Improve how you coach students on the spectrum by using these teaching strategies for singers with autism.

People with autism often enjoy an intense and powerful connection with music.

However, several factors can impact the extent to which they engage with singing lessons in a studio environment.

Here are some strategies from Dr Shannon Coates to help you create a singing space where people with autism flourish.

Dr Coates has a Doctorate of Musical Arts in Vocal Performance Specialising in Voice Pedagogy and spoke to the Singing Teachers Talk podcast.

But first, what is autism?

Autism is a condition that affects how people interact and communicate. People with autism process sensory information differently and may be over or under-sensitive to noises, tastes, textures, bright lights or colours.

Autistic people often struggle to interpret visual and aural cues such as facial expressions, body language and tone of voice. 

What does autism look like in the voice studio? 

A neurotypical person who walks into your studio may fleetingly notice the temperature of the room, the cat sitting in the corner, the quality of the lighting and the sound of a siren outside. 

But they’ll quickly filter these things out (probably without even knowing they’re doing it) and focus on the lesson.

However, an autistic person may be unable to block any of these sensations out. Even though they love singing and you as a teacher, their senses are overwhelmed. 

As a result, you may read their behaviour as:

• Disengaged and unfocused.
  
  
• Expressionless. People with autism don’t always express their emotions in the way you might expect.
  
  
• Rude. They may fail to make eye contact or mirror your expressions. When you smile at them, they may not smile back.
  
  
• Defiant. If they’re experiencing sensory overload, an autistic person may be unable to process what you’re asking them to do.

 

You may observe some of these behaviours in a student and assume they’re ignoring you or (if they’re children) ‘naughty’.

But they’re not being difficult or arrogant; they’re just processing all the information in the room around them in a way that is different to your experience.

Strategies for teaching singers with autism

Structured lessons

Last-minute changes or surprises can throw people with autism, so structure and routine are essential. Create a clear lesson plan and stick to it.

Be specific 

Don’t use ambiguous language, as autistic people struggle to understand inference. Instead, be explicit with instructions or observations. 

When a lesson is over, don’t ask, ‘Shall we wind things up?’ Instead, say, ‘It’s the end of the lesson; it’s time for you to go.’

This may go against your concept of good manners, but as Dr Coates says, “Clarity is kindness”. 

“Autistic people often don’t understand what’s expected of them,” Dr Coates says. “They spend a lifetime trying to figure out the rules, especially around social behaviours.”

Demonstrate

Autistic people often struggle with proprioception. “They may not have an internal sense of what their body is doing or know what their body needs.”

Hence, asking an autistic student what they felt or noticed during an exercise may be futile. 

Instead, demonstrate. For example, if you want them to think about tongue placement or posture, show them what you mean.

Don’t assume

A student with autism may look blank when singing but don’t jump to the conclusion that they’re bored witless.

“To you it looks like they’re not engaging and maybe you perceive that they don’t like singing or taking lessons,” Dr Coates says. 

“But, in fact, they may love it; it’s just that they are engaging in a slightly different way.”

Teach body language

Many autistic people don’t understand or feel the connection between emotions and expression. As a result, they may find it difficult to bring a character to life. Hence, it may be helpful to explain body language in detailed terms.

Dr Coates says: “Look at recordings of professionals singing and break it down. Say: ‘What is their mouth doing here? What are their eyebrows doing? Where is their hand? Which way is it facing? What are their knees doing?’.

“Break it down and then stand in front of a mirror and appropriate so they can see it and feel it.

“This explicitness can be really useful in helping them understand what they’re doing and that they have other choices.”

Learn more

Listen to the full interview with Dr Coates on the Singing Teachers Talk podcast here.

Further listening

Check out an earlier episode of the podcast, where Colin McGee discusses teaching singers with ADHD