Despite the challenges that music teaching presents to teachers in special schools, there is a distinct lack of research-informed discussion regarding Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) music pedagogy. Much of the available research that connects disability and music is from the fields of music therapy, music psychology and neuroscience, and is not aimed at or particularly accessible for teachers. There is also a lack of professional, practical guidance that illustrates effective approaches to practical music teaching that are specific enough to address the degree of severe and profound learning difficulty that pupils in special schools typically present with (Ockelford, 2008).

Based on a doctoral research thesis that examined the efficacy of a skills-based, classroom-based teacher development model in SEND music in the UK, this workshop shares practical examples and suggestions of the Pedagogical Content Knowledge (PCK) required for teaching music to pupils with SEND. Findings from the research thesis indicate that SEND music pedagogy mirrors Early Years music pedagogy (Bremmer, 2021) to some degree, particularly in its child-centred approach. Practical examples will highlight the importance of teachers:

• developing their own active strategies and drawing upon familiar SEND teaching strategies to teach musical concepts
• carefully selecting appropriate and accessible untuned percussion instruments
• using a wide range of non-verbal strategies and cues
• using movement and/or props to support non-verbal strategies and cues
• adapting the pace of singing
• exploring their own vocal sounds and mirroring those of their pupils
• adapting familiar songs and improvising new ones in response to pupil interests and engagement.

This workshop and the doctoral research it is drawn from provides a unique insight into SEND music pedagogy that has the potential to inform teacher development models in music for special school teachers on a larger scale. At present, this is not commonly offered in professional or academic training.

The population of students in today’s learning settings has become increasingly

diverse in a number of ways, including how they learn best. While music

educators are expected and required to find ways to reach every student, they have

received little training or support in pedagogical approaches that include all learners.

This has led to a great deal of frustration among educators, who find themselves struggling to engage and include students with disabilities and diagnoses. It has also led to far too many missed opportunities for

student learning.

The interdisciplinary field of accessible music education addresses this need by

training and supporting music educators in pedagogical approaches that combine

evidence-based practices and principles from special education with evidence-based

teaching strategies in music education. Accessible music pedagogy gives music

teachers the tools that they need to reach every student in music lessons, classes,

and ensembles, no matter how they learn best. The Berklee Institute for Accessible

Arts Education (BIAAE) in Boston, Massachusetts, USA provides a wide range of

professional development resources, workshops, programs, and consultations in

accessible music education.

Through presentation, activities, and facilitated discussion, this workshop will

introduce attendees to accessible music education pedagogy.

Participants will experience some of the ways that music educators learn about key

concepts that are the foundation of accessible music education pedagogy, as well as

about overarching principles from special education that they can incorporate into

planning, implementing, and assessing music learning. Through hands-on activities,

attendees will engage with some of the specific pedagogical strategies of accessible

music education that music educators experience in professional development

sessions and courses. Participating in and thinking deeply about professional

development for music educators in accessible arts education will provide a

springboard for discussion about ways that the field can better prepare and support

music educators to reach every student.