Music, Memory, and Autism

       The classroom was ready. Favorite puzzles were laid out on the table for the five autistic kindergarten students to manipulate until class started.  Because I was a long term substitute, I stayed in the classroom while the special education teacher and the other aide led the students into the classroom.The children were instructed to hang up their jackets and put their lunchboxes in their cubby. Then they came to the table to put together their favorite puzzles.

       That morning I sat next to a five-year-old male autistic child. He was a whiz at memorizing. At only five years old, he could write long phrases he had seen on television, such as “The Corporation for Public Broadcasting” and he could read above level books, but he did not interact verbally. This child could speak, but he did so only when he wanted to. As he sat down at the puzzle table, I gave him a wooden puzzle with slots for 6 farm animals.  I tried at first to talk to him about the animals and hoped he would repeat the animal name and its sound. It met with little success.  Then I started singing “Old McDonald Had a Farm” as we put the animals into the proper slots. He responded. He started singing with me, and he put my hand over his to help him put the animals into the right slots. This continued until class started. This became our daily routine for the next three weeks. Every time he chose that puzzle, I would sing the song with him as he put the animals into the slots. For a few moments, every day, for three weeks,we shared a bond through music.

     I was asked to sub in that classroom numerous times afterward, and every time, even two years later, that little boy still remembered me, the puzzle, and the song we sang together.