Music Listening in Rehabilitation and Special Education

Music listening can be used to develop a range of physical, cognitive and speech skills in rehabilitation, early intervention and special education. In this chapter we focus on walking, talking, listening, engaging and motivating with each topic positioned in a specific setting such as a special school, a community support programme or in a rehabilitation service. The literature that is subsequently reviewed under each topic actually crosses settings, countries, age groups and causes. The underlying premise about how to use music listening for the development of skills remains the same however, and this is what unifies the chapter. It describes how to make a commitment to the development of a specific skill and to use music listening for that particular purpose. It is easy to be distracted by the multiple affordances of music and the way it might also support confidence, emotions etc., but this does not lead to clear treatment planning that is likely to be effective (Davis et al. 2008). When skills are being targeted, they need to be prioritised or the potential effectiveness is compromised (Chlan and Heiderscheit 2002).