A Dance and a Smile: Teaching Students with Special Needs
The benefits of dance in the lives of young people are numerous and undeniable. Dance is more than just a fun activity that gives children something worthwhile to do after school – it’s an art that enhances the mind, body and spirit as they discover who they are, where they are going and their purpose in the world.
Every single child can benefit from the power of dance, especially those with special needs. Dance is often used as a form of therapy for children with mental, physical and developmental disabilities, helping them bridge the gap between their minds and bodies through nonverbal communication. A healing art, dance as a form of therapy does not “cure” or “fix” an ailment or disability; rather it is an ongoing process that takes patience and understanding.
Dance as a healing art began during the World War II era when Marian Chace, who had received her initial training at the Denishawn school, began teaching “Dance for Communication” at St. Elizabeth’s Hospital in Washington D.C. The first president of the American Dance Therapy Association, the regulating and decision-making body within the field, Chase continued leading group dance therapy sessions until her death in 1970. Her work gave rise to an entire profession dedicated to helping people overcome adversities through movement expression.
The majority of the time, dance/movement therapy is taught in a clinical setting by a registered dance/movement therapist. But at some point, most dance educators will likely be faced with the challenge of teaching a student who has special needs. This can be very difficult for instructors who have never done it before, but it can also be rewarding and enriching. Teachers should be equipped with the right tools to instruct children of all physical, mental and developmental backgrounds.
Jennifer Spenner-Kind, who teaches dance to children with special needs at South East Consortium for Special Services, Inc. in Mamaroneck, NY, says that communicating with a child’s parents is one of the most important things an instructor should do. “They [the parents] will give you insight into the individual,” she explains. “Find out some of the things they work well with. For example, I have a student who counting calms them down, so we may be doing a movement across the floor, but I will completely count from one to 30 in a quiet voice because that works for him.” She continues, “So I'll take the information I receive from the parents and use it in the classroom.”
Spenner-Kind heads a program called Kids in Motion, a fitness, exercise and movement program for youth and teens with special needs. Her students have a variety of disabilities, from autism to multiple sclerosis to developmental delays. Through dance and movement, she is able to help the students gain muscle control, improve fine motor skills and find joy and happiness in the freedom of movement.
“More than the physical aspects,” Spenner-Kind says, “it’s the emotional impact it has on them. They are so proud of what they are doing. They are happy to be able to do what we take for granted. It means so much to them to be able to do that and it's rewarding.”
So how can a teacher make sure that his or her students with special needs are getting the most out of dance class? Spenner-Kind stresses that the experience begins with the instructor, who must set the mood and tone. When teaching children with learning disabilities, you must always be aware of their feelings and try to remain as positive as possible.
There may be times when you may grow frustrated or become hard on yourself as a teacher, but you must be realistic about your expectations. Spenner-Kind says, “It's not the same as going into regular dance class and teaching, so your expectations are not the same. You can’t bring it into the classroom.” The only expectation, she notes, is a smile at the end of the day.
“If they smile,” Spenner-Kind confesses, “then I have done my job and that's really what matters. They have to enjoy themselves first and foremost, and then the skills come.”
However, deciding what skills are appropriate for children with disabilities can be difficult, especially when the types of disabilities are often so varied. Some children may have developmental delays, while others may have physical handicaps, so it is important to be as attentive as possible to the child’s particular needs.
In addition to speaking with the child’s parents, a teacher may benefit from having assistants to help them give the student more personal attention. Spenner-Kind says that she has many people helping her out. “We have assistants, volunteers, staff who help and sometimes we have one-on-one sessions with students,” she reveals. “Having an assistant is better because it’s good to have more people be with that student for one-on-one attention.”
Sometimes parents are hesitant to reveal a child’s disabilities, so a teacher has to be extremely intuitive and attentive to each student. “You just have to be observant and see what works and what doesn’t work,” advises Spenner-Kind. “Never go into the classroom thinking it will go the way you planned. You have to be able to adapt at a moment’s notice and change what you're doing for the student with disabilities and the other students as well.”
Spenner-Kind says to begin class with the basic elements of dance: “I go back to that training I learned in college. I take those basic skills and begin to add creative movement.” Sometimes she will work with basic locomotive skills, like running, galloping and skipping. Then, she may add in different exercises that hone fine motor skills, like flexing and pointing the feet.
Once her students have grasped the basic foundations of movement, Spenner-Kind enjoys incorporating more cognitive elements. “Sometimes we do shapes. I’ll bring in balls one day and experiment making round shapes, rolling over the balls with the balls, making pathways with the balls. We might spend a whole day doing that.”
In addition, Spenner-Kind often creates her own across-the-floor combinations that she can tailor to fit the needs of each student. One such combination she calls “hop scotch.” “This one is my favorite. I made it up. It’s locomotive, but it involves jumping across the floor.” Or she may combine all of her combinations together into a “mini obstacle course.” “I bring in all the elements; I pull in the dance as well as the recreation side for them,” she notes.
Spenner-Kind thinks it’s important to remember that dance should be fun for all children, especially those with disabilities. “This is part of their leisure time and a lot of times I hear people say, ‘You can’t have dance as a recreational activity,’ but you can, and it can be very successful.”
Depending on the students’ needs, she may stay away from exercises with a lot of turning or directional changes. Some of her students have sensory disabilities and turning is difficult for them. If there is a child in your class with a similar type of disability, use Spenner-Kind’s advice and allow him or her to go more slowly or to do the combination facing straight front.
All of these exercises can help students develop skills they will take with them throughout their lives, something Spenner-Kind believes is most important. “One little thing can change their lives dramatically,” she says. Growing up with a sibling who has a disability, she always knew how important it was to give back, and that even the smallest gesture can have an impact. She reveals, “Giving back is the best. That smile on their face is wonderful - that's the best feeling ever.”
In addition to tailoring exercises to make sure they are appropriate for each and every child, a teacher must also be the moral leader of the class and make sure that everyone is treated fairly. Sometimes other children may be quick to point out a student’s differences or perceived shortcomings, but that kind of behavior should never be tolerated. All instructors have a responsibility to make sure their classroom is a friendly place where all children can share in the joy of dance.
Although there are many college and post-graduate level courses that teach dance therapy and related techniques, the only way to learn is by trial and error in the classroom. Teachers may be nervous before instructing a special needs student, but Spenner-Kind encourages them to relax, think outside the box and try something unconventional.
“It’s not until you get in that classroom and make the connection with the individual that you find out what the result is,” she advises. “It's not about reading a specific book or taking a magical lesson, it's about getting in there and feeling it. And when you do, it’s really great.”