The use of music therapy to improve the communication of children with Autism Spectrum Disorder in Specialized Open Classrooms

Abstract

The benefits of music therapy for children with Autism Spectrum Disorder, have been widely demonstrated by different authors, although we lack sufficient literature on its use in Specialized Open Classrooms in mainstream schools (classrooms TEA). The objective was to analyze the improvements that music therapy brings to the development of communication in students with Autism Spectrum Disorder within the Open Classrooms of CEIPs of Castilla-La Mancha and the Autonomous Community of Madrid. To do this, an extensive literature review of reference sources was done and teachers responsible for the Open Classrooms Specialized activities using musictherapy as a resource in the classroom were interviewed. Conclusions: there is little integration of music therapy in the classroom TEA (less than 20% of the centers); when activities are planned Musictherapy is taken into account to know the preferences and musical history of the child. However, there are factors that impede the full exploitation of the therapeutic potential of music therapy. The reasons: a) poor teacher training; b) inadequate space to implement a music therapy session.