Alice Hammel

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Dr. Alice Hammel, Virginia Music Educator Association Outstanding Educator (2018) and current President Elect of the Virginia Music Educators Association, is a widely known music educator, author, and clinician whose experience in music is extraordinarily diverse. She is a member of the faculty of James Madison University, and has many years of experience teaching instrumental and choral music in public and private schools. Dr. Hammel has put these varied experiences to great use while compiling a large body of scholarly work. She is a co-author for four texts: Teaching Music to Students with Special Needs: A Label-free Approach, Teaching Music to Students with Autism, Winding It Back: Teaching to Individual Differences in Music Classroom and Ensemble Settings, and Teaching Music to Students with Special Needs: A Practical Resource. Dr. Hammel is President of the Council for Exceptional Children – Division for Visual and Performing Arts Education.
Address: Richmond, Virginia

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Carmen Restrepo

UPB - Universidad Pontificia Bolivariana - Medellín

Mary Adamek

The University of Iowa

Austin Scott

University of Nebraska Lincoln

Sandra Yarema

Wayne State University

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Papers by Alice Hammel

Good Teaching on Steroids: Assessments of Music Teaching and Learning with Students on the Autism Spectrum

As the population of school-aged children on the autism spectrum continues to grow, music teacher... more As the population of school-aged children on the autism spectrum continues to grow, music teachers require new tools to assess the music learning, knowledge, and skills of children with autism. Similarly, music teacher educators and supervisors require new forms of assessment in order to assess music teaching with students with autism. This presentation will feature two layers of assessments: A. Assessments of student work/performances by children on the autism spectrum, to be used by music educators, and B. Assessments of pre-service and in-service music educators, to be used by music teacher educators and supervisors. Effective assessment of the music learning of students with autism calls on the practices, strategies, and approaches of effective assessment. By magnifying, deepening, broadening, and further personalizing them, music educators can gain a deeper understanding of what their students with autism know and can do in the music classroom and ensemble. ____________________

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Professional Development Research in General Education

Journal of Music Teacher Education, 2007

Professional development among experienced teachers has been a topic of research for several deca... more Professional development among experienced teachers has been a topic of research for several decades (Fullan, 1999; Lasley, Siedentop, & Yinger, 2006; Smith & Strahan, 2004; Zahorik, 1987). Sarason (1971) noted that, as of the early 1970s, the education community had been reflecting upon professional development for 30 years. This suggests that the study of teacher professional development has been ongoing for more than 65 years. However, research indicates that the profession is not always making connections between research and practice in terms of professional development. A recent study by Choy, Chen, and Bugarin (2006) for the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) found that only 23% of teachers participated in professional development as recommended by reform models and research. This indicates that research-based models of professional development are often not implemented in school systems. Teacher educators are primary stakeholders in the structure of change, and familiarity with current literature regarding professional development is of importance. Therefore, the purpose of this paper is to share results of selected resources on general teacher education regarding professional development for educators. This synthesis of selected studies from general teacher education literature includes a discussion of the role of professional development in school reform and change, the lack of communication between teachers and administrators regarding professional development, concerns regarding a “one-size-fits-all” approach to professional development, research on delivery formats for professional development, professional development that leads to heightened collegiality and collaboration between teachers, and best-practice professional development research. A discussion of the possible connections between research and experiences of music educators is included in each section of the paper.

Preparation for Teaching Special Learners: Twenty Years of Practice

Journal of Music Teacher Education, 2001

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Teaching Music to Students with Special Needs: A Label-Free Approach

Classroom Behavior and Students with Autism

Teaching Music to Students with Autism, 2020

Understanding behavior and the intent of a behavior is key to successfully teaching music to chil... more Understanding behavior and the intent of a behavior is key to successfully teaching music to children with autism. This chapter includes the following topics: child behavior development and autism; typical behavior interventions and strategies used by special educators; outbursts, meltdowns, and other disruptions; and how routine and schedule interact with a student with autism and their behavior. Specific teacher vignettes with strategies are included.

