A Comparison between Suzuki Method and Traditional Piano Method on Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder: Case Study

Autism Spectrum Disorder is a neurological disorder that has a growing diagnostic rate among children. Children with ASDfirst show signs during infancy or childhood, and the progression varies greatly between individuals. An increasing numberof parents decide to engage their children in artistic development, with piano being a popular choice. Though observationalstudies have noted the heightened sensitivity to sound and enhanced recall abilities of children with autism when learninginstruments, there is little consensus on which piano teaching method is the most effective in developing musical skills. Thegoal of this study is to assess the effects of two piano-instruction methods on an autistic child’s music performance, whichis assessed by categories, including tone quality, technique, interpretation and artistry. This paper presents the case of a9-year-old child diagnosed with autistic disorder living in New Jersey. The Suzuki method and the traditional method areutilized to improve the piano abilities of this child. The different results in piano performance following the application ofthe two teaching methods in a three-year-period (2017/1-2019/12) may suggest the modality of different teaching methodson this child. This study may lay the groundwork for future research on selective piano teaching techniques for childrenwith autistic disorder.