brains.” His description is the best one I’ve heard yet. I’m a “Tricky Brain Piano Teacher.” My goal with each of my students is to teach them according to how their individual brains work.

Trained as a music therapist, teaching piano to students with special needs was a natural step in my journey as a Suzuki piano teacher. I truly believe that the ability to make music changes people’s lives. I’ve also come to the conclusion that each of my students has special needs, whether he or she has a legitimate diagnosis, life crisis, or simply a bad day. Students of all ages and abilities need individualized nurturing and instruction.

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4) Talent blooms.

As teachers of students with special needs, this is critical information for us to understand: White matter abnormalities, a breakdown in neuron connections, has been found in people with schizophrenia, autism, bipolar disorder, dyslexia, attention deficit disorders, language disorders, dementia, and Alzheimer’s disease. Cross-brain communication is affected. I predict that this realization will impact researching the musical brain in the next decade. If music making is the ideal neural networking experience, which thickens white matter in the brain, grows myelin, and improves connections between brain sites, then music making and learning to play an instrument could play a significant role in helping children who struggle with these disorders, since their brains are yet developing.

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