Numbers & Jammin'

by Mae S.
(Brighton, Mass, USA)

Hi all, I've worked with three autistic students and each had a different learning style. I did have to work fast and stay a step ahead to keep them focused.

-One girl learned very quickly with numbers, like 3-2-1-2-3-3-3, etc. (Mary Had a Little Lamb)

-A boy learned by ear very fast and liked to invent his own melodies, which we then wrote down with letter names.

-The other boy (largely nonverbal) loved jammin' duets with 12-bar blues.. We'd start on C chord, then I'd call out "F," then G" etc. He liked to change the rhythms and tempos but was always steady. Sometimes he took the bass, other times treble. We had great fun rockin' out!