Just like any other children, children with disabilities that hinder their learning capability still have a right to education. Unfortunately, learning disabilities make learning for such children quite difficult. A few examples of these limitations include autism, Down's syndrome and even Rett syndrome. Such disabilities may lead to anxiety, frustration, and behavioral difficulties during learning for children which significantly disadvantages compared to other children without such hindrances (Montello & Coons, 1998). Music therapy for a long while has been shown to counter the challenges that children with learning disabilities face. This form of treatment often results in learning becoming more enjoyable and manageable for children with learning disabilities (Ducharme, 2013). To correctly understand this phenomenon it is important to evaluate what exactly music therapy is and its benefits.
Music therapy can be defined as an expressive type of art therapy whereby music is used as a medium of treatment (Register, Darrow, Swedberg & Standley, 2007). Nonetheless, music therapy is still a subset of therapy and borrows a lot from conventional forms of treatment. The reason for saying this is that while music is similar traditional counseling practices, it does vary with regards to its fundamentals (Ducharme, 2013). Fundamentally, music therapy encompasses different forms of music to engage actively and hopefully better a patient. In children music can be quite powerful as unlike adults children may find it difficult to proactively or truthfully communicate their challenges, wishes, and even happiness.
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Playing music and consequently listening to the produced melodies are fundamental aspects of music therapy. However, it is a fallacy to conclude that music therapy ends there. In truth, music therapy is similar to other forms of therapy as it follows four areas or steps which are influential to whether the treatment would be beneficial. Assessment is the first step towards any music therapy treatment plan. This phase involves assessing the patient’s strengths and weaknesses with regards to their motor, emotional, cognitive, communication and many other abilities (Oldfield, 2006). After an assessment has been finalized, it is essential that music therapist set goals during goal development. Such goals are mainly measurable and therapeutic; however, it is important to note that they are non-musical. For instance, an aim to improve the patient's sensory or communicative abilities by the end of 10 sessions is a feasible target.
With that said it is prudent to look into why music therapy is essential or productive. For one, the thing about music therapy is that it is nonverbal. Duffy and Fuller suggest that one of the main challenges of children with learning disabilities is that they find it hard to adequately communicate with others (2000). Music therapy eliminates that barrier as the majority of its practices are nonverbal that is they require children to engage through music actively and not necessarily direct conversations between the therapist and a child (Judd, 2014). Moreover, music can evoke both light and strong emotions and music therapy helps children who have trouble communicating them to convert them in a right manner. Improvement in communication can directly result in the ease of learning among children with learning disabilities.
Additionally, the actual phase whereby music therapy “actually” occurs is during treatment intervention. Here the therapist actively engages an individual through a series of musical activities such as dancing, rhythmic intervention, and traditional singing. These activities are carried out with the aim of improving the above mention abilities or challenges. Lastly, it is highly imperative that progress is monitored throughout the therapy sessions lest the treatment becomes redundant (Edwards, 2015). Thereby, evaluation is a critical phase and task of music therapy. All in all, the process through which music therapy is done differentiates from therapist to therapist; nonetheless, the four stages give an inexplicit description.
Music therapy has a quite a lot of advantages especially for children with learning disabilities. Gold, Voracek, and Wigram articulate that one of the effects of music therapy is that it can be a good motivator for children with learning disabilities more often than not (2004). For teachers and even parents getting their students and children respectively with learning disabilities to learn new things and accomplish relatively tough tasks can be quite a challenge. According to Judd music therapy can be used in young children to prompt them to make requests or even somewhat older children as motivation to help them complete a particular task (2014). For instance, singing through an activity has been showcased to inspire children to finish it gleefully. Lastly, music is a very effective and beautiful way to connect with just about anyone.
Furthermore, Oldfield and Flower showcase that music therapy can aid in the creation of bonds with mainly the parent albeit under the supervision of a music therapist (2008). As such it is often advisable that parents accompany their children. Standley articulates that, “when music activities incorporate specific reading skills matched to the needs of identified children or contingent music is used to reinforce reading behavior, benefits are large” (2008). This showcases that music therapy can directly lead to improvement among children with learning challenges. The list of benefits of music therapy is quite long; therefore, it is safe to assume that its advantages outweigh its challenges and limitations.
Music seems to counter a good portion of the challenges that make it difficult for children with learning disabilities to learn effectively. Some of these challenges include difficulty in communicating, behavioral problems, anxiety, and even frustration during intake of knowledge or carrying out school-related tasks. In brief, learning disabilities can make both learning and teaching frustrations; if the right methods are not used then learning tends to be redundant. Music if efficiently used can create a conducive environment for children facing such difficulties which might make learning both productive and enjoyable. As such music therapy aims to comfort, motivate and even soothe thereby making it a suitable form of therapy for children. With such benefits, it is not hard to comprehend why music therapy is seemingly one of the best alternatives to aid children with learning disabilities.
Annotated Bibliography
Ducharme, J. (2013). How Music Therapy Works . Retrieved from http://www.bostonmagazine.com/health/blog/2013/05/15/music-therapy/
In How Music Therapy Works, Ducharme gives an interesting insight into the happenings of music therapy. Using a rather easy to understand language and informative, this article is quite comprehensive. The entire piece is aimed at being informative which makes it rather casual.
Duffy, B., & Fuller, R. (2000). Role of music therapy in social skills development in children with moderate intellectual disability. Journal of Applied Research in Intellectual Disabilities , 13 (2), 77-89.
Duffy and Fuller evaluate the underlying intellectual disabilities that make learning a challenge for children. The study deduces the effectiveness of music therapy in curbing these disabilities. Following their 8 week duration, their findings concluded that music therapy was indeed effective improving the five target social skills.
Edwards, J. (2015). The Oxford handbook of music therapy . New York, NY: Oxford University Press.
Although written by Edwards, The Oxford Handbook of Music Therapy represents the cooperation of 10 specialists in evaluating contemporary music therapy. Edwards’ book is ultimately completely with regards to music therapy as it details almost everything that there is to know.
Judd, R. (2014). 5 Reasons Why Music Helps Children with Special Needs . Retrieved from http://www.friendshipcircle.org/blog/2014/01/13/5-reasons-why-music-helps-children-with-special-needs/
Judd gives a few examples of the benefits of music therapy to children with special needs in this article. Some of the reasons are well thought out; however, it is prudent to note that no real evidence or correlation with a scientific study is showcased. Thus Judd’s article, which is highly comprehensive, is good in terms of getting the gist of music therapy.
Gold, C., Voracek, M., &Wigram, T. (2004). Effects of music therapy for children and adolescents with psychopathology: a meta ‐ analysis. Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry , 45 (6), 1054-1063.
Unlike other researchers Gold, Voracek and Wigram analyze the effects of music therapy for children from a variety of other studies. Their method entailed evaluating eleven studies which in turn resulted in 188 test cases or participants. Their findings, in turn, showcased a positive correlation between music therapy and improvement in children with psychopathology.
Montello, L., & Coons, E. E. (1998). Effects of active versus passive group music therapy on preadolescents with emotional, learning, and behavioral disorders. Journal of Music Therapy , 35 (1), 49-67.
Montello and Coons’ study intended to contrast the effects of individuals who underwent active and rhythm-based music therapy versus those who underwent passive group music therapy. Their findings concluded that results varied on the hostility scale i.e. group music therapy was more effective in curbing aggression-related behaviors.
Oldfield, A. (2006). Interactive music therapy in child and family psychiatry: Clinical practice, research, and teaching . London: Jessica Kingsley Publishers.
Oldfield’s book is both an essential tool for therapy students and novice music therapists. Her work is simply exemplary as she even develops various assessment tools which further explain music therapy. In succinct words, the book provides an outline for using music therapy and child psychiatry.
Oldfield, A., & Flower, C. (2008). Music Therapy with Children and their Families . London: Jessica Kingsley Publishers Ltd.
Music Therapy with Children and their Families borrows many concepts from Oldfield's prior book stated above. However, this book addresses the effects and importance of music therapy not only on the children participants but to their families as well.
Register, D., Darrow, A. A., Swedberg, O., & Standley, J. (2007). The Use of Music to Enhance Reading Skills of Second Grade Students and Students with Reading Disabilities. Journal of Music Therapy, 44(1), 23-37.
The purpose of Register, Darrow, Swedberg and Standley’s paper was to determine the efficiency of using music therapy to improve reading skills. The researchers implement their methodology in two public schools in the South East. Their findings were varied as they concluded that the research showcased no significant improvement in reading but made gains in controlling the class.
Standley, J. M. (2008). Does music instruction help children learn to read? Evidence of a meta-analysis. Update: Applications of Research in Music Education , 27 (1), 17-32.
Like Gold, Voracek, and Wigram, Standley also gives a meta-analysis on music therapy. However, Standley’s research is more recent and is focused solely on reading among children.
