Recommended Reading
Including Deaf / Hard of hearing students in instrumental music
Music is a valuable asset to deaf students learning as “the elements such as rhythm, accents, tempo and repetition support the structure of language learning as well as developing social skills and co-ordination” (Hash). It is fair to say that music is just as valuable to the deaf and hearing impaired as it is to the hearing. In order to understand a deaf students needs it is important for me to consider the following areas – the teaching environment, instrument suitability, teaching methods (both individually and group), and exam provisions.
The Teaching Environment
Before teaching a deaf or hearing impaired student, it is important that I understand their needs not only in regards to my teaching methods but when considering the teaching environment. It is important that a student with hearing difficulties, as with a hearing student, feels comfortable in the teaching environment and the environment “allows them to be successful” (Hash). This means taking into consideration the quality and suitability of the teaching room.
“Extraneous sounds both outside and inside the classroom must be eliminated in order for the pupils to take advantage of residual hearing” (Hash)
This may mean sound proofing the room or simply getting rid of all unnecessary noise from the next room or from heaters, air conditioning and lights, so that the student can focus purely on the lesson. Depending on the students level of hearing it may be necessary for them to lip read or sign, in which case there will need to be adequate lighting.
Choosing an instrument
“Instrument selection will be a key factor in determining the success of Deaf and Hard of hearing musicians”. Some instruments will inevitably be easier for a deaf or hard of hearing students but this should not rule out other instruments. In his article about teaching instrumental music to the deaf and hard of hearing, Phillip M Hash states “Stringed instruments such as the violin and cello should not be considered as the intonation may be too difficult for deaf and hard of hearing students to master”. The instruments recommended by Zinar (1987) are the harp and the guitar, harp as it is played close to the ear and guitar as it is held close to the body so the child will be able to feel the vibrations of the instrument.
As a string teacher, I feel that it is important that the child decides the instrument that they want to play and has the opportunity to play whatever they wish, whether they can hear or have a hearing impairment. When interviewing a young violin student about her experiences as a child with profound deafness who continues to successfully learn the violin she said:
“When I first started to learn to play the violin/piano, I found it really hard to hear the notes and to play the violin and wanted to give up, but I decided to continue and I eventually got used to the sound and play nearly all the time now, and can recognise the sounds that I am playing”. It will obviously take a while for hearing aid users them to develop their hearing to recognise sounds and relate them to objects and similarly relate notes to pitches but it can be done and although some instruments may be easier for the deaf to learn than others, all should be accessible.
Teaching Methods
Deaf and hearing impaired will learn music through visual, tactile and kinaesthetic methods rather than the usual auditory methods (singing and listening)(Hash). As with any student, hearing or hearing impaired, it is always important, as a teacher, to work with their strengths as well as strengthening their weaknesses. Deaf and hearing impaired students will often have or develop capabilities beyond hearing students in areas such as keeping pulse, but may be less successful in reproducing rhythmic patterns (Hash). As with any student it is important that the teaching methods and activities are adapted to suit each individuals needs.
The most helpful teaching methodologies when teaching music to the deaf and hard of hearing are Dalcroze Eurythmics and the Orff Method (Theresa L. Kestner, Central Institute for the Deaf, 2001).
“The Dalcroze approach to music education teaches an understanding of music’s fundamental concepts, its expressive meaning, and its deep connections to other arts and human activities through a path breaking approach incorporating rhythmic movement, aural training , vocal and instrumental improvisation” (Dalcroze Society Of America). Eurythmics teaches musical elements of rhythm, structure and expression through movement. Phrasing, dynamics and pitch awareness can be determined through hand gestures and body movements. It is worthwhile for all music students of any age to internalise music and its elements through movement as a means to expressing themselves. When I interviewed Emily Galton about her experience in learning music through her deafness, I asked – Do your music lessons involve music or dancing? She responded “My teacher helped me to learn rhythms and understand pulse by clapping my hands and moving like a conductor. The one thing I found particularly tricky was playing rhythms correctly – I often played too slow or too fast – I still have that problem but not as much as when I was younger” The fact that she has less of a problem now that she is older means she has developed an understanding internally of rhythm and pulse. As I have never had a direct experience of Dalcroze in my musical education it would be worthwhile for me to attend teacher training in this area if I were to begin working with deaf and hard of hearing students, in order for me to fulfil its true assets as a methodology within my teaching.
Orff’s approach to teaching is very similar to that of Dalcroze. Orff believed that rhythm is the most important part of music, as this is what movement, speech and music all have in common. “Orff’s thought was that a transition from speech to rhythmic activities and then to song was the most natural for a child.”(Carl Orff the Music Educator) Using the Orff method, speech is used to help a student understand meter, accents, anacrusis and rhythmic patterns. This approach may have helped Emily in her ability to learn understand rhythms – by relating them to words or sentences that match the rhythm.
Implications for the teacher
When teaching a deaf of hard of hearing student, there are several general points to consider when delivering a lesson as they may need more careful attention that they may normally be given.
- When talking always face the student, keep eye contact and stand still
- Speak slowly and preferably use a low pitched voice
- Use gestures, signals and visual aids
- Use formative assessment more frequently than usual to ensure pupil understanding
Group teaching
Group teaching and ensemble playing can have huge benefits for the deaf and hearing impaired children. It allows them to interact and includes them socially with others as well as potentially being hugely inspiring. Although, when teaching a group with hearing impaired students involved it is important to make sure that they are positioned near to the teacher so that they can lip read if they need to. It is also important that they are positioned so that their hearing aid is facing the group. In small groups it would be a good idea to sit in a semicircle so that the child can see the faces of all other members of the group to lip read.
Examinations
With a hearing student it is common practice to enter them for grade exams to help them progress, but are these exams suitable for deaf and hard of hearing students? When researching this, I found that the Associated Board of The Royal Schools of Music have special provisions for deaf and hearing impaired candidates. The Board states “We are happy to consider each student individually, if their needs are not covered by our standard arrangements.” They also state “Whilst we are able to make provisions for the administration of the exam, e.g. extra time or alternative tests, we will not be able to make any concessions in the marking – all candidates will be treated equally.” For Aural tests candidates may chose to stand wherever they wish (as long as they cannot see the piano), request specific ranges on the piano and respond in a wider variety of ways to questions – including tapping and clapping rather than just verbal answers.
