There has been much research on the benefits of music for children with autism. The domains benefitting most from the use of music are social and communications skills. The Sounds of Intent (SoI) Framework, has been developed by Ockelford and his colleagues to promote musical abilities amongst individuals with complex needs, including autism. Underpinned by the zygonic theory, studies employed SoI also indicate increased levels of engagement among individuals with complex needs, including autism. This paper aims to provide a summary on the development of the SoI framework particularly on autistic children. Additionally, this paper includes a review of other relevant past studies on the benefits of music for children with autism on their social and communication skills. After examining the positive effects of the SoI Framