Teaching an autistic child how to play the piano

[shall she sail seas]

I posted this topic on the Psychology/Sociology subforum of ED in the main forums as well, but I guess it wouldn't hurt to ask for advice from other musicians, especially since you guys would give a more musical perspective on things instead of just "teaching in general".

Quote:

I've been recently asked by a good friend of mine to start teaching her daughter how to play piano. She's 6 years old and has autism. I've never met her before, although my friend and I have talked about her. She seems to be the "genius" type and picks up music easily by ear. I'm currently looking up information online about autism, but have any of you guys had to teach/tutor kids with autism? Are there any tips or things I should be extra sensitive to? Hearing your personal experience would help me greatly.

To give you a bit of background, I've taught kids how to play piano, drums and music theory on and off for 10 years. The age range is 8-18 but I've never dealt with anyone with mental or physical issues that might cause difficulty in playing music.

Yep... clueless here and futilely looking up the Wikipedia entry on autism. gonk

 

[`Kel`]

I personally hear that autistic kids seem to pick up music very well. Music seems to entrance them. I wouldnt even know how to begin to teach an autistic child to play simply because I dont know how to deal with autistic children. That is a very cool thing for you to research into though.  

[Regis Filia]

yah ... no insight here. But let us know how it goes.  

[moon_child113]

My bestfriend is pursuing a degree in Music Therapy. Although she focuses on children with emotional trauma and disturbances, she did do some research on autistic sevants. Music can be a VERY effective form of treatment.  

[Das Ist Mein Hamburger]

If you can interest music to an Aspergic person, they will pick up music at a genius rate.

I guess to them, music =/= socialising so that way, they can actually enjoy it. It's fascinating to the ear and to the mind.

My teacher teaches a student who has Aspergers. Basically, his lessons are more practical and aural. That kid just works out links by himself (whoa genius)  

[shall she sail seas]

I've just finished my second lesson with the girl. It's funny I'm also her math tutor now because she has to alternate between music (something new) and arithmetic (her favourite activity) constantly, or else she gets upset. Lucky for me, I've also tutored math before. xd

We're currently working on fingering and just listening to music in general. Like Hamburger's mentioned about another student with Asperger's, the girl is also more practical and aural. I was playing most of the nursery rhyme melodies while she sung last week, but she was able to copy me quite well today.

The greatest problem right now is with fingering and posture. She's got them spaghetti fingers and doesn't really have the patience to allow me to correct her. It's already enough of a hassle to keep having to place her thumb on middle C.... I'm wondering where it's most appropriate to slip that in before it starts becoming a consistent bad habit.  

[Korean---EsKIMo]

NomNomNominal

I've just finished my second lesson with the girl. It's funny I'm also her math tutor now because she has to alternate between music (something new) and arithmetic (her favourite activity) constantly, or else she gets upset. Lucky for me, I've also tutored math before. xd

We're currently working on fingering and just listening to music in general. Like Hamburger's mentioned about another student with Asperger's, the girl is also more practical and aural. I was playing most of the nursery rhyme melodies while she sung last week, but she was able to copy me quite well today.

The greatest problem right now is with fingering and posture. She's got them spaghetti fingers and doesn't really have the patience to allow me to correct her. It's already enough of a hassle to keep having to place her thumb on middle C.... I'm wondering where it's most appropriate to slip that in before it starts becoming a consistent bad habit.

O_o haha... im not autistic or anything, but that kinda sounds like me when i was learning piano....
i just kinda tried to remember the sound the keys made and copied my teacher.... but then she started giving me music theory >_> (i suggest you dont do that.) and i was screwed over. im just amazed i lasted 4 years..... well good luck teaching ;D  

[flamingrice]

Try some of those phsycologial things on them........ sweatdrop  

[Marching Band no Jutsu]

This is simply my cousin, and I know that every case is different, but he has never had piano lessons, or even looked at a book, but he can play just about anything from Star Wars or Indiana Jones on piano.
One thing that helped him was that he is also OCD, and two of his obsessions are Star Wars and Indiana Jones (among MANY other things), and so that really helped him with that.