MENC: The National Association for Music Education

Music Teachers and Music Therapists: Helping Children Together Author(s): Allyson Patterson Source: Music Educators Journal, Vol. 89, No. 4 (Mar., 2003), pp. 35-38 Published by: Sage Publications, Inc. on behalf of MENC: The National Association for Music
Education

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and Music Music Teachers Therapists: HelpingChildren Together

By Ally s o n Pa t t e r s o n

Musiceducatorscan
educators in public schools have experienced M ususic an increase in the number of special education students that are placed in music education classrooms since the passage of the Education for All Handicapped Children Act of 1975 (Public Law 94have pointed to the effectiveness of music While studies 142). when applied to students with disabilities,l many music educators have reported feeling unprepared to meet the challenge of having children with special needs in the regular classroom.2I was one of the unprepared during my first year as an elementary music teacher in a rural public school district. The students with special needs in my classes presented a variety of challenges, including cerebralpalsy, speech and hearing impairments, emotional disturbances, and severe physical disabilities. Because I had to spend much of the class time focusing on required elements of the district'scurriculum, such as musical literacy and theory,the students with special needs were often not able to participatemeaningfully. On rare occasions, I met with these students in a small-group setting for music activities. When this occurred, I observed individual responses that were quite exciting. Some of the children displayed an increase in appropriatesocial interactions. For others, academic concepts seemed much easier to remember when

help theirspecial needs studentsget related appropriate services, including musictherapy.

'

curr _ -^ -? B

F'!001/

Allyson Patterson is a boardcertified music therapist. She currentlyprovides music therapy services for Morgantown s and is a band director A PHospice at Cheat Lake MiddleSchool in WestVirginia. Morgantown,

MARCH

2003

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introduced in a song. A physically disabled student who had difficulty holding an eating utensil for more than three seconds at a time was able to grasp a mallet for nearly twice as long in order to play a hand drum. As a music educator,I saw that some of the children could potentially make gains in nonmusical areas because of the motivation and assistance that music provided.Yetas a new teacher,I had no idea how to approachmy administrator about providingmusic therapyservices for students, or even how to find a qualified music therapist in the area. After witnessing the potential that music had to assist these students in other areas-such as speech and language development and motor and social skills-I decided to learn more about music therapy After completing music therapy course work at Ohio University,a six-month clinical internship, and a national board-certification exam, I was credentialed as a boardcertifiedmusic therapist (MT-BC).

peers. In both examples, the music therapist is addressing nonmusical goals through the child's participation in musical activities.

MusicTherapy in Public Schools

Children with special education needs can be provided with "related services," such as physical, occupational, and speech therapy, that help them make reasonable progress in their educational programs. Music therapy can also be considered a related service. As with other related services, a formal assessment process is used to determine whether music therapy is educationally necessary. A student must demonstrate through this process that the strategies used by the music therapist will provide him or her with significant assistance in completing the Individualized Education Plan (IEP) goals and objectives. In my experience as a public school music therapist, I have been approachedby music educatorswho have expressed frustrationafter an IEP team requested that the teacher provide music therapy for a student with special needs who has been mainstreamed into the generalmusic classroom.It is a common misconception that music therapistsand music educators receive the same formal training and therefore provide the same types of services. Administrators, parents, and other members of the IEP team often do not realize that, though they are closely related, music therapy and music education are distinct disciplines and have separatedegree requirements. The music educatorand music therapist can each play an importantpartin serving children with disabilities. The role of a music therapist in a school is to assess a student's ability to achieve educational goals and objectives both with and without music. Music therapy as a relatedservice can be recommended when it "providesthe student with a significant motivation and/or a significant assist in benefitting from his/her educational program."4 If a significant difference is not observed during the assessment process, then music therapy would not be recommended for the student at that time. While most children enjoy music, it is important to
MUSIC

What Is MusicTherapy?

Music therapyis a process that uses music and sound to improve mental and physical health. The American Music Therapy Association defines music therapy as "the prescribed use of music by a qualified person to effect positive changes in the psychological, physical, cognitive, or social functioning of individuals with health or educational problems."3A music therapist is trained to implement strategies that will strengthen a functional area of an individual's life through participation in musical experiences. Ultimately, skills learned through music therapy may be transferred to other areas of the individual's life. For example, a music therapist may create a song with a learning-disabled student who has difficulty remembering the correct sequence for getting dressed in the morning. By putting a melody with a specific sequence, the student may sing the song in order to know what to put on next. For a child with a behavioral challenge, social behaviors such as giving a spontaneous greeting, establishing eye contact, or taking turns may be difficult. In a group setting, a music therapist can structure musical experiences for the student to practice these skills with his or her 36

