Expanding Teacher-Led, Interactive Music-Based Intervention on Preschoolers with ASD

Background: Research has identified multiple effective strategies for increasing social engagement and reducing negative behaviors in preschool classrooms, particularly among students diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Among these, music-based interventions have emerged as especially impactful, as many children with ASD respond to music on a deep, personal level. Despite this, many teachers report feeling unprepared or lacking confidence in implementing music-based activities. As a result, they often rely on screen-based tools, such as videos, rather than incorporating more creative, hands-on musical experiences that foster self-expression and meaningful social interaction. Objective: The purpose of the proposed Capstone project is to create a music-based program that provides training and education for teachers, increasing the use of music-based activities in classrooms. A secondary goal is to assess teacher confidence in integrating music-based activities into preschool classrooms with children with ASD and evaluate the program’s effectiveness based on teacher feedback. ACOTE Areas: This capstone project highlights three relevant ACOTE areas: (a) Program Development and Evaluation, (b) Education, and (c) Advocacy. Methods: To address the lack of confidence and competence reported by teachers, a Teacher-Centered Music-Based (TCMB) program was developed using Canva. The program outlines evidence-based activities, highlighting their developmental, behavioral, and social engagement benefits. Two preschool teachers from the Marcus Jewish Community Center’s Sunshine School volunteered to pilot the program to assess its effectiveness in promoting social participation and behavioral skills in a preschool setting. To evaluate outcomes, both teachers completed a pre-survey following a training session and a post-survey after implementing the TCMB program. A narrative phenomenological approach was used to explore their experiences and identify emerging themes throughout the process. Results: The TCMB program consisted of a six-week implementation period, preceded by a one-week training workshop designed to support preschool teachers who felt unprepared or lacked confidence in delivering structured music-based activities. Following the program, both participating teachers reported a greater appreciation for stepping away from screen-based activities in favor of promoting peer interaction and self-expression. They noted that students responded positively to creating and playing instruments, and that musical collaboration transferred to increased engagement in other classroom areas. Additionally, the teachers found the TCMB program’s structure easy to integrate into their existing routines and felt it significantly improved their confidence and understanding of the purpose behind music-based activities. Overall, they observed notable improvements in peer interaction, social engagement, and behavioral skills among their students. Conclusions and Relevance: The TCMB program proved effective in increasing preschool teachers’ confidence and competence in implementing music-based activities. For students with ASD, early exposure to such programs can serve as a form of early intervention by supporting the development of essential skills that are often delayed or challenging. Emphasizing early development of social participation, positive peer interactions, and self-regulation lays a strong foundation for future success. Regardless of classroom setting, the TCMB program encourages teachers to move beyond the overuse of screen-based activities and instead adopt creative, hands-on musical experiences that promote interpersonal skill development through engaging and meaningful activities.