1.

Tips to Consider When Including a Student with ASD in Art, Music, or Physical

Education by Kim Davis:

The above text discusses pointers on how exactly should a music educator approach

differentiated instruction in terms of students that have autism. The first steps the author

gives are to learn about autism and ones individual students. I found this to be extremely

vital as many educators may have presumptions about the disease that can negatively

affect their ability to properly reach their students. It is imperative to learn about all

students; especially those that have autism. When the instructor learns their students

personalities it is then possible to best reach the students. Next, the author discusses the

environment. Due to the loud nature and often supplies filled classrooms music class can

easily give an autistic student sensory overload. If this is allowed to occur it can ruin a

students chances of learning before any actual instruction is given. The final instructions

are to keep a predictable routine, be very visual with instruction, and integrate peer

support. An interesting tip was to give students that have difficulty not touching

instruments at improper times was to put a visual STOP or NO sign on the instrument.

2. Four Tips for Teaching Music Fundamentals to Students with Special Needs by Sarah

J. Midgley:
The author of the above text gave pointers on how to best teach rhythm, pitch

matching, lyrics, and critical listening to students with disabilities. Using the students

names and arriving holidays to accompany rhythms was discussed. To teach rhythm

reading the use of colors, pictures, along with common words is recommended. The

use of solfege and colored boom-whackers is used for pitch matching. Even

nonverbal students can be included in this as they can use appropriate hand signals,
 boom-whackers, and colored bells to play on. With the teaching of lyrics it is vital to

use pictures of the words and song. It will greatly assist students to know what they

are actually supposed to be saying. Again, nonverbal students are NOT to be left out,

as they can tap rhythms and do movements to participate. Critical listening is best

reserved for older students only. To properly asses these students they are to be given

pictures and words and should match the pictures and words to the song they are

listening to at the time. For me, this article redefined what every student is capable

of learning truly means.

3. MUSIC SPEAKS AUTISM by Michelle and Dale Chinn Cannon
The authors are Suzuki Violin teachers with over 15 years of experience. Their topic

was how music can be used to combat autism in children and adults. While this

notion still requires much more research the results it has yielded thus far cannot be

ignores. One day Michelle noticed that their child sat quietly with her, and more

importantly veered away from destructive behaviors, while she practiced her violin.

This made her wonder what effects music could have on treating autism. This

prompted her to study the differences in the brains of autistic children and adults

when exposed to music and compare it to when they are not.

4. Extracurriculars Are Central to Learning by Stacey Boyd
The above article discusses the advantages to extracurricular study. In all ages

research shows that older adults who took music lessons at a young age can process

the sounds of speech faster than those who did not, even if they havent picked up an

instrument in 40 years. However, in more than 80% of school budgets across the

country education funds have been cut. Music is often one of the first targets of these

cuts. The author also speaks about the advantages of students engaging in learning

foreign language and physical education.

5. ED Releases New Report on Arts Education in U.S. Public Schools by Cameron

Brenchley
In 2012 the results of a study on the effects of the No Child Left Behind (NCLB) Act

on arts education were released. Their findings showed that there had not been

significant national declines in the availability of music and visual arts instruction in

elementary and secondary schools. However, for theater and dance in elementary

schools, the percentages of schools making these art forms available went from 20

percent 10 years ago to only 4 and 3 percent, respectively, in the 2009-10 school year.

In addition, at more than 40 percent of secondary schools, coursework in arts was not

required for graduation in the 2009-10 school year. Most troubling is an equity gap

between the availability of arts instruction as well as the richness of course offerings

for students in low-poverty schools compared to those in high-poverty schools,

leading students who are economically disadvantaged to not get the enrichment

experiences of affluent students. As a former student of several have not schools I

saw first-hand the negative effects of this educational inequality. This five year old

study is still relevant today with the appointment of new Secretary of Education Betsy

Devos. The tax cuts that are proposed by our Federal government are directly related

to the lack of funds in certain schools. As an aspiring educator I must constantly fight

to raise awareness on this issue.

6. The Day Music Died by Yohuru Williams
This article discusses the unfortunate occurrence in Cleveland, Ohio in the year of

2014. Despite much protest and backlash the Ohio Public School Board elected to cut

the abandon what is known as the five of eight rule. That directive currently

requires schools to maintain a minimum of five staff from eight different specialty

areas for every 1,000 students. This decision was extremely unpopular and many
point to the Ohios Republican Governor John Kasich, in league with the Republican

dominated General Assembly, has been targeting education budgets for deep cuts for

four years. This has precipitated a crisis frighteningly similar to other states where

cuts have forced districts to make impossible choices between hiring nurses,

librarians or instructors in the music and the arts, all vital in their own way. This is

just an example of the fight that will continue throughout the immediate future.
 Works Cited

Boyd, S. (2014, April 28). Extracurriculars Are Essential to Learning. Retrieved from US News:

https://www.usnews.com/opinion/articles/2014/04/28/music-art-and-language-programs-

in-schools-have-long-lasting-benefits

Brenchley, C. (2012, April 3). ED Releases New Report on Arts Education in U.S. Public

Schools. Retrieved from Home Room: https://blog.ed.gov/2012/04/ed-releases-new-

report-on-arts-education-in-u-s-public-schools/

Chinn Cannon, M., & Chinn Canon, D. (n.d.). Music Speaks Autism. Retrieved from Awe in

Autism: https://www.aweinautism.org/gallery/music/music-speaks-autism/

Davis, K. (2007). TIPS TO CONSIDER WHEN INCLUDING A STUDENT WITH ASD IN

ART, MUSIC, OR PHYSICAL EDUCATION. Indiana Resource Center for Autism.

Retrieved from TIPS TO CONSIDER WHEN INCLUDING A STUDENT WITH ASD

IN ART, MUSIC, OR PHYSICAL EDUCATION.

Midgey, S. (2015, April 21). Four Tips for Teaching Music Fundamentals to Students with

Special Needs. Retrieved from Naitonal Association for Music Education:

http://www.nafme.org/four-tips-for-teaching-music-fundamentals-to-students-with-

special-needs/

Williams, Y. (2015, January 12). The Day the Music Died. Retrieved from Huff Post:

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/yohuru-williams/the-day-the-music-

died_3_b_6142628.html