Dyslexia & Music from a 2e Violin Teacher’s Perspective
Growing up in the late 80s as a gifted girl, I carried not just my Trapper Keeper and a hair scrunchie, but also a myriad of unidentified learning differences. There were things I was darn good at and areas where I struggled. When all the kids on the blacktop were learning the “cabbage patch” dance move in P.E., I quickly discovered my own attempts elicited laughter. Trying to ride my bike to a friend’s house a few streets over, I would get lost. I’m talking really lost. I could be equally lost listening to a sea of verbal directions in a crowded classroom. But in music class, when the teacher pulled out those plastic recorders, I rocked “Hot Cross Buns” and earned first chair. I also remember her surprised smile beaming down on me when I was the only child that could correctly clap-stomp a complex rhythm challenge.
Music is more than a string of notes that linger in the air. From my differently wired perspective, it’s a three-dimensional, resonating, colored tonality that’s always in motion. I stack harmonies into endless interlocking, satisfying layers. Music is comprised of swells and valleys, storms, texture, whisperings and a narrative. Dyslexics can tap into that river of sound in a powerful way that harnesses their strengths. Our unique minds learn to unlock and intuitively process patterns and sequences. What’s more, when we combine creating music with movement and playfulness in a collaborative group setting, a music program becomes a beautiful environment for neuroplasticity.
Depending on the student, 2e dyslexic families may find obstacles to accessing musical artistry in a class setting. How dyslexia affects music for a child is a unique spectrum of possibility. When we’re creating IEPs, 504s and selecting private instructors, music accommodations are not often in the forefront of anyone’s mind. They tend to come up as an afterthought at subsequent meetings once struggle, misunderstanding and discouragement have taken root. Advocating for the right environment can change a child’s trajectory. When possible, I’ve found it’s better to be proactive rather than waiting until the kiddo is already discouraged and behind.
Your child may not experience all of these, but here are some of the strengths and challenges that present tangled together for dyslexic music students.
Directionality. People with dyslexia often visualize in amazing ways. They find creative and unexpected solutions to problems. Like me on my bicycle, they can also have a tendency to get disoriented around directionality. Which way is really up? Isn’t it relative? If your fingers are running physically down the neck of the cello then how is that considered playing higher? Left vs right can also manage to flip. This may look like using the incorrect hand or misreading notes on the staff. Instead of counting ABC from the bottom-up, they might reverse it and count from the top-down. Or, they’ll confuse two notes that look similar. Once we get past the initial barriers, these brilliant kids are often able to spot the patterns in music. It’s a matter of holding space for all the smaller pieces and yet keeping sight of the bigger picture. This important skill lies right in the sweet spot of strengths for dyslexic brain wiring.
Verbal instructions. Disorientation or misunderstanding can also come into play when attempting to follow verbal instructions. If someone tells a student to use their second finger to play that c#, is it second finger starting from the pinky or the thumb? That kind of information doesn’t hold fast in creative brains wired to view input from multiple perspectives. Verbal instructions can also pile up on us, when they are too fast and too confusing to keep straight. But if we’re given the tools to track the instructions, there’s no holding us back.
Unique Timelines. Dyslexics thrive when learning is hands-on with real applications. Learning an instrument fits the bill. Rote learning doesn’t tend to stick, and sometimes we need a little more time with information to build a strong neural connection. The good news is that once a neural pathway is established, it’s quite robust, leading to creative, unexpected connections and the quick synthesis of interrelated ideas. It’s worth the wait. Dyslexic learners may need more time to commit music to memory, or may struggle holding onto multiple steps. Yet as they process all the information at a deeper and more meaningful level, they can integrate it into future creativity and expression.
Here are three keys to success when we pair music with dyslexia:
1. Select an instrument they love. The most consistent question I get asked by dyslexic families considering music education is, “what is the best instrument for dyslexic learners?” The instrument they love. Hands down. Lead with love and the rest will follow!
2. Pick a great private instructor. A teacher that “gets” your child and connects with them is paramount. They don’t have to fully understand dyslexia or 2e (it’s certainly a bonus!), but are they open to learning? Do they believe you? Are they willing to help your child with orchestra or band assignments? Do they have one singular set path of moving forward, or are they willing to get creative and flexible? Could you observe someone else’s lesson to get a feel for how this teacher interacts with students? If the child is enrolled in a group program and supplementing with private lessons is not financially possible, pull-out time with the orchestra or band director to help them be comfortable with the music is a good idea. Another work-around could be to get help from an older, more advanced student.
3. Music that motivates. When teachers sprinkle music selections into the playlist that excite the child, we find them very motivated to do hard things. Fiddle music? Video game theme songs? Movie soundtracks? Let’s do it! When we incorporate whatever made them fall in love with music in the first place, it does wonders.
Accommodations
These are potential accommodations to share with the instructor or IEP/504 team. Consider the list as possibilities to bridge the gap and allow your child full access to music without funneling it through their areas of struggle. Keep in mind psychologist Dr. Ross Greene’s premise that behavior is communication of an unmet need or lagging skill; frustration and refusal can be indicators that the learning environment needs adjustment.
Early access to sheet music. Receiving the sheet music early when possible allows the student to get help from their private teacher before the first group rehearsal. It may feel similar to being called on to read in front of the class if they are asked to play the music from sight without any prior support or preparation. Early access will also give them a little time extension in learning the music.
Access to recordings. Listening to music is a huge way of learning. Think of it as similar to listening to audio books. You are receiving all of the information in a way that works for how you learn best. Recordings on Youtube are especially helpful because the student can easily slow down the playback speed and practice along with it. This isn’t a crutch; listening reinforces correct answers. Learning a musical instrument is similar to learning a second language; listening to recordings is comparable to hearing a fluent speaker. When the student needs to play specific excerpts, having an exact, isolated recording of what they are learning is exceedingly helpful. A program director or private instructor could create a recording.
Permission to resubmit. A student may need the option to hear feedback and resubmit a recording or assignment with corrections. The end goal is to come away from the assignment having fully learned it.
Sheet music reading accommodations. Color coding is one way to identify notes while a student is still working to become fluent at reading music. It’s a work-around for directionality and note-flipping, that can help them keep up with the group when the music is fast-paced. Instead of a note being played with a finger number, it’s a blue note or a yellow note. This correlates to a color on the finger tip or a tape color on the violin fingerboard. Color coding can also be used to identify where patterns repeat. Every time one certain run of notes happens, that section is blue. Another section is yellow. Suddenly, a large piece can be comprised of only a few smaller chunks of music. While color coding might be implemented by the instructor, it still may need to be written into the IEP/504 so that it’s permitted in the classroom setting.
A few other ways to make sheet music more accessible could be enlarging it. There’s software to do this, or do it yourself by taking 8x10 sized music to a print shop and zooming it out to print on 11x17 paper. This is another reason early access to sheet music could be helpful.
Since some students need more time to become fluent readers, a scaffold in the interim could be the option to simplify an ensemble arrangement. The teacher could change some fingered notes to open strings, or a trumpet part could have more repeated notes instead of rapid changes. It still sounds beautiful and coordinates seamlessly. I do this frequently for students to differentiate learning within a mixed-level group; it’s totally doable. This can go the other direction as well~ alterations can be made in an ensemble arrangement to ensure an advanced student is appropriately challenged. For instance, a student could play a line of music an octave higher than written. Placement near a strong player can be a great help in guiding someone who is not yet confident in reading music. There are teaching methods, such as Suzuki, that delay note reading in favor of allowing the child to first develop their musical ear and the ability to play beautifully before asking the child to read and write music.
Physical movement. With younger children, music teachers can link physical movement to high and low pitch. It’s as simple as getting low to the ground when you hear low notes, and high up on your tip-toes when you hear the high notes. It’s fun and silly in a group setting and grounds them with an internalized sense of pitch. Movement incorporated into music playing can be a help for students needing proprioception (sense of where our body is in space) input. Sitting still is hard.
An asynchronous path and curriculum compacting. Music teachers may envision a specific step-by-step progression for your child. However, visual spatial learners don’t follow a sequential, lock-step learning path and could get stuck. They benefit from a glimpse of the big picture to allow them to see how all the tiny parts contribute to the whole. If a bright child is thriving in one area of a music program and struggling in another, a collaborative teacher can look for ways to blow on the embers of their strengths and passions rather than tethering everything to their deficits. Look for a teacher who will use discernment in curating an asynchronous music path that may include skipping a step in order to access appropriate material. Lean in on passions and strengths. If the child plays well by ear or is a strong improviser, a teacher can encourage and create opportunity for those abilities. Whatever teachers do to make music learning meaningful will also help make it stick. This piece of the puzzle is crucial for a strengths-based approach.
Another accommodation for gifted/2e music students is curriculum compacting. This is where students who demonstrate understanding and strong ability move ahead more quickly because they’re ready. In curriculum compacting, the teacher eliminates redundant work. It doesn’t require much added effort from the teacher and allows our 2e kids to thrive in an environment designed with their strengths in mind. This is part of why it’s really important to work with a teacher you trust. The instructor will have a good sense of what can be compacted and what can’t; we’ll need to trust their expertise. For example, a child may fully understand the concept of how to hold a violin bow, but still need another 500 repetitions for the fluid muscle memory of a beautiful bowhold to set in. Skipping that would harm their tone or even make them vulnerable to injury later.
Scribe option. If there are music theory worksheets, an option to talk through the material instead of writing may be needed. If the child is quick to understand the information but slow to write it, this could be an excellent curriculum compacting opportunity of answering only the “evens.” There are also music theory apps that offer a non-writing alternative. It’s helpful for the teacher to be aware that a 2e child’s capacity is fluid. Just because they filled out a worksheet last week does not prove they can necessarily do it today.
Support for co-occurring needs
Many 2e dyslexic children will benefit from support of needs that co-occur alongside dyslexia.
Sensory. Transitions of entering and leaving an orchestra or band room may create a chaotic cacophony of kids, instruments, shuffling of chairs, the clatter of students and the loud banging of a random drum. For our highly sensitive kids, this takes a toll on their ears and nervous system. Sadly, I once discovered that my child was spending music class with his head buried inside his desk and his hands covering his ears. Obviously, the sensory environment was not working. Come up with a plan: consider Loops ear plugs or noise-cancelling head phones for entering and leaving. Ask for a specific written to-do list for what setting up and packing up looks like, to help calm the overwhelm. Should students leave their cases lined up on the floor against the wall? Could the teacher dismiss students in rows instead of all at once? Recital concerts are another situation where careful planning to prevent sensory overwhelm is helpful. Rehearsal spaces are notorious for fluorescent lighting and lack of windows. Could your student sit near a lamp with a “grow light”? Is there a small hand fidget they could keep in their instrument case?
Interoception needs (a person’s ability to sense their internal body cues) can look like a child who forgets they need to go to the bathroom until halfway through their piano lesson. Having been that child, I’d say that adults handling it with grace and patience means a great deal. As you can imagine, it’s quite difficult to concentrate on playing music if you need to “go.” Parents can try to make sure the kiddo had a snack/water/bathroom break before their lesson, if they are going straight from school. Each week you can observe what went well and what didn’t, and consider how to recalibrate accordingly for next time.
Hypermobility and core weakness. For many 2e dyslexics, hypermobility (meaning joints bend beyond the typical range) is a co-occurrence they’ll need to monitor. It allows more flexibility, but also affects posture and form. Proper position is important for tone quality and health. Activities that strengthen your child’s core can help them feel more stabilized and capable of correct posture while playing their instrument. Climbing across the monkey bars and “wheel barrows,” where you walk on your hands while someone holds your ankles, are great ways to strengthen core. An OT evaluation may be helpful if you need more information and support. Remember that interventions like OT are a marathon, not a sprint. It’s best if we can balance them with space for rest and time to pursue passions.
Give kids margin. Private lessons are one-on-one, and the eye contact can be intense. Let your teacher know for some kids, “less is more” when it comes to sustained eye contact. For auditory processing, many of our kids need more time to answer a question. If a teacher can “pause and count” slowly to 8 before they prompt or repeat the question, it’s much easier for 2e kids to process the input, decide an answer and successfully speak. Giving margin can also mean lowering demands. Adding nonverbal communication is a way of guiding the focus without placing yet another verbal demand on a weary child. This could be a back-and-forth of the teacher and student playing music together without speaking. A teacher can “ask” for a softer dynamic by exaggerating their own soft sound. The child will intuitively respond. Finally, a teacher’s willingness to be flexible means so much. Our 2e children are working hard all day. When a teacher is able to meet them halfway, it makes all the difference. “We got this.”
In fast-moving conversations, my words don’t always behave. They scoot out of my brain at an inopportune moment, or syllables switch around on me. I work hard to keep words in place and to find work-arounds. But I own my violin voice. It is powerful and speaks for me in a way that enriches my soul. Many people conjecture that Beethoven’s creative spelling, wildly messy handwriting and brilliant nonverbal intelligence all point to a dyslexic learning profile. That sounds like 2e to me! Dyslexic families, we’re in good company. With an appropriate, curated environment our children can shine and thrive in the arts. Like my mom always said, “We got this.”
About the Author
Christina David is the director of Danville Studio Strings, a violin and viola studio located
in Danville, California. Passionate about making the arts accessible for every kind of
learner, she is vocal as a neurodiversity/2e advocate and writer.
Christina has firsthand experience with neurodiversity; she discovered much of her own
unique wiring as an adult, when her three kids were identified. On the education journey
of her children, she’s navigated public school, private school and homeschooling.
Having experienced plenty of tumbles and unexpected discoveries with her family’s
twice exceptional journey, she works to share resources and help other families learn to
self-advocate. Christina also leads the San Francisco Bay Area Gifted Homeschoolers
(BAGHS), a community of families who are all homeschooling their gifted and twice
exceptional children.
Connect:
Instagram: @thechristinadavid
Substack: thechristinadavid.substack.com
BAGHS: www.sfbaghs.org
References
Eide, Brock and Eide, Fernette. 2023. The Dyslexic Advantage: Unlocking the Hidden Potential of the Dyslexic Brain. Plume.
Greene, Ross. 2021. The Explosive Child: A New Approach for Understanding Easily Frustrated, Chronically Inflexible Children. Harper Paperbacks.
National Association for Gifted Children. n.d. “Curriculum Compacting.” https://www.nagc.org/curriculum-compacting
Reis, Sally M. and Renzulli, Joseph S. 2014. The School-Wide Enrichment Model: A How-To Guide for Talent Development. Routledge.
Silverman, Linda K. 2002. Upside-Down Brilliance: The Visual-Spatial Learner. DeLeon Publishing.
