The Autism Society Event and Education Recordings Archive

The presenter, a music therapist with extensive experience with individuals with ASD and their “typically developing” peers, will brainstorm with participants key social skills beneficial for individuals with ASD and their peers to demonstrate at home, school, work or in the community. Illustrations of the many uses of music in structuring social successes and possible non-musical techniques or resources to use in tandem with music experiences will be provided through audience participation, video examples, and handouts. This experiential workshop will begin with introductory music experiences, such as the “Roving Reporter” song and “Kids Together,” to engage the participants and raise important questions related to social skills, disability awareness, and so on.

Next the presenter will brainstorm with the audience their meanings for “social skills” and then discuss a working definition of “social skills” based on dictionary descriptions and a list of what music can provide as an “Experience in Relating to Others” from William Sears, a pioneer in the field of music therapy. Continuing in this vein, the presenter will ask participants to develop a brainstormed list of examples of social skills they think might be beneficial for individuals who are “typically developing” and those with autism spectrum disorders to use at home, school, work, and in the community.  She will also share a list of those social skills that might be examined in a typical music therapy assessment. A brief discussion of research published in 2005 by the presenter and a colleague, entitled “An Analysis of Music Therapy Outcomes for Clients with Autism Spectrum Diagnoses” will illuminate findings indicating that 39% of forty individuals with ASD studied in community-based music therapy had primary goals in the behavioral/psychosocial realm.

The many uses of music for structuring social successes will be outlined, with live and video examples provided.  Those uses highlighted include cues for transitions (greetings, clean-up, quiet, etc.); as a carrier of information (directions, goals, themes or scenarios); an activity for motivator/reinforcer (preferred songs or instruments, playing or singing a solo, leading the group, helping teachers, etc.); as a mood-setter (happy-major key, sad-minor key, loud/soft, fast/slow, etc.); as an aid in practice of modulation of one’s voice or body (playing/singing/speaking loudly/softly, fast/slowly, high, low, etc.); as an auditory cue (e.g. stop moving when the drum stops playing); as a material for a task (e.g., sharing an instrument); as a structure for a task related to a topic; as a background, e.g. for relaxation; as an activity for developing responsibility (distributing, collecting materials, leading group, etc.); and as an activity for a project such as a music video or a performance.

Non-musical techniques and resources to enhance social skill development in conjunction with the musical experiences will be illustrated as well.  Some non-musical techniques/resources featured will include the following:  social stories^TM/songs; problem-solving; visual aids; procedural supports; spatial supports; assertion supports; structure; proximity; replacement behaviors (e.g., if a student uses hands inappropriately, give him/her an instrument or prop to use to substitute for this inappropriate behavior); self-management or self-monitoring; use of peer models to assist or lead; and specific feedback.

Types of music experiences demonstrated to provide opportunities for or facilitate development of social skills will include singing, playing instruments, moving, listening, composing/creating, and musical games.  Common music therapy interventions, such as interactive instrument playing or interactive singing, imitative instrument playing or singing, musical instrument instruction, and instrument or song choices, all used to facilitate or reinforce social skills, will be mentioned.

Ways in which audience members might utilize music at home, in school, at work or in the community with individuals with ASD will be discussed, with time allotted at the end of the presentation for questions and comments.  A reference list of articles, chapters and books will be provided as part of the handout.

Learning Objectives: