Music Therapy
Head of Department: Bronte Arns
Bronte is a registered Music Therapist and member of the National Council of the Australian Music Therapy Association (AMTA). Currently working across the classes in the K to 6 program, she also coordinates projects across the school and supervises students from registered Music Therapy tertiary courses. She has presented papers on music therapy and autism spectrum disorders at a number of national conferences. Outside of Giant Steps she has run early intervention music therapy programs through Sing ‘n' Grow, a federal government funded initiative to help build stronger families across Australia.
Music therapy is able to address the core deficits of autism – social skills, communication and imaginative play – through methods that are both planned and spontaneous. It also encourages social orientation and the building of positive relationships with adults and peers. However, its key importance is in the way it combines with teaching to optimise learning across varied settings. The Music Therapist uses music in a deliberate and creative way to attain and maintain the child’s health and well-being, and it may also address physical, psychological, emotional, cognitive and social needs according to the child’s Individual Program (IP) goals.
Giant Steps employs four registered Music Therapists who work with all the children from the youngest in Early Learning through to the older students in the Secondary Program.
At Giant Steps you will find a range of music therapy activities:
- Singing and/or voice work
- Instrument playing
- Creative improvisation
- Song composition
- Dancing and movement
- Storytelling through music
- Listening to different styles of music
Music Therapists may also work alongside Speech Therapists and Occupational Therapists to run combined sessions such as “Sing and Speak”, “Music and Move” or drama groups. Music has also been used to support children struggling to cope with hair cutting, applying sunscreen and learning daily life skills such as brushing teeth and grooming hair.
Students are also exposed to music in the wider cultural community by visiting places of interest including the Sydney Opera House. As well, professional performing groups regularly visit the school, inviting group participation in music-making.
