Special Needs & Learning Differences
Student with Down Syndrome
Does anyone have any tips on teaching a child with Down Syndrome? I have an 11-year-old female student with Down Syndrome. She knows her finger numbers and can do five steps of sound, but she has difficulty remembering how to start the songs (we’ve only…
New teacher with special needs student
I’m just getting started as a Simply Music teacher. My first class is scheduled for next week, in fact! I have the possibility of enrolling a 14-year-old student who has no thumbs and a communication problem. He’s small for his age, and is of normal…
Fingering chords with a physically challenged student
I have a 66-year-old student who is having difficulty playing chords with finger 1, 3, 5. Her fourth finger has limited upward mobility. We had lesson number 6 today. Would it be terrible to adapt and let her play chords with fingers 1, 3, 4?…
Combining special needs student with younger students
I need help to navigate a new challenge. A 10-year-old boy with ADHD/LD has been taking private lessons. His 6-year-old brother is in a shared lesson. This past year, the 6-year-old’s progress has caught up with the older boy so I announced that it was…
Two Broken Arms
Greetings – I have a student who finished F1 in June, did review with me every few weeks in the summer, and just broke both arms last week, both are casted, and quite immobile – he cannot write, and even requires help with eating. Any…
Teaching autistic student in a group
Hi all, I have a group of 3 boys and girls aged 6-7 in my studio. One of the 6-year-old boys is diagnosed autistic – minor. If his mom did not reveal this for me, I would have no idea that he is autistic, because…
Teaching a 5-year-old with Aspergers
I have been approached by the grandmother of a 5-year-old boy with Aspergers asking if I am willing to teach him. Obviously I am but I wondered if the teacher community could give me any guidance here, for one I have not taught anyone as…
Student with Dyslexia
Hi everyone, I have a 14-year-old student with dyslexia who is struggling with reading. When she looks at the music, the notes “move” (I don’t know if this is part of the dyslexia or a different issue) and it’s really hard for her to identify…
Help teaching students with autism, learning difficulties
Hello Wise teachers, I am a BRAND NEW teacher only 9 weeks old and find myself with unusual students, not being a mother, also inexperienced with children. I have ended up with 2 children 6 and 7, both with undiagnosed learning difficulties. The 3rd student…
Ideas for teaching autistic student
Hi Friends, I would like collect ideas for teaching autistic students (the less cognitive ones). When these students don’t engage, learn with the diagrams or can’t make sense out the diagram, what other ways have you found it helpful? I have used singing, hand-over-hand help,…