Project title: AutisMUSIC: An innovative Music Toolkit for children with autism to improve their emotional, motivational, interpersonal and social responsiveness

Project number:  2023-1-PL01-KA220-SCH-000155287

Program: Erasmus+ (KA210-SCH -Small-scale cooperation for school education)

Coordinator: Wyższa Szkoła Biznesu i Nauk o Zdrowiu

Duration: 01.10.2023 -30.09.2025

Webpage: https://autismusic.eu/ 

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61555699756116 

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/autismusic24/ 

 

 

 

 

 

Description:

Children affected by autism suffer from direct and indirect consequences related to their deficits, such as phobias, loneliness, fear and anxiety, and social maladjustment. School is their immediate environment, after the family, which contributes to peer involvement and social development and integration. However, teachers do not feel confident working with these children to develop their functional skills and reach their full potential. The permissive nature of music is a non-threatening social experience that helps children with autism interact with others and improve their communication skills, sensory integration, socialization and emotional self-regulation cognitive development.  Musical activities such as singing, rhythmics, creative movement and dance can initiate and sustain social communication and interaction between children with autism and their peers. Music can also be used as an integrating force because it is associated with emotional tolerance and acceptance.

With this in mind, we have embarked on the autisMUSIC project, the main goal of which will be to create an innovative set of tools that teacher trainers will use to train teachers (including student teachers, music teachers, mainstream school teachers, special education teachers, etc.), and to provide them with the tools they need.  Experienced partner organizations, especially certified music therapists from AMUSED and STANDO, will lead the creation of a toolkit that will provide teachers with all the accessories to confidently and effectively motivate the inclusion of these children through stimulating and inspiring musical interventions in which their physical, emotional, cognitive and social needs and functional responses.

 

Planned project activities:

OBJECTIVE 1: Identify gaps and map the needs and challenges of music interventions for children with autism in mainstream schools music for children with autism in mainstream schools using desk research (academic literature, research papers, good practices, etc.).

OBJECTIVE 2: Create an innovative music toolkit for teachers working with children with autism to provide them with all the knowledge, skills and core competencies to effectively promote their well-being by improving their emotional, motivational, interpersonal and social responsiveness, and social responsiveness

OBJECTIVE 3: Pilot test the AutisMUSIC toolkit with teacher trainers, teachers and their children with autism to assess its relevance, effectiveness and impact

OBJECTIVE 4: Disseminate the project's toolkit and results to education and autism stakeholders, and promote its sustainability and replication among policymakers.

its sustainability and replication among policymakers to encourage them to include such an innovative initiative in their education policy programs.

 

Partner institutions in the project:

• Kornel Makuszynski Elementary School No. 11 with Integrative Branches  - Poland
• MUS.ED. AMALGAMATE MUSIC EDUCATION LTD - Cyprus
• Sina Svetulka - The Republic of North Macedonia
• Escola B1PERancho e Caldeira - Portugal
• STANDO LTD  - Cyprus

 

Contact the country coordinator: j.wisniewski@wsbinoz.pl