10 Engaging Piano Songs for the Neurodivergent Student
Neurodiversity - "refers to diversity in the human brain and cognition, for instance in sociability, learning, attention, mood, and other mental functions" (Wikipedia & VeryWellMind.com)
If you have not come across a student yet who is neurodivergent, you absolutely will. You may not even be aware that some of your students are in fact neurodivergent! ADHD, autism, ADD, and other diagnoses fall under this umbrella.
As with any piano student, neurodiverse students have specific needs when it comes to learning music. In this post, I have gathered my top strategies and songs for the neurodiverse student population.
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Understanding Neurodiversity
Understanding neurodiversity and its unique nature is crucial to teaching to your students' individual needs. For example, choosing songs that are above their current level trigger anxiety and overstimulation for my students on the spectrum. Choosing too lengthy of pieces is setting up my students with ADHD for having difficulty, only because it takes them longer than my neurotypical students to work through a piece.
You want to make sure the songs you choose for neurodivergent students set them up for success and play into their strengths. Here is some criteria that I use when choosing fun repertoire for my students with neurodiverse needs.
What to Look for in Fun Songs for Neurodivergent Students
A healthy amount of white space. Songs that have too many symbols and notes easily become overstimulating. A simple and clean appearance goes a long way!
Large notes in large measures. We've all come across those songs with notes so tiny it makes it difficult to read--NOBODY likes to learn from pieces like this!
Structure. I've found that many of my students with neurodivergent needs crave consistency and structure. When songs have clear ABA patterns or repetitive (block or broken) chords in either hand, students can move more easily through a piece without getting frustrated and discouraged.
Realistic page amount and difficulty. When I pull out a piece and I see those student eyes get really wide, I know that I just pulled out a song that was either too long, or too difficult--triggering a lot of anxiety and overwhelm. Fun songs should be short and easy compared to their method book levels.
10 Engaging Piano Songs for the Neurodivergent Student
1. "A Sky Full of Stars" [beginner] Sheet Music by Chrissy Ricker - Piano Solo
2. "Beauty and the Beast" [beginner] Sheet Music by PianoSSam - Beginner Notes
3. "Let It Go" [beginner] Sheet Music by PianoSSam - Beginner Notes
4. "He's a Pirate" Sheet Music by Klaus Badelt - Easy Piano
5. "Hedwig's Theme" Sheet Music from Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone - Easy Piano
6. "Star Wars (Main Theme)" Sheet Music from Star Wars - Big Note, Easy Piano/Big Note;Easy Piano
7. "Super Mario Bros. Main Theme" [beginner] Sheet Music by PianoSSam - Beginner Notes
9. "Theme from Jurassic Park" Sheet Music from Jurassic Park - Big Note, Easy Piano/Big Note;Easy Piano
10. "Take Me Out to the Ball Game" [easy] Sheet Music by Chrissy Ricker - Piano Solo
Neurodivergent students share a lot of the same needs that your neurotypical students have. Still, furthering your understanding in their unique skillset and mental processes will allow you to improve their music education experience.
Don't be afraid to ask their parents or caregivers questions that will help you understand them better. When you turn to them for answers regarding their child, you are showing them that you care and asking to work as a team to provide the best quality education for their child.
And if you find yourself using Musicnotes as often as I am for your students, I highly recommend looking into their Musicnotes Pro Membership! Making the switch a couple of years ago has saved me so much money through their 15% member discount and exclusive member coupons. The membership also allows you to download the song in EVERY available key--which has been amazing for simplifying a song to become more playable for a student.
I hope you found this helpful! For game-specific ideas for your neurodivergent students, check out my previous blog post: Your Personal Neurodivergent Toolset!
As always, stay tuned!
(pun unapologetically intended)
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