Getting Musical - Music With Kids with Physical Disabilities

Group musical experiences are easy to run in a school setting, particularly if you have access to a trained music teacher or music therapist. The teacher or music leader is responsible for planning the session, ensuring a logical flow of learning from one session to the next, and for planning, implementing and reporting on the outcomes of the music classes. Here are some great music activities to try with kids with special needs in a group setting:

• Keep the beat here - one student starts a beat by tapping on a part of their body and, without using words, everyone copies their action. When the teacher points at another student, they start a beat in a different part of their body.
• Song choice - use Compic cards or Makaton signs for songs that are familiar to students so a student can choose what they would like to play or hear. This is great for encouraging turn taking, teamwork and communication skills with special needs students.

My big bass drum - the song 'I can play on my big bass drum' is great for kids with special needs who have a physical and auditory disability as they can gain lots of sensory feedback and sensory information through a bass drum, as well as being able to play it fairly easily from a seated position. For a wheelchair student, ensure the drum is positioned in a stable place and that they are able to hit the drum with part of their body without hurting themselves on the rim of the drum.

Sometimes instruments and other musical items need to be adapted so they can be used easily by a student with a physical disability. You could try:

1. adding a piece of sponge wrapped around a handle of an instrument (such as a tone block handle or a xylophone beater) to increase the grip size
2. mounting an instrument onto a flat board so it remains still, or clamping it to a table top using a monkey grip
3. adding a circle of soft elastic to a handle of an instrument so it is not lost by a student who has trouble maintaining a strong hand grip
4. using a nail brush to act as a holder to keep a piece of music upright (laminate the page first to give it necessary stiffness otherwise it will fall over) - this can be placed on a wheelchair tray or table top so it can be seen while playing an instrument
5. consulting with a therapist (such as an occupational therapist) about more technical ways of making instruments and music accessible to an individual student)

You've probably heard the concept of different types of intelligences. Remember that musical intelligence is another form which needs to be cared for and nurtured in order that it can grow and develop. Find the music in all your students and take the time to adapt and plan for their individual needs. If you do, you will discover that music activities for kids with special needs could become one of the most rewarding parts of your week as a teacher.

Source: Author's own experience in teaching