The Benefits of Music Lessons for Special Needs Students
Our School is proud to offer music lessons for special needs students. These lessons are based in Applied Behavioral Analysis Verbal Behavior Approach to address positive behavioral changes. This takes place in the form of language and communication for children diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder or ADHD. But why are music lessons so great for people with special needs? This post answers that question.
Our Two Cents
Music is inherently structural, allowing it to be a solid antecedent and strong reinforcement for children with ASD (Lim 2010). Music addresses a variety of goals and objectives such as social skills, cognitive skills, behavioral skills, and language and communication skills. Using a variety of interventions, music is flexible and capable of catering to each child on an individual basis. ABA therapy and music address the necessary goals, allowing an instructor to obtain measurable responses in a way that is functional, as well as motivational. As a result, the lesson is fun for the child.
“Nothing activates the brain so extensively as music,” said the late Oliver Sacks, M.D., neurologist and author of Musicophilia. Sacks documented the power of music to arouse movement in paralyzed Parkinson’s patients, to calm the tics of Tourette syndrome, and to vault the neural breaches of autism. Students first learn to listen, then take turns, anticipate changes, and pick up on cues in ways they might not do outside of an individual music lesson. The benefits of music for both neurotypical and neurodiverse individuals is limitless.
Key Developmental Benefits
Music lessons for special needs students is known to improve communication skills. Music acts as a non-verbal language, allowing students with speech delays or autism to express emotions through sound rather than words. Singing exercises can specifically improve vocabulary, pronunciation, and the pacing of speech. This can lead to the ability to better express emotions.
Improvement in emotional regulation can also be seen as a result of music lessons. The predictable rhythms and structured nature of music provide a sense of security, helping students manage anxiety, reduce stress, and soothe themselves during transitions. Ridding someone of all of this noice can help them perform cognitively and enhance their self-esteem.
Growth in cognition as well as personal identity are essential for those with special needs. Engaging with music stimulates neuroplasticity, strengthening neural connections that improve memory, attention span, and problem-solving. It is often used to help students retain academic material, such as math concepts or the alphabet, through songs. Music lessons also present opportunities to grow and develop self-confidence, self-esteem, and self-expression. Having the ability to use newly strong parts of their brain improves confidence in special needs students since it allows them to adapt to everyday life. But music lessons don’t only help with internal struggles. The hard work they do on the inside can help those with special needs grow in social settings.
Advancement in social interactions is an additional result of music lessons for those with special needs. Group lessons and ensemble playing (which we offer) teach essential social skills like turn-taking, listening to others, and collaborative teamwork in a low-pressure environment. Music lessons help special needs students take these enhanced skills and mix them with the internal skills they have worked on, helping them feel regulated across the board. Furthermore, music lessons can even help those with special needs enhance their physical movement.
Physical development is big for those with special needs, especially when they are younger. Playing instruments or moving to beats refines both fine motor skills (finger movements, grip) and gross motor skills (balance, coordination, mobility). This is fantastic for students who take a liking to music. They can improve their physical development simply by doing something they love.
Benefits for Specific Diagnoses
- Autism: Improved social responsiveness, joint attention, and sensory organization.
- ADHD: Enhanced focus, impulse control, and executive function through rhythmic activities.
- Down Syndrome: Stimulated speech development and improved physical coordination.
- Learning Disabilities: Boosted phonological awareness (for dyslexia) and reinforced memory for reading and logic.
Music lessons open the door to a world of possibilities for people with special needs. Are you or your child looking to improve certain skills through music lessons? Click here to sign up for your first lesson! Many of our music teachers are certified in Special Education and would love to work with you or your child. Our owners at BTB are both qualified to teach special education classes, so this topic is near and dear to us. Thank you for reading and we will see you next week with a new post!
Sources
Introducing How Music Lessons Can Empower Children with Developmental Conditions
Benefits of Music Therapy for Children with Autism
Understanding the Benefits of Music Education for Special Needs Students!
How Music Therapy Benefits Children with Diverse Challenges
Exploring the Importance of Music in Special Education
Benefits of Music for Special Needs Students
5 Major Benefits of Music For Children With Special Needs In The Classroom
The Power of Music: How Music Therapy Supports Child Development
5 Ways to Help Your Students With Special Needs Experience Music
Music and Children With Special Needs
How Music Helps Special Needs Students
Making Music Education Accessible for Students with Autism Spectrum Disorders
As an institution that is a beat above the rest, Breaking the Barrier School of Music provides quality music lessons in a family atmosphere to students of all ages and skillsets. For more articles like these or information on this school, visit https://btbschoolofmusic.com/
