The purpose of this study was to examine possible relationships between the extent of high-level violin performers' movement during performance and evaluators' perceptions of their musicality. Stimuli were 10 excerpts of solo violin performances from the 2015 "Tadeusz Wronski International Violin Competition for Solo Violin," selected to…

While inclusive education is an admirable ideal, it is often difficult to implement. Successful educators have found that employing certain instructional strategies can help meet the needs of students with varying abilities. Inclusive teaching strategies refer to any number of teaching approaches that address the needs of students with a variety…

Much of what is communicated in the classroom is through nonverbal means. Sending appropriate nonverbal signals, as well as recognizing and interpreting the nonverbal signals of others, are essential features of the learning process. Students' abilities to encode and decode nonverbal communication have the potential to affect all aspects of their…

Most music educators have little experience or preparation in teaching students with severe intellectual disabilities. Increasing diversity in our schools will require music educators to teach students whose needs exceed those typically found in the music class or ensemble. Facilitating their inclusion in a music program can be immensely rewarding…

On December 10, 2015, President Obama signed the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) (P.L. 114-95), legislation which reauthorizes the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965, and replaces the widely criticized No Child Left Behind Act. After various versions were offered, rejected, or revised, the ESSA ultimately passed both chambers of…

Students come to the music classroom with different educational readiness, learning styles, abilities, and preferences. In addition to these learner differences, classrooms in the United States are becoming more linguistically and culturally diverse each year. Differentiated instruction is an approach to teaching and learning that allows for these…

The purpose of this article is to discuss the need for teaching tolerance in music classrooms, as well as the role of music educators in preventing discrimination and promoting tolerance of all targeted groups, but particularly in regard to students with disabilities. Also addressed are curricular implications, suggestions for dealing with abusive…

As music educators, we can do much to promote the image of students with disabilities in our schools by using appropriate terminology in our teaching and communications with others. For music educators who are already aware of the various reference conventions related to persons with disabilities, perhaps you can do more to educate your students…

A number of initiatives in special education have occurred in the United States over the years, some mandated by amendments to the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act. Having a working knowledge of these initiatives allows music educators to have informed discussions with colleagues and parents and participate more fully in Individualized…

To be culturally responsive teachers, we must first have an understanding of other cultures and how students from these cultures differ from one another. As we consider the many cultures represented in our classrooms, we might also consider students with disabilities as a cultural group. Within any main culture are subgroups differentiated by…

The main adaptations that will be made for music students with physical disabilities are those that make the classroom accessible and those that make classroom instruments accessible. There are a number of principles to guide one when selecting instruments for students with physical disabilities. These principles can assist one in determining the…

The following article includes general information on the Common Core State Standards, how the standards apply to the music and academic education of students with disabilities, and web resources that will helpful to music educators teaching students with and without disabilities.

Over the past decade, increasing numbers of students with disabilities have been placed in public school music ensemble classes. Participating in performance groups is an important part of students' music education. All students deserve the opportunity to make music and to experience the thrill of playing or singing with others. When students with…

There are a number of disabilities that music educators may never encounter among their students in the music classroom; however, all music educators will have students with learning disabilities. Students with learning disabilities may have a variety of "presenting problems" that limit their academic and social success in the music classroom. The…

Paraprofessionals, sometimes referred to as teachers' aides, often referred to as simply "paras," are a critical component of special education programs. They can play an important role in music classrooms as well. Their responsibilities may include providing instructional support in small groups or to individual students, modifying teaching…