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Guitar Lessons for Advanced Students on the Autism Spectrum



Music has been a major factor in my life. Playing music has been a hobby since age 6, and helps me keep my sanity as an adult. Having been a music teacher since the mid-1980s (and later, a music therapist), I discovered that my brightest students were on the autism spectrum. They had the tendency to devour lessons as quickly as I could deliver them. Music was a language that bridged all gaps in communication to my autistic students.

I've created a new website that I'm dedicating to all my past, current and future "gifted" students on the autism spectrum. We will be looking specifically at "improvisational soloing" for guitar. If you have children or teens who play guitar, tell them about this new "online guitar instruction" website. I hope they enjoy my lessons.  

Click here to visit the site, and stay tuned because there's a lot to come (and yes, I've tried the make the site "cool" so that it would have some appeal to the younger generation, so if you are offended by my graphics, I apologize up front).

Mark Hutten, M.A.

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

I would gift it to my husband because he plays guitar and would love this. her comment is here

My child has been rejected by his peers, ridiculed and bullied !!!

Social rejection has devastating effects in many areas of functioning. Because the ASD child tends to internalize how others treat him, rejection damages self-esteem and often causes anxiety and depression. As the child feels worse about himself and becomes more anxious and depressed – he performs worse, socially and intellectually.

Click here to read the full article…

How to Prevent Meltdowns in Children on the Spectrum

Meltdowns are not a pretty sight. They are somewhat like overblown temper tantrums, but unlike tantrums, meltdowns can last anywhere from ten minutes to over an hour. When it starts, the Asperger's or HFA child is totally out-of-control. When it ends, both you and your child are totally exhausted. But... don’t breathe a sigh of relief yet. At the least provocation, for the remainder of that day -- and sometimes into the next - the meltdown can return in full force.

Click here for the full article...

Parenting Defiant Teens on the Spectrum

Although Aspergers [high-functioning autism] is at the milder end of the autism spectrum, the challenges parents face when disciplining a teenager on the spectrum are more difficult than they would be with an average teen. Complicated by defiant behavior, the teen is at risk for even greater difficulties on multiple levels – unless the parents’ disciplinary techniques are tailored to their child's special needs.

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Older Teens and Young Adult Children with ASD Still Living At Home

Your older teenager or young “adult child” isn’t sure what to do, and he is asking you for money every few days. How do you cut the purse strings and teach him to be independent? Parents of teens with ASD face many problems that other parents do not. Time is running out for teaching their adolescent how to become an independent adult. As one mother put it, "There's so little time, yet so much left to do."

Click here to read the full article…

Parenting Children and Teens with High-Functioning Autism

Two traits often found in kids with High-Functioning Autism are “mind-blindness” (i.e., the inability to predict the beliefs and intentions of others) and “alexithymia” (i.e., the inability to identify and interpret emotional signals in others). These two traits reduce the youngster’s ability to empathize with peers. As a result, he or she may be perceived by adults and other children as selfish, insensitive and uncaring.

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to read the full article...

Highly Effective Research-Based Parenting Strategies for Children with Asperger's and HFA

Become an expert in helping your child cope with his or her “out-of-control” emotions, inability to make and keep friends, stress, anger, thinking errors, and resistance to change.

Click here for the full article...