rememberthat there must be a demonstratededucationalneed for the service and that music therapyis not provided simply because a student enjoys music or has a disability. If an IEP team asks you, as a music educator, about music therapy for a child, what information can you offer? First, clarify the fundamental differences between a music therapist and a music educator. Point out that while the educator focuses on teaching musical skills and knowledge, the therapist addresses nonmusical skills (such as motor, social, cognitive, and communication skills) through participation in musical experiences and activities. Next, the team should consider whether the child is making reasonable progress in other therapies, or if perhaps another approach, such as music therapy, may benefit the child educationally When first discussing the possibility of a music therapy assessment, it may be helpful to refer the IEP team to the Music Therapy Assessment Discussion Criteria by Brunk and Coleman.5 These discussion questions can be a much-needed starting point when the team is in the process of deciding if a student may benefit from a formal music therapy assessment. Some of the criteria to consider include the following: * Can the use of music motivate the student to attempt and/or complete IEP tasks? * Could the student benefit from the use of additional therapies to aid in communication? * Does the student initiate interaction with music or musical instruments in the classroom or the home? * Does the student retain information conveyed in songs more easily than information conveyed in spoken interchanges? The Music Therapy Assessment RequestChecklist6(figure 1) is another useful source when determining if a music therapyassessment is warranted for a student. This checklistmay be particularlyhelpful for the music educator who wants to know what to look for when considering students who may benefit from music therapyservices. If it is determined after a team discussion that a child is a candidatefor a music therapy assessment, contact a board-certifiedmusic therapist to conEDUCATORS JOURNAL

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duct the assessment. (See the Information about Music Therapy sidebar.) Remind the IEP team that in order for any related service to be added to a child'sIEP,it must be based on a formal assessment that determined there was an educational need for the service. After the assessment is completed, the therapist will meet with the IEP team to discuss the resultsand to make a recommendation. Keep in mind that it is not the responsibilityof the music educator to convince the team that the student will benefit from music therapy services. This is determinedduring the assessment process in which the music therapist structures IEP-related goals with a musical experience or activity and compares it with the child's performanceof that same IEP goal without the musical structure. In some instances, though a child may enjoy music at home or in the classroom,his or her performance on IEP-related skills with music might not be significantly changed. In these cases, music therapy is not recommended. While it is wonderful to be enthusiastic and want to promote the benefits of music therapy,it is best to avoid predicting the outcome of the assessment. During an IEP team meeting, focus on the following steps: * Emphasize that music education and music therapy are distinct disciplines. * Stress that in order for music therapy to be recommended as a related service, educational need must be demonstrated through a formal assessment process. * Use the discussion criteria and checklist to determine if the student is a candidate for a music therapy assessment. * Contact a qualified music therapist if an assessment is recommended.

Figure I. MusicTherapy Assessment Request Checklist

Student: Date of Birth: Student ID#:

for musictherapyassessment,observe the To determineif a studentis a candidate Focuson behaviors observedwith the studentin a varietyof locationsand activities. demonstrated withto behaviors music of or recorded live presentation compared out musicalstimuli. In each case, considerthe followingquestionsand circlethe most appropriate response: increasedresponseto musicalstimuli? Does the studentdemonstratea significant Cognitive/Academic Function I. Demonstratesincreasedalertness,attention arousal, (i.e.,increasedrespiration, physical turns headtowardsound source) 2.Attendsto task:Approximate lengthof time 3. Demonstratesincreasedability to follow directions task 4. Participates or difficult in/completesdisliked Communication Function I. Demonstratesincreasedvocalization/verbalization 2. Gestures/signs (circleone) (circleone) singlewords to com3.Verbalizes/sings plete a phrase sen(circleone) phrases/complete 4.Verbalizes/sings tences Social/Behavorial Function I. Demonstratesincreasedeye contact to staff/peers/ parent 2. Remains in groupsettingfor increasedduration 3.Takes items turns/shares 4. Demonstratesincreasedmotivation to complete directedtasks Sensory/Motor Function I. Graspsobject/instruments (circleone) 2. Movesbody in rhythm with music 3. Movesbody in bilateral movements(e.g.,clapping, marching) 4. Crosses midline

Yes
Yes

No
No

Same Same Same Same Same Same Same Same

Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes

Yes

No No No No No No

Yes Yes Yes Yes

No No No No

Same Same Same Same

Yes

No

Yes Yes Yes

No No No

Same Same Same Same

Why do you believea musictherapyassessmentis necessaryfor this studentto benefit from his/herspecialeducation? Pleaseincludeadditional commentson the backof this checklist. Observedby: Title: Date:

Used by permission 1999. of MarciaBehr, copyright

Due to the many problems that parents and advocateshave experiencedin obtaining music therapy services for children with disabilities under the Individualswith DisabilitiesEducation Act (IDEA), the American Music Therapy Association (AMTA) sought clarificationfrom the U.S. Department of Education regardingmusic therapy as a related service. In some cases, school officials have said that since
MARCH 2003

MusicTherapy and IDEA

music therapy is not specifically listed as a related service in IDEA, they do not have to provide it in the school district. In a letter of response, Dr. Kenneth Warlick, director of the Office of Special Education Programs for the Department of Education, states: "If the IEP determines that music therapy is an appropriaterelated service for a child, the team'sdeter-

mination must be reflected in the child's IEP, and the service must be provided at public expense and at no cost to the parents."7 An attachment to the final regulations in IDEA states: Asunderprior law,thelistofrelatand ed servicesis not exhaustive may include other developmen37

