Derrington 2012 thesis.pdf - Anglia Ruskin Research Online

DfES, 2005). This is the same practice in other countries and music therapy is
reported within this role in Germany (Palmowski, 1979; Neels, Lang and Wegener,
1998; Koch-Temming, 1999; Kartz, 2000; Mahns, 2002; Hippel and Laabs, 2006;
Kok, 2006), in Italy (D’Ulisse et al., 2001; Pecoraro, 2006) and in Canada (Buchanan,
2000). However, there is no literature from the UK which specifically looks at
integration as an aim for music therapy for students with special needs in mainstream
schools (Carr and Wigram, 2009).
In their review, Carr and Wigram (2009) only found six papers in the UK which
specifically address work within mainstream schools and four in secondary
mainstream schools (Butterton, 1993; Strange, 1999; Derrington, 2005; Jenkins,
2006). Only a few music therapists have published work specifically about work
within mainstream education. However, it has been found that songwriting is an
effective technique of music therapy for young people (Derrington, 2005; McFerran
and Hunt, 2008), that improvised music can tap into the world of an emotionally
disturbed teenager with learning disabilities (Strange, 1999), that pre-composed
music has its place in sessions (Shipley, 2008; Derrington, 2012), and that being in a
therapeutic relationship, perhaps without music at times, is also valuable (Cobbett,
2007; 2009).
2.8.1 Descriptive articles
Several therapists have documented the benefits of music therapy as a way to increase
a student’s self-esteem, address challenging behaviour, motivate learning and help
develop interpersonal relationships (Sausser and Waller, 2006; Cobbett, 2007; 2009;
McIntyre 2007; Derrington, 2012). Derrington (2005), Procter (2006) and Cobbett
(2007; 2009) advocate the need for music therapy on the school site whether special
or mainstream for reasons such as easing communication between the therapist and
other professionals, reducing the stigma and practical difficulties of attending
appointments outside school: parents often find it very difficult to attend hospital or
clinic-based services due to transport issues and costs which results in many students
not having access to therapeutic support (Daniels et al., 1998). This was also the
finding of a creative arts research project led by Ierardi, Bottos and O’Brien (2007).
They found that off-site or after-school programmes did not work as well as during
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