Maintaining Our Proud History of Teaching Music to Students with Disabilities

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Excerpt Kaschub-Chap19

Autism, Sensory Dysfunction, and Music Education

Teaching Music to Students with Autism

Many people with autism struggle with sensory integration challenges. This may have a large impac... more Many people with autism struggle with sensory integration challenges. This may have a large impact on their ability to learn music. This chapter addresses the following topics: understanding sensory challenges; tactile strategies for the music classroom; visual strategies for the music classroom; vestibular and proprioceptive strategies in the music classroom; auditory strategies in the music classroom; sensory motor and motor planning; and how to address self-stimulating sensory behavior in the music classroom. Vignettes from teachers in the field are provided for context.

Understanding Cognition and Students with Autism Spectrum Disorder

Teaching Music to Students with Autism

One of the most unique attributes of students with autism is the distinct way they think. This ch... more One of the most unique attributes of students with autism is the distinct way they think. This chapter sheds light on the cognitive world of students with autism in the music classroom. The following topics are included: theory of mind; central coherence; executive function; joint attention (and cognition); and music cognition and students with autism.

Teaching Music to Students Who Are Intellectually Gifted

Teaching Music to Students with Special Needs

There are students like Hannah in our public schools. They are inquisitive, questioning, exceptio... more There are students like Hannah in our public schools. They are inquisitive, questioning, exceptionally interested, and have a distinct look about them as they learn new information. They are the students who learn difficult concepts instantly and completely. They are the students who can comprehend an entire scope and sequence of a topic, seemingly in an instant. They are also at great risk in our classrooms that are often designed for the average student and offer accommodations for students with other types of special needs. The special needs of students who are intellectually gifted are often delayed, ignored, and denied. For these students, the promise of tomorrow and a teacher who will finally challenge them begins to fade. This reality often sets in during the late elementary and middle school years. While the philosophy of this text has placed importance on encouraging “label-free learning” for students with special needs, there are times when a distinction is necessary. One ...

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Teaching Strategies for Performers with Special Needs

Teaching Music to Students with Special Needs

Because of previously discussed changes in philosophy and policy, the demographics of our perform... more Because of previously discussed changes in philosophy and policy, the demographics of our performing ensembles are constantly changing. Many school districts have moved toward a policy of full inclusion of students with special needs. This has led to an increased number of students with special needs in performing ensembles and has challenged many conductors to find ways to include many students with disabilities who were not previously a part of performing ensembles. In addition, this has forced many conductors to reexamine their underlying philosophy of what it means to be a successful ensemble conductor. The purpose of this chapter is to offer techniques for choral and instrumental conductors who teach performers with special needs and to suggest ideas for consideration for those who are preparing to conduct performing ensembles. These strategies come from extensive work researching, consulting with ensemble conductors, and working with parents of performers with special needs. T...

Poverty, race, disability, and intersectionality and participation in the arts: needed policy changes for the future

Arts Education Policy Review, Apr 4, 2022

Teaching Music to Students with Special Needs

A practical guide & reference manual, Teaching Music to Students with Special Needs addresses spe... more A practical guide & reference manual, Teaching Music to Students with Special Needs addresses special needs in the broadest possible sense to equip teachers with proven, research-based curricular strategies that are grounded in both best practice and current special education law. Chapters address the full range of topics and issues music educators face including parental involvement, student anxiety, field trips and performances, and assessment strategies. The book concludes with an up-to-date section of resources and technology information.

Preparing to Teach

Teaching Music to Students with Special Needs, 2011

There are varying degrees of undergraduate and graduate preparation for students with special nee... more There are varying degrees of undergraduate and graduate preparation for students with special needs. Music educators may have had a general special education class or the opportunity to study topics regarding students with special needs embedded within a music methods course. The topic of students with special needs may have been included in an educational psychology course, or a teaching music to students with special needs course that was part of the curriculum (Heller, 1994, York & Reynolds, 1996). More often than not, music educators have little or no background or instruction in this area (Wilson & McCrary, 1996). Therefore, music educators must be resourceful in gaining insight into the skills, strategies, and understandings that accompany the experience of teaching a student with special needs. Music teacher educators often have little or no preparation as to how to educate future music educators regarding the inclusion of music students with disabilities or how to plan, impl...

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Family Perspectives on Access to Arts Education for Students with Disabilities

Handbook of Arts Education and Special Education, 2017

A Team Approach to Teaching Music to Students with Autism Spectrum Disorder

Teaching Music to Students with Autism, 2020

Successful inclusion of students with autism spectrum disorder into the music classroom depends h... more Successful inclusion of students with autism spectrum disorder into the music classroom depends heavily on the positive relationships formed among general education teachers, music educators, special educators, administrators, paraprofessionals, parents, and students. This chapter includes information regarding learning about students with autism spectrum disorder; establishing relationships with other special educators, therapists, and administrator; establishing relationships with other staff members; participating in meetings (including IEP meetings); understanding how least restrictive environment (LRE) applies to students with autism; and making use of student profiles as data.

Music Teacher Preparation for Teaching Children With Exceptionalities

The Oxford Handbook of Preservice Music Teacher Education in the United States, 2019

This chapter examines a framework for special education teacher preparation within music teacher ... more This chapter examines a framework for special education teacher preparation within music teacher education. According to the National Center for Educational Statistics, as of the 2013–2014 academic year, 6.5 million students representing 13% of all public school children qualify for special education services. This was an increase from 4.7 million, or 11%, in 1990–1991. Music education and special education share similar challenges with teacher preparation. Finding, preparing, and developing a qualified workforce in special education presents one of the field’s biggest challenges. The first logical place to examine pathways to successful preparation for music teachers is the literature focused on teacher preparation in special education. Brownell (2005) proposes a framework for special education teacher preparation that includes crafting impactful field experiences, working together (collaboration), examining outcomes of teacher education, and focusing on inclusion and cultural dive...

Resources for Music Teachers and Music Teacher Educators Regarding Teaching Students with Special Needs

Teaching Music to Students with Special Needs, 2011

The majority of this text has been built around the concept of teaching students with special nee... more The majority of this text has been built around the concept of teaching students with special needs in an inclusive, label-free, environment built around the five areas of music teaching and learning. As mentioned in chapter 1, music teachers must also learn about the challenges a student might be facing in their general or self-contained classroom. This is equally important in learning to teach a student who might be faced with the challenge of a disability. This chapter will consist of three sections. Section 1 is a comprehensive list (as of the publication date) of the standard Internet-based resources for students with a variety of special needs. Section 2 is an up-to-date resource list of practitioner articles, books, and research in the field of teaching students with special needs. The following web-based resources follow the IDEA (2004) categorization of disabilities. Each URL has been tested and reviewed by the authors and editors. http://www.ability.org.uk/autism.html This...

Public School Education within a Democracy

Teaching Music to Students with Special Needs, 2011

The beginning of the school year is a time when situations similar to Mrs. Johnson’s first day oc... more The beginning of the school year is a time when situations similar to Mrs. Johnson’s first day occur. It is when these first lessons go awry that some music teachers first begin to think of their individual students, rather than the collective group. Who is the girl who moves slower than the rest and uses a walker? Who are the students in the small group who come late each day with a teacher to assist them? Who is the boy who bounds down the hall and begins to take down one of the brand new bulletin boards that have just been finished? The answer to the questions above is that they are all our students. They all have a place in our schools and they all deserve to have an education that includes music. As music teachers, we have both the right and responsibility to educate all the students in our schools. We are charged with studying each student who enters our classroom and with providing all students the music education they deserve. To do this, however, we must begin to plan for t...

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A Resourceful and Pedagogical Approach to Teaching Students with Special Needs

Teaching Music to Students with Special Needs, 2011

The vignette regarding Gregory introduces an approach to teaching students with special needs tha... more The vignette regarding Gregory introduces an approach to teaching students with special needs that may be new for many music educators (and music education students). Collegiate students are not always given the opportunity to think critically and constructively about adaptations and accommodations for students with special needs prior to graduation from undergraduate school (Hammel, 1999; Nocera, 1979). Skills developed while brainstorming ideas for students via vignettes may assist music educators as they derive strategies for students with special needs in music classrooms. This skill preparation also introduces the idea of a “team approach” when interacting with faculty, administration, students, and families (Ansuini, 1979; Atterbury, 1993). For these reasons, vignettes are included within the text to encourage this process when preparing to teach students with special needs. The most effective approach when working within a school and school system is to become a part of the e...

Good Teaching on Steroids: Assessments of Music Teaching and Learning with Students on the Autism Spectrum

Download

Professional Development Research in General Education

Journal of Music Teacher Education, 2007

Preparation for Teaching Special Learners: Twenty Years of Practice

Journal of Music Teacher Education, 2001

Download

Teaching Music to Students with Special Needs: A Label-Free Approach

Classroom Behavior and Students with Autism

Teaching Music to Students with Autism, 2020

Maintaining Our Proud History of Teaching Music to Students with Disabilities

Download

Excerpt Kaschub-Chap19

Autism, Sensory Dysfunction, and Music Education

Teaching Music to Students with Autism

Understanding Cognition and Students with Autism Spectrum Disorder

Teaching Music to Students with Autism

Teaching Music to Students Who Are Intellectually Gifted

Teaching Music to Students with Special Needs

Download

Teaching Strategies for Performers with Special Needs

Teaching Music to Students with Special Needs

Poverty, race, disability, and intersectionality and participation in the arts: needed policy changes for the future

Arts Education Policy Review, Apr 4, 2022

Teaching Music to Students with Special Needs

Preparing to Teach

Teaching Music to Students with Special Needs, 2011

Download

Family Perspectives on Access to Arts Education for Students with Disabilities

Handbook of Arts Education and Special Education, 2017

A Team Approach to Teaching Music to Students with Autism Spectrum Disorder

Teaching Music to Students with Autism, 2020

Music Teacher Preparation for Teaching Children With Exceptionalities

The Oxford Handbook of Preservice Music Teacher Education in the United States, 2019

Resources for Music Teachers and Music Teacher Educators Regarding Teaching Students with Special Needs

Teaching Music to Students with Special Needs, 2011

Public School Education within a Democracy

Teaching Music to Students with Special Needs, 2011

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A Resourceful and Pedagogical Approach to Teaching Students with Special Needs

Teaching Music to Students with Special Needs, 2011

Living at the Intersection of Tablets, Music, and Disability

by Jesse Rathgeber and Alice Hammel

Creative music making at your fingertips: A mobile technology guide for music educators , 2021

The chapter considers potential possibilities and pitfalls encountered by music learners and scho... more The chapter considers potential possibilities and pitfalls encountered by music learners and scholar-practitioners when using tablet-based technologies for music making and learning. The authors address this question by providing a nuanced, anti-ableist, and balanced discussion of issues that arise at the intersection of adaptive and tablet-based technologies, music learning and making, and disability. First, the chapter highlights applications and approaches discussed elsewhere in the volume, addressing their potentials for fostering adaptive, inclusive, equitable, and meaningful music learning and making with and for disabled musickers/musickers with disabilities (DM/MwD) that can include tablets. Then the authors draw on theoretical perspectives indigenous to discourses about disability studies to problematize these resources, calling attention to potentially negative implications related to autonomy, extracurricular advancement, and othering rooted in and affirming ableism. The chapter concludes with questions and suggestions to assist music learners and scholar-practitioners in navigating the intersections and interactions of tablet-based technologies, use of apps, music learning and making, and disability. anti-ableism, ableism, adaptive technology, tablets, apps and disability.

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