Music to Promote Engagement and Learning for Children with ASD

Music is an important part of young children’s everyday routines within their home and school environments.  Everyday engagement to music may include listening, singing, dancing, moving to different rhythms, and playing musical instruments. Active engagement to music holds the potential to promote cognitive, emotional, and social abilities of young children in an interactive and engaging context. This is especially important for young children with ASD, who may have challenges participating in-group activities and miss important learning opportunities. Music can be one inclusive strategy that holds the potential to promote all children’s engagement, including those with ASD, in a contextually meaningful and developmentally appropriate way.
 
Participant Outcomes: Participants in the Learning Deck will:
Understand different musical characteristics as the active ingredients of teaching and learning.
Reflect on music strategies to enhance engagement and academic growth of all learners.
Learn music strategies to embed within their classroom routines.
 
Presenters: Potheini Vaiouli, PhD

Potheini Vaiouli, PhD, is a Lecturer at European University, Cyprus. Dr Vaiouli holds a background in music therapy and music in early childhood special education and has extensive experience working with young children with ASD and their families. Her primary research interest focus on the use of music as a tool for supporting young children at risk and their families. Specifically she is interested in promoting music as an instructional tool in inclusive early childhood settings, the social and academic growth of young children with ASD, and family partnerships. She has published and presented her work nationally and internationally.