Type of Submission
Podium Presentation
Keywords
Autism, music education, education, ASD
Abstract
Within the educational system, students with autism are often misunderstood or overlooked, resulting in an inadequate educational experience for students with ASD. This research was conducted in pursuit of collecting information on students with autism so that current music educators might be better equipped to engage these students effectively within their classroom. Six, current music educators were interviewed with a series of 9 questions in order to gather a small sample of what is currently occurring in American school systems when it comes to the music education of students with Autism. These educators discussed what inclusion of students with ASD looks like within their classroom, discussing areas of strength and weakness for these students. By synthesizing this information with research on how ASD affects the social, behavioral, and cognitive ability of a student, a more cohesive and effective education plan can be developed for these students. Psychosocial research describes the most common effects of ASD as communication disabilities, challenges with imagination, and restrictive behaviors. However, ASD does not affect 2 people in the same way, and therefore, educators must take the time to get to know their student’s personal strengths and weaknesses before they create an educational plan that will be beneficial. Through a proper understanding of current research on people with ASD in conjunction with a realistic view of how music educators are utilizing this information in their classrooms, educators will be able to better equip their students for success within, and outside of the music classroom.
Campus Venue
Stevens Student Center, Room 241
Location
Cedarville, OH
Start Date
4-11-2018 4:00 PM
End Date
4-11-2018 4:30 PM
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 4.0 License.
Advocating for Students with Autism: How to Best Engage and Equip Your Student with Autism to Excel in the Music Classroom
Cedarville, OH
Within the educational system, students with autism are often misunderstood or overlooked, resulting in an inadequate educational experience for students with ASD. This research was conducted in pursuit of collecting information on students with autism so that current music educators might be better equipped to engage these students effectively within their classroom. Six, current music educators were interviewed with a series of 9 questions in order to gather a small sample of what is currently occurring in American school systems when it comes to the music education of students with Autism. These educators discussed what inclusion of students with ASD looks like within their classroom, discussing areas of strength and weakness for these students. By synthesizing this information with research on how ASD affects the social, behavioral, and cognitive ability of a student, a more cohesive and effective education plan can be developed for these students. Psychosocial research describes the most common effects of ASD as communication disabilities, challenges with imagination, and restrictive behaviors. However, ASD does not affect 2 people in the same way, and therefore, educators must take the time to get to know their student’s personal strengths and weaknesses before they create an educational plan that will be beneficial. Through a proper understanding of current research on people with ASD in conjunction with a realistic view of how music educators are utilizing this information in their classrooms, educators will be able to better equip their students for success within, and outside of the music classroom.
