Our music therapists work with students in self-contained special education classrooms, integrated P-12 programs, transition programs (students ages 18-22), and behavioral and emotional support classrooms as a tier 1 integrated service. 

Here are some examples of the ways one of our music therapists may address specific skill/domain areas in a music therapy session:

• For a student developing communication skills in the form of self-help and advocacy skills: A music therapist may write a “social song” – based off of the Social Story ™ format – that sequentially outlines steps to ask for help, creating a song form that models each step in a call-and-response style format for the student to actively engage with the social material within the structure of a song.

• For a student who is developing physical core strength and crossing midline: The music therapist may consult with a physical therapist or occupational therapist about the use of pre-recorded music with a specific meter or tempo to support a student’s gestural movements.

• For a student with speech and language needs in the area of articulation: The music therapist may use melodic intonation to create a music-supported approach to enunciation and the formation of specific oral motor shapes and sounds. 

• For a self-contained special education classroom: A music therapist may push-in — or provide services in the classroom for the entire student body — to support the classroom’s curriculum. For example, the music therapist can create musical mnemonics for remembering ways to greet a friend or teacher that students are then able to actively practice with each other in a structured, music-centered format. 

• In the role of a consultant: The music therapist can collaborate with the classroom teacher and educational team to identify classroom themes to incorporate within the group music therapy session, universal areas of need amongst students within the classroom, or specific students benefiting from additional support that the music therapist can provide resources to within the group classroom environment, as a pull-out (1:1) session, or create pre-recorded materials with implementation directives to share with educational team to implement in the natural classroom environment.