What Happens When Children with Disabilities Turn to the Arts
Children with learning disabilities such as ADHD, dyslexia, and autism have needs that are different than that of their peers without learning disabilities. They require different techniques to help them heal, learn, and grow. Enrolling them in special education programs can help them learn at their own pace so that they can catch up when they’re ready.
One often-neglected aspect of education is arts education. When school funding gets cut, it’s usually the arts programs that get slashed. Art classes are deemed unnecessary because students are not learning academic subjects. But as former President John F. Kennedy mentioned, we are contributing to the human spirit. We’re enhancing our own spirits when we practice art. Research has shown that arts education leads to positive development in academics, community involvement, social behavior, and communication skills. Art makes a positive contribution to child development, and the benefits go beyond what is discussed here.
So how does this affect kids with disabilities? When children have learning disabilities, the priority becomes their non-extracurricular education — trying to get them up to speed with reading, writing, and arithmetic. For kids with disabilities, art can be the subject in which they excel compared to their peers. Art therapy could become a part of your child’s Individualized Education Plan, which is an educational plan developed for each child in special education. If your child’s educator isn’t incorporating art therapy into the plan, then you’re the advocate who needs to make sure that it happens.
Art can:
Be the thing that helps them cope and adapt, and in turn, it can help them perform better in other subjects.
Build the confidence that they need to feel worthy.
Provide a creative outlet.
Be a communication channel for children who have trouble with self-expression and have emotions that are hard to speak out loud.
Provide insight into a child’s mind for the teacher, parent, or therapist who is trying to break through.
Teach them how to adapt and use their imagination, both of which can apply to other situations.
Art can actually help them learn better, and isn’t learning what they need the most? There are many ways that children with disabilities can get involved in the arts. Visual art can include painting and drawing. Crafting includes sculpting and modeling out of clay, pottery, 3D paper art, jewelry making, and many more activities. Performance art can be music, dance, and acting. Writing can include short stories, scripts, poetry, and personal essays. All of these forms of artistic expression are beneficial for children, especially those with learning disabilities.
Like all art, music can take a bit of getting into -- or it can be an instantaneous connection. Whether children are playing or listening to it, music is beneficial for child development. It can help with language skills, social skills, motor abilities, auditory skills, memory, focus, and well-being. Children are usually introduced to music through lullabies and banging on objects like they’re drums. Although young children tend to be drawn to percussion instruments, you can help them select the right instrument and enroll in music lessons. To help your child select an instrument that they love, take them to a music store in your area and let them explore. If they’re already interested in a certain instrument, you can find inexpensive used pieces online.
If you discover that you have a knack for teaching your child about the arts, consider bringing others into the fold. By teaching classes or giving lessons on playing a musical instrument, for example, you could open up a whole new world to a child who may not have an opportunity to experience it otherwise. Of course, it’s always important to protect yourself and your fledgling business before you head down this path. Map out a business plan and learn about the different ways you can legally register your business (many new business owners opt to register as an LLC, for example). After you have these bases covered, you can begin sharing with others!
Art can be practiced at home as well as in school. Get your child started with coloring books, paint supplies, and clay -- the rest will soon follow. Don’t limit your child to any one form of art. Allow them to experiment so they can find what’s best for their development.
-Jenna Sherman
For more supportive information on how parents can set our next generation up for success, visit the Malachi Global Foundation’s website, or visit our store for books, DVDs, and more helpful resources.
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