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Informationabout MusicTherapy
American MusicTherapyAssociation (AMTA).8455 Colesville Road,Suite 1000, Silver Spring,MD 20910; 301-589-3300; www.musictherapy.org. Informationabout music therapy and how to find a qualifiedmusic therapist in your area. in SchoolSettings: Interventions Wilson, BrianL.,ed. Modelsof MusicTherapy FromInstitution to Inclusion. SilverSpring,MD:NationalAssociation for MusicTherapy (now AMTA),1996. Detailed informationabout music therapy in school settings. B. Pediatric MusicTherapy. IL: Charles C. Lathom-Radocy,Wanda Springfield, Thomas,2002. An Introduction. Peters, Jacqueline Schmidt.MusicTherapy: Springfield,IL: Charles C.Thomas,2000.

ents of children receiving special education ask for services in public schools, the music educator can provide valuable information about music therapyfor childrenwith special needs.

Notes
1. James Frisque,Jere T. Humphreys, "Music andLoretta Nieber, Mainstreaming:
in Practicesin Arizona," Journalof Research Music Education42 (1994): 94-104; Alice-

Ann Darrow, Kate Gfeller,and StevenK. Hedden, "Perceived Effectiveness of Mainstreaming in Iowa and Kansas
Schools," Journal of Research in Music Education 38 (1990): 90-101; George A.

BuildsOrder in BrainGiacobbe, "Rhythm

Damaged Children," Music Educators Journal58 (April 1972): 40-43; and Barbara

tal, corrective,or supportiveservices (such as artistic or cultural programs, art, music, and dance therapy), if they are required to assist a child with a disability to benefit from special education in order for the child to receive FAPE (Free and Public Education).8 This section of IDEA can be a valuable reference if a member of the IEP team has a question about the validity of music therapy as a related service under federal law. It can also assist advocates if the district is unfamiliar with music therapy as a related service.

MusicTherapy Services: Who Benefits?

As budget issues continue to be a priority for school districts, it is relevant to consider the practical and fiscal aspects of music therapy services. Students, teachers, classroom aides, administrators, other therapists, and parents can all benefit from interacting with a music therapist. Through direct services, consultation, or inservice training, the therapist can introduce techniques and strategies for classroom teachers, music educators, and classroom aides to use with their most challenging students. This may help improve the overall attitude in the classroom and prevent burnout, especially among special education teachers. Any strategies that could promote teacher retention and reduce turnover may be of considerable interest to administrators. The music ther-

apist may consult with other therapists working with a child on ways to adapt musical equipment or experiences that can be incorporated into other therapy sessions. This may ultimately lead to increased progress for the child in other related service areas and minimize the need for further therapies. Through regular reports detailing a child's involvement and progress in music therapy sessions, the parents may adapt various strategies to use with their child at home. Another factor to consider is that music therapists can adapt their techniques and strategies to the various ability levels of students within a group setting. When services are provided for a group, such as a classroom for autistic children, the cost is spread across a larger number of students.

Brooks,Ann MarieHuck, and Judith A. Small Groups and Jellison, "Structuring Positive to Facilitate MusicReinforcement and Acceptanceof Severely Interactions HandicappedStudents in the Regular
Music Classroom,"Journal of Researchin 32 (1984): 243-64. MusicEducation

Education 2. SonaD. Nocera,"Special Music Teachers Need SpecialEducation,"

Educators Journal 58 (April 1972): 73-75;

"A Surveyof Present BettyW Atterbury, Practicesin the Southern Mainstreaming

United States," Journalof Music Therapy23

(1986): 202-7; and Janet PerkinsGilbert and EdwardAsmus,Jr., "Mainstreaming: Music Educators' Participation and
in ProfessionalNeeds," Journalof Research MusicEducation29 (1981): 31-37.

Conclusion
Music educatorsworking with children who have special needs are in the unique position of being able to observe a child'sresponses to music in the educational environment. As an involved member of that child's IEP team, the music educator can offer information regarding music therapy services as a possible option for students who may receive significant assistance or motivation from music in making progress in other areas of development. Though the music educator and music therapistmay vary on the specific objectives that they address,the ultimate concern is for the educational growth and development of the student. As more and more parMUSIC

Association MusicTherapy 3. American (October 2002). www.musictherapy.org (FAQs). 4. Betsy K. Brunk and KathleenA.
Coleman, SEMTAP: Special Education Assessment ProcessHandbook MusicTherapy

TX: PreludeMusic Therapy, (Grapevine, 1999),81a. 5. Ibid.,59. 6. Marcia Behr, "Music Therapy Assessment Request Checklist," 1999, materials. instructional unpublished 7. Kenneth R. Warlick, "U.S. Department of Education Letter of Music Clarification for Music Therapy,"
TherapyMatters3, no. 2 (2000): 28-32.

8. U.S. Department of Education, of "Assistance to Statesfor the Education

Children With Disabilities and the Early Intervention Program for Infants and Final Toddlers With Disabilities; no. 48 Federal 64, Register Regulations," (1999): 12548. ?
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