Adaptive Lessons: A Flexible Approach to Music Learning
At Wildwood, we offer both music therapy and adaptive music lessons. What are adaptive lessons, and why do they matter? First, let’s differentiate music lessons from music therapy.
Traditional music lessons are all about becoming proficient on a musical instrument. If you want to learn to play the ukulele, you might take ukulele lessons with a ukulele teacher.
Music therapy also involves music, but the music is specifically designed to address therapeutic goal areas including social development, grief processing, self-regulation, and academic goals in collaboration with a board-certified music therapist. Music therapists are trained to provide accessible music experiences tailored to the needs of clients to reach these goals.
What makes adaptive music lessons unique is the juxtaposition of accessible music experiences with the goal of gaining musical proficiency. Adaptive lessons differ from traditional music lessons in their creative, accessible, and person-centered design.
Adaptations can include:
color-coded instruments and music
nonstandard music notation or teaching by rote (reading music is not necessarily required!)
flexible lesson structure
physical supportive accessories
the use of popular music
Individuals that may benefit from an adaptive approach include students that have physical disabilities, ADHD, learning disabilities, TBIs, memory loss, and intellectual and developmental disabilities. Older learners can also benefit from adaptations that address age-related physical, visual, and auditory changes. Adaptive lesson teachers collaborate with students and their guardians to identify and address support needs together.
To summarize, adaptive lesson teachers acknowledge that one approach does not suit all music lesson students. Adaptive teachers bring an open mind to lessons and encourage students to guide the learning process.
If you’re curious to learn more about adaptive lessons on guitar, piano, drums, ukulele, harmonica, or another instrument for you or someone else, let us know!
-Caleb and the team at Wildwood Music Therapy
