Primary Music Magazine
Issue 2.0 Summer 2018
Making Music Accessible for Every Child Mel Haldane shares her approach to musical inclusion. Robert Owen Memorial Primary School is a mainstream primary with four supported classes (for children with Autistic Spectrum Disorder) situated in Lanark, South Lanarkshire. At our school equity and inclusion are a key part of every day school life. All children are fully included in learning and opportunities are provided with equity at the core: our ethos is that everyone should be given what they need, and be supported appropriately, to achieve success in their learning. So, I structure my music lessons with every pupil in mind, not to achieve just one or two learning intentions, but sometimes many individual targets for the differing abilities and needs in my class. My role as expressive arts teacher takes me across all stages in the school and frequently one of our supported classes join the larger mainstream peer group. Of course, there are also differing needs and abilities within the mainstream group, however, many of the ASD strategies are suitable for all children.
Music is a great leveller with those who perhaps find other areas of the curriculum challenging. With music they can feel they are on a level playing field with their peers and really do find their voice. Music gives the children an identity and an opportunity to explore their own and other cultures. It breaks down barriers and opens up opportunities to learn in a different and active way.
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When planning a lesson I take into account individuals, their skills, interests and needs, talking to their class teacher and support assistants and recognising that I have to be extremely flexible at all stages of the delivery of teaching and learning. Engaging children with autism sometimes involves tapping into their special interest, so often the music I select may reflect that or the visual supports may contain a character or symbol they can relate to. Sometimes it may just link to something else they are learning in class, as this can make them feel comfortable and familiar with the activity and opens their mind to the learning coming their way! To reduce anxiety I provide a visual schedule which can be in writing or using Boardmaker visuals to communicate what is going to happen, when and with whom. Pupils with ASD feel safe with a visual schedule in place and if they are able to predict the structure of the lesson, the threat of the unknown is removed, stress reduced and tensions lowered providing a calmer learning environment. It is always handy to include a “change” card in the schedule for when interruptions happen or the lesson goes in a different direction! We always start each session with a welcome song we sing to each other which
