Best Practices for Teaching Piano to Neurodivergent Students

As a busy mom who’s taught piano for years, I’ve learned that every student bring a unique sparkly to the keys – especially our neurodivergent learners. Teaching students with ADHD or ASD can feel like a beautiful challenge, but with the right approach, it’s incredibly rewarding!

Whether you’re new to this or looking to refine your skills, I’m sharing my top best practices to help you connect, engage, and inspire piano students with ADHD or ASD. Plus, stay tuned for my next post where I’ll reveal the best method book I’ve found for those learners!

1. Create a Predictable Routine

Students with ADHD and ASD thrive on consistency. Start each lesson with a familiar warm-up (like a favorite scale or song) and end with a quick review. Even as a mom, I know how a steady rhythm at home keeps my day smooth – and the same goes for lessons! Consider even using a visual schedule to show what’s next. This can reduce anxiety and help students stay focused (especially the young learners).

2. Break Lessons Into Short, Fun Chunks

ADHD brains love movement, and ASD learners often need clear boundaries. I know it can feel difficult to work movement into your online lessons, but it can be done! Keep your teaching in short spurts – about 5 – 10 minutes each. Another good rule of thumb is to only teach their age in minutes plus or minus 2. For example, a 5 year old student can focus for 3-7 minutes before needing a break.

Break up your teaching segments with games, clapping rhythms (like this fun Christmas Edition of Poison Rhythm), or a YouTube video like a drum along or following the movement instructions. I’ve found that letting students tap their feet while practicing helps them to stay engaged, turning wiggles into beautiful music!

3. Use Visual and Hands-On Tools

Visual aids are a game changer! For students who process visually, use color-coded sheet music or finger charts. For many ADHD students, hands-on activities are an invaluable tool. Activities like building chords with manipulatives will keep hands busy and minds focused. If your student takes lessons in person, keep a basket handy with the tools and resources you will need.

If your student is online, send a supply list at the beginning of the studio year with all the things the child could need. Schools send supply lists each year – we can too! Consider adding things such as markers or colored pencils, a small set of legos (great for building!), plenty of blank white paper, expo markers (to write on piano keys), and whatever else you can dream up!

Related: Piano Practice Incentives for the Creative Teacher

4. Celebrate Small Wins with Positive Reinforcement

Neurodivergent learners blossom with encouragement. Praise specific efforts (“Great job holding that note x number of beats!”) rather than general praise to build confidence. Remember to tell your students that you can really tell they have practiced, or point out specific areas in which they’ve grown in the past year (or whatever timeline you want). High-fives – even over Zoom – go a long way as well.

5. Allow Creativity

Have you ever heard of an earworm? It’s a song or a hook that gets stuck in your head and you just cannot get it out. They drive me crazy! Usually, I have to listen to the song that’s stuck in my head to release the earworm and get on with my day!

I have found that my neurodivergent piano students get some crazy earworms! Typically, these come in the form of a task they want to accomplish or a song they want to play. Just ride the wave, y’all. Let them take the extra few minutes to get the camera angle the way they want it. Set a timer for 3 minutes and allow them to improvise whatever their heads and hands want them to play. My neurodivergent students are some of the most creative pianists I know – they are willing to try anything and just want the time to flesh it out.

I have one ASD student that hates playing from sheet music for recitals. Each time a recital rolls around, he will take several weeks to compose his own piece. We work together on each composition, and each composition is unique and interesting! Foster the creativity and beautiful things will come.

6. Be Flexible and Patient

Every day is different with neurodivergent students. If a lesson derails, don’t panic or grow frustrated! Just pivot to a favorite song, a calming exercise, or even ride the wave. As a mom and a teacher, I’ve learned patience is key. Meet them where they are and the music will follow. Trust your instincts, teach the child, and adapt with love.

Why These Practices Work

Honed from my teaching journey – 10 years of teaching so many different ages and types of learners – they create a joyful and inclusive piano space. And honestly they’re great for all students, not just our neurodivergent learners. As teachers, we love our students and want to meet them where they’re at and create a wonderful musical experience for them. And as a mom, I would love nothing more than to see a teacher take the time to connect with my child the way she needs, not just some cookie cutter method.

Join the Piano Teachers’ Studio Summit!

Join our upcoming virtual workshops, where we dive deeper into a variety of teaching topics. Many of our topics, such as engaging lesson activities, are great techniques for engaging neurodivergent learners. Keep an eye out on the blog for more tips, join the Joyful Community, and join our next session to grow your skills!

Let’s make piano lessons a joyful adventure for every student – neurodivergent or not! Share your experiences in the comments, I love learning from you, too!