UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHAMPTON FACULTY OF SOCIAL AND HUMAN SCIENCES School of Education Introducing Music Therapy Techniques into Early Years Special Needs Education for Young Children with Autism in China by Li Hao Thesis for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy January 2018 ABSTRACT UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHAMPTON ABSTRACT FACULTY OF SOCIAL AND HUMAN SCIENCES School of Education Thesis for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy INTRODUCING MUSIC THERAPY TECHNIQUES INTO EARLY YEARS SPECIAL NEEDS EDUCATION FOR YOUNG CHILDREN WITH AUTISM IN CHINA by Li Hao This research thesis explores the introduction of a musical intervention (Developing Communication Through Music, DCTM) for young children with autism in China. The intervention was designed to combine techniques from both music therapy and Intensive Interaction in order to support the development of children whose social communication and social abilities are impaired. There is evidence about the effectiveness of both these techniques in the UK and other countries, but no such evidence in China. This research therefore represents the first systematic exploration of an intervention combining music therapy with Intensive Interaction in the cultural context of China, where these techniques are rare and where teacher training for autism is under-developed. Using the established principles of action research this study aimed to explore how DCTM musical intervention could be implemented within the current educational system in one community centre. The action focused on the introduction of DCTM in two cycles, first with the DCTM implemented by the researcher (a music therapist) and the second implemented by local staff. The goal was to improve understanding of how music can be used to help young children with autism in tandem with brining about beneficial change for young children and the adults communicating with and teaching them. There were multiple methods used when collecting data, the most important of which included video recordings, field notes and reflective journals regarding key children, which were all systematically analysed in relationship to the learning for the children and staff. Video recording and informal discussion were the main methods based on the merging principles of Nordoff- Robbins and Intensive Interaction. The young children with autism responded differently to the methods and approach of DCTM in this project. In particular, the children responded better in cycle 1 than in cycle 2. Upbeat music had a particularly positive impact in terms of social communication and sharing attention. The researcher and local staff faced considerable challenges when incorporating the new techniques into their daily teaching. The findings indicate that participating teachers need more help to develop musical and intervention skills and make the necessary micro-adjustments needed to engage and hold the children's interest. Additionally, teacher training would need to incorporate relevant DCTM competencies. If this can be achieved, then more children with autism, or children with similar difficulties, could benefit from DCTM. The action research process, findings, and supporting data, suggest that the local educators may be positively influenced by this innovative method. Table of Contents Table of Contents Table of Contents …………………………………………………………………………………………………………….i Table of Tables, Figures, Images and Music Scores………………………………………………………….vii Academic Thesis: Declaration Of Authorship…………………………………………………………………..xii Acknowledgements……………………………………………………………………………………………………….xiii Chapter 1 Introduction….………………………………………………………………………………………………..1 1.1 A preliminary description of the research study……………………………………………………....1 1.2 Personal and professional context of researcher……………………………………………………..4 1.3 The purpose of the study, aims and research question…………………………………………….6 2. Overview of the thesis…………………………………………………………………………..………………..8 Chapter 2 Literature Review………………………………………………………………………………………….10 2.1 Purpose, scope and structure of the literature review……………………………………………10 2.2 Introduction to Music Therapy……………………………………………………………………………….10 2.2.1 Definition of music therapy…………………………………………………………………………..11 2.2.2 Different models of music therapy and music education ……………………………..13 2.2.3 Nordoff-Robbins approach……………………………………………………………………………16 2.2.4 Case study of music therapy with young autistic children……………………………..19 2.3 Autism and interventions……………………………………………………………………………………….25 2.3.1 TEACCH …………………………………………………………………………………………………………28 2.3.2 Orff-Schulwerk IMT……………………………………………………………………………………….29 2.3.3 Nordoff-Robbins IMT…………………………………………………………………………………….31 2.3.4 Intensive Interaction……………………………………………………………………………………..32 i Table of Contents 2.4 Features of Autism………………………………………………………………………………………………….33 2.4.1 Definition of Autism Spectrum Disorders……………………………………………..........33 2.4.2 Characteristics of communication impairments……………………………………........35 2.4.3 Social interaction…………………………………………………………………………………………..36 2.4.4 Sensory processing ……………………………………………………………………………………….37 2.5 Core learning needs for young children with autism……………………………………………….37 2.5.1 Communication development in children with autism………………………………….38 2.5.2 Imitation………………………………………………………………………………………………………..39 2.5.3 Initiation………………………………………………………………………………………………………..42 2.5.4 Turn-Taking……………………………………………………………………………………………………44 2.5.5 Joint attention……………………………………………………………………………………………….45 2.6 Music, music therapy, autism and special education……………………………………………..46 2.6.1 Music therapy goals and autism in special education……………………………………47 2.6.2 Children with autism as candidates to benefit from music …………………………..49 2.6.3 Challenges of introducing music therapy into special needs classroom teaching in China…………………………………………………………………….……………………………….…50 2.6.4 Methodological matters ………………………………….………………………………………….…57 Chapter 3: Research Approach………………………………………………………………………………………61 3.1 Introduction of methods and methodology…………………………….……………………………..61 3.2 Positioning, purpose of action research and overview…………………………………….……..62 3.3 Quality of data…………………………………………………….………………………………………………….67 3.4 Overview of the action research plan………………………………………………………………………69 3.5 Participants recruitment………………………………………………………………………….………………71 ii Table of Contents 3.6 Development Communication Through Music (DCTM) intervention………………………74 3.6.1 Designing DCTM Protocols……………….………………………………………………………..….74 3.6.2 Deciding on materials for use in DCTM………………………………………………………….75 3.6.3 Educational implications and music therapy techniques for designing DCTM protocols……………………………………………….…………………………………………………….76 3.7 The action research cycles……………………………………………………………….…………..………..80 3.8 Methods of data collection…………………………………………………………………………………….84 3.8.1 Focus groups…………………………………………………………………………………………………86 3.8.2 Document and informal conversation obtaining –children’s data………………..88 3.8.3 Field notes and Journals………………………………………………………………………………..88 3.8.4 Systematic observation and participants/nonparticipants observation………..90 3.8.5 Using video and audio recordings…………………………………………………….……………92 3.9 Data analysis………………………………………………………………..………………………….……………..95 3.10 Trustworthness and crediability of data…………………………………………………….…………98 Chapter 4: Cycle 1…………………………………………………………………………………………….………….101 4.1 Key child in group 1: Yujing……………………………………………………………………………………101 4.1.1 Cycle 1 Yujing’s session analysis……………………………………………………………………101 Sessions 1-8………………………………………………………………………………………………..103 4.2 Other children in group 1………………………………………………….…………………………………..125 4.2.1 Xinyu’s fourth session…………………………………………….….………………………………..125 4.2.2 Xuanxuan’s fourth session…………………………………………..………………………………126 4.3 Key child – Jinyan in group 2 …………………………………………………………………………………128 4.3.1 Jinyan’s background information…………………………………..…………………………….128 Sessions 1-8………………………………………………………………………………………………..130 iii Table of Contents 4.4 other children in group 2……………………………………………………………………………………….150 4.4.1 Siqi’s session………………………………………………..................................................150 4.4.2 Sunzhongqi’s session…………………………………………………………………………………..153 4.5 Summary……………………………………………………………………………………………………………….154 Chapter 5: Cycle 2……………………………………………………………………….……………………………….165 5.1 Key child in group 1: Yujing……………………………………………………………………………………165 5.1.1 Data analysis of Yujing’s session in cycle 2……………………………………………….…..168 5.1.2 Video analysis on a selected sample of data (1st session)…………………………….169 Sessions 1-8………………………………………………………………………………………………..169 5.2 Other children in group 1 in cycle 2………………………………………................................182 5.2.1 Shao in Cycle 2……………………………………….......................................................182 5.2.2 Xuanxuan in Cycle 2……………………………………………………………………………..………184 5.2.3 Xinyu in cycle 2 group 2………………………………………………………………………………..186 5.3 Key Child in group 2: Jinyan…………………………………………………………………………………..190 5.3.1 Cycle 2 Jinyan’s session analysis…………………………………………………………………..190 5.3.2 Data analysis of JInyan’s session in cycle 2…………………………………………………..191 Sessions 1-8………………..……………………………………………………………………………..191 5.4 Other children in group 2…………………………………………………….……………………………….201 5.4.1 Siqi’s session……………………………………………………………………………………………….201 5.5 Summary …………………………………………………………………………………………..………………..204 5.5.1 Focus group discussion – final meeting………………………………………………………205 5.5.2 Reflection on cycle 2…………………………………………………………………………………..209 Chapter 6: Discussion ………………………………………………………………….…………………………….211 iv Table of Contents Introduction ………………………………………………………………….………………………………………….211