Teacher Resources

Improvisation ideas and alternative notation for pupils who do not read and more. Read about the benefits experienced by learning disabled people when they have been given the opportunity to play a musical instrument. See what has been done by others.

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Join in discussions and share ideas about teaching and learning musical instruments for and by the learning disabled. Encourage others with your success stories.

The Music Teacher's Companion: a practical guide

Paul Harris and Richard Crozier
Published 2000 by the Associated Board of the Royal Schools of Music
ISBN 1 86096 219 X

This is a valuable book for all instrumental teachers who wish to assess and improve their teaching skills.

It is particularly relevant for teachers who want to extend their teaching to include students with learning difficulties. Important areas dealt with from this perspective include: how to adapt your teaching methods to students of different ages and abilities, motivation, and the teaching of aural skills.

I found the section on improvising and composing especially useful because these skills hold the key to playing successfully without the need to read written notation.

This book contains much invaluable material and it is written in a very readable and accessible way.