Article Link: http://exchangepress.com/article/music-as-a-positive-addition-to-inclusive-classrooms/5024656/
Educational research shows that when music is effectively integrated into schools, a learning environment is created that makes all children want to learn.
As the special education landscape has changed in the last 20 years, more and more emphasis has been placed on the importance of inclusive classrooms. While this has opened the door to unique and expanded learning opportunities for many, it can also present challenges to teachers tasked with nurturing a diverse group of students with a wide array of skill levels and abilities. One strategy many educators employ involves using music as an educational tool. Anecdotally, many teachers “just know” that it works. But there has been surprisingly little solid research around music’s particular helpfulness for special needs children in early childhood learning environments. The limited data that does exist, however, supports this gut feeling.
Let’s have a look at some approaches to using music in early childhood settings that have been proven to work especially well with special needs populations. (You will note that these approaches are appropriate for all learners, making them especially suitable for inclusive classroom environments.)
Start the Day with a Personalized Greeting Song
An interesting study, limited in scope but scientifically ...