Special Needs music groups and how to run them

A reader posted this under the Quinn Bradlee thing below, but I'm printing the relevant bits up here in case anyone can offer help or advice. She is planning on starting a music group for SN children and would like some pointers - any thoughts? (Em - I hope you don't mind me doing this. It's going to get lost if I leave it where it is).

The picture is of the brilliant Singing Hands's new Makaton-approved DVD, which I can't recommend highly enough. (Actually, Em, if you wanted to see a really fantastic, well thought out, inspirational sing and sign class in action, you couldn't do better than to than contact Suzanne and Tracy - they also run workshops for professionals).

I have been debating with myself recently whether to follow on with an idea I had a few years ago about running a world music group (in the area I specialise in) for children with special needs and as a result of the inspiring content of the blog and its comments have decided to go for it - but with considerably more thought than I had previously given to a lot of issues - how to talk to and refer to special needs children, how to treat their families, how to be inclusive of their SN or non - SN siblings, how many people will be necessary to run it, how I might relate to an incredibly wide range of needs, how the participants will relate to me, how to communicate (I am fired up to learn to sign, but clearly need to do more research before starting as I had no idea there was more than one sign language) etc etc.

I do have a tiny bit of life related experience - a childhood friend of mine has been made seriously disabled as a result of hospital and special school negligence (unbelievably on 3 separate occasions in three different institutions) and has manifold difficulties which have no particular diagnosis but which limit her mobility and ability to speak and see. But although I have always considered myself as someone who is aware of the issues connected with 'special needs' - what an umbrella term - I have never seen any of this from the parents' point of view. Being this girl's friend meant that I was shielded from a lot of what was going on with her in case it frightened me, and with the self involvement of childhood, often just didn't notice when things were more difficult for her than me. I'm lucky to have met her - we still share many of the same interests years later although we rarely see one another now. But this was the impetus for my beginning to want to bring my ethnomusicological knowledge to children with special needs - partly because I saw how interested she was and is, and partly because I think the highly specialised area of music I research and play would be a perfect arena for a wide spectrum of needs from a group of children, incorporating as it does some areas where perfection is necessary, some areas where improvisation is necessary, some where manual dexterity is central and some where it is not necessary to be able to grip at all. Music of contrast.

Anyway, this has been long and rambling but I would like to ask, preliminarily (I think this group is going to take a lot of planning) if anyone has any input on what might be good in a music group for children with special needs? The music is pretty fixed but I am very keen to hear if anyone has do's or dont's with teaching style etc. What would you like me to do if, hypothetically, I were going to teach your child?

Comments

[JG]

Have you come across the Otakar Kraus Music Trust? They provide music therapy for children and young people with physical, psychologican and emotional difficulties. They have a website at www.okmtrust.co.uk They are in Twickenham

[Mike Kennard]

Readers may have seen reports of the attempt by the parent-led charity Afasic to break the world record for signing and singing. This was almost certainly successful and is only awaiting verification. The old record was 4,800, and over 18,000 signed up with Afasic. For the record attempt Signalong not only provided the signs but burned the one-off CDs supplied by Afasic.

The song used was "Sunshine In My Heart", written by Scottish songwriter Alison Burns and is one of a new songbook for secondary special needs students called "Respect" Alison was asked by a secondary school in Castle Douglas if she would write something age-appropriate - there is a wealth of resources for pre-school and primary children, but they get left out as they grow older.

She asked Signalong to provide the signs, and the new songbook, which comes with a CD, has the music, words and signs, which are fully described as well as illustrated.

[Jill]

This is so difficult a thing to set up, I admire your courage!

Speaking from an "autistic" perspective, I would want to be able to remain during the session (on the premise that no-one knows my son like I do & I would be best placed to identify "triggers" for stress or intention to bolt).

I'd also want the place to be reasonably secure, so that I wasn't continually watching for a potential escape attempt.

Aside from that? Mainly I would want understanding & non judgemental approach. That's the main issue for us when out & about or joining in groups - if my lad starts making odd noises, flapping or goes into meltdown, I'd really prefer it if a) people didn't stare, b) people didn't offer suggestions about my parenting skills or c) tut (the worst offence in my book are the tutters!)

Acceptance, that would be the best thing.

Very very best of luck to you, I think this is an excellent idea, my lad LOVES music & would thoroughly enjoy the opportunity to go to something like this.