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Mark M., New York

I’m definitely not an expert on special needs situations, but in the face of difficulty playing anything, I always think: how can we break it down to make it easier? In this case, I wonder: how short a portion of the beginning of the song can you have him practice to play successfully? Maybe even that’s backwards. Just start with: the one first note. Can he get the first note right and stop? Great. Do it several times. Can he then get the first two notes right and then stop? Great. Do it several times. It could be a strategy to build things up to work one’s way out of the note-stuttering starts.

Cate R., Australia

I have no solution but I had a kid who developed this. I couldn’t work it out until I found out Dad started to get involved in the practice at home. He became so overbearing that she couldn’t relax, if she mad a mistake he would yell at her and make her start again. So piano became a source of anxiety, not pleasure. I had a quiet word to Mum but they dropped out eventually because “she wasn’t enjoying it and getting her to practice became a chore” Go figure.

For stutterers I always make sure the are settled, relaxed and know their starting note. Maybe hum to first bar to get them going.

Kerry V., Australia

Advice for kids with autism isn’t all that easy if we haven’t met them as they are all very different and unique.

However, from reading this, my first thought was that I would actually put my hand over his. This way we are disrupting the circuitry in the brain hand ‘stutter’ and ask how are they feeling or what were they thinking. BUT not make a great deal of it. By acknowledging it is happening helps rid the elephant in the room. By acknowledging it with tenderness, nurturing, compassion with a solution, helps the brain to start to un wire the original stress to be re wired to what is possible.

The next thing would be to make sure he uses the practice pad more. having sound AND pressing the keys is bringing forth multiple actions. Just having no sound and not pushing allows one to focus more on what is happening at that moment.

I agree with Mark too that breaking it down and teaching it in parts too, out of order, can help.
I would also have him tell me where does he place his hands for this song. Which note do I start with when I play that song. This helps him see that playing is multi layered and it may help his inquisitive mind to see beyond the stress of possible mistake therefore stutter.

Hope all that made sense.

Pat M., Canada

I am not an expert, but I have taught a child with Down Syndrome who stuttered. I would make sure there is little to no stimulation in the room. Being overstimulated can cause stuttering. This is probably a new social situation for him too which could make him feel anxious which also brings on stuttering. The stuttering is a form of “stimming” which is self-soothing for a person with Autism. Personally, I think it will settle down as he feels more comfortable. Not drawing attention to it is the best way to go.

Laurie Richards, Nebraska

Forget any diagnoses and just try different things to find what works. I like to have a conversation about CTE, then spend as much time as necessary in the lesson practicing it. Example – for Dreams Come True, I may say:

1) Play *only* the first event BH, then stop
2) Do that again.
3) Now add *only* the next event, then stop. Don’t play the next event until you’re absolutely certain you’ve got it right.
4) Now play all of Sentence 1 and then stop.

That’s just an example. It may go differently depending on the student and the issue. It might sound like drudgery, but it doesn’t take long, and the student experiences success. You can easily make a game out of it as well. E.g. tic-tac-toe; they get an ‘x’ for every step they complete exactly as instructed; otherwise I get an ‘o’. Whatever is motivating for the student.