Webinar 2: The impact of visual impairment on early auditory and musical development

Implications for teachers, and services from The Amber Trust

Presented on Tuesday, 1st September 2020

Content

This presentation sets out how severe visual impairment can affect the way that children's functional hearing develops, and the implications of this for their evolving musical abilities. It is based on a number of research projects, led by Professor Adam Ockelford, that have been undertaken over the last three decades. The presentation will set out some of the strategies that teachers can adopt in relation to memorisation, musical literacy and the acquisition of technique, and covers important issues relating to safeguarding. It suggests how qualified teachers of the visually impaired can work with music teachers to provide the specialist input that blind and partially sighted pupils and students require.

Adam discussed the potential role of The Amber Trust, a charity that he set up with a group of parents 25 years ago, to work across the UK in assisting visually impaired children, including those with additional support needs, in their pursuit of music. The Trust provides bursaries to pay for music lessons, instruments and specialist technology; free services for families of blind and partially sighted children in the early years ('Little Amber') and for those with complex needs ('AmberPlus'); and a freely available suite of online resources for teachers ('Amber Sound Touch'). A new service for the families of visually impaired children with neurodegenerative disease, including Batten Disease – 'With Music in Mind' – will be launched Autumn 2020.

Target Audience

Teachers of children with Visual Impairments, music teachers/instrument instructors in mainstream and special schools.

Presenter

Adam Ockelford directs the Applied Music Research Centre in the School of Education at the University of Roehampton in London, where he is Professor of Music. Previously he taught at Linden Lodge School for the Blind in London and served as Director of Education at the RNIB. He has worked with blind and partially sighted children for over 40 years, as a teacher and researcher. Adam lectures all over the world and has authored a number of books, including In the Key of Genius: The Extraordinary Life of Derek Paravicini, plus a TED talk on the life of Derek Paravicini

The Amber Trust

The trust was founded in 1995 to help blind and partially sighted children across the UK who have a talent or love for music. Amber's vision is for blind and partially sighted children, including those with additional disabilities, to have the best possible chance to meet their musical needs and aspirations and fulfil their potential. We aim to support many of the 25,000 blind and partially sighted children in the UK, including those with additional disabilities, in their engagement with music, and to promote high quality music provision for all children and young people with a visual impairment.

The work Amber does is vital, since music is so often the key to unlocking the potential of a child or young person with sight loss, providing them with a means of self-expression, enabling them to make sense of the world around them, nurturing their self-confidence, providing an opportunity to socialise, and generally improving their overall happiness and wellbeing.