I am looking at music therapy as a tool to reach people who have limitations in communication. My specific interest is children with autism. In my experience the children in the class that are autistic are either overlook or over disciplined. I want to study an avenue to communicate with the children that gives them a sense of accomplishment and security. Music therapy appears to be a source of relaxing and calming plus a learning tool.
I have lots of research to do to answer my question: how is music used as a teaching tool for autistic children.
I do not know as much about autism as I would like, but have had some contact with autistic children. Those experiences were not necessarily rewarding. As I was not the one to make decisions, both children were dismissed from the school because their behavior was unacceptable. There was no attempt to find ways to relate to them.
I was disappointed that the children were not evaluated and given the attention that was needed. The parents answer was to pull them and place them in another childcare.
One site that I found that is very informative is:
Wigram, T., Gold, C. (2005) Music therapy in the assessment and treatment of autistic spectrum disorder: clinical application and research evidence
Retrieved from http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16919132
I would appreciate any experiences or thoughts you, my classmates, might have on this subject. As I read the text with its definitions of the different methods of researching it gives me directions for the principles to be followed. Ethical research has nine principles for measuring good research. This helps me have a guide for pursuing good research.
Fascinating topic I would like to briefly share an experience I have encountered with this subject. In September I gained a three year old student who didn't have any verbal skills and little things such as wanting to be by himself and constantly wanting to play in the water threw a couple flags I spent three months with paper work and getting him evaluated and trying to work with mom. We were able to get an IEP in place for language but she refuses any other assessments from school doctor etc. The IEP has him receive special services from another better equipped program sadly I found out a few days ago she isn't taking him to either program. In the time I had him he obtained a six word vocabulary and we potty trained him. I only hope that the paper trail that got started will benefit him when he begins public school.
ReplyDeleteBarbara,
ReplyDeleteI am so glad to hear that you are researching this topic. Music therapy and Art therapy have always been of interest to me so I am anxious to see what the results of your reasearch project are.
Barbara,
ReplyDeleteI love your choice of research topics! I often play classical music in my classroom while the students are working because it relaxes me as well. Since I was a teenager, my musical choice has reflected my current mood, so I feel that it is highly possible to alter moods through the use of music as well.
Good luck to you on your research! I look forward to reading about your findings.
Jamie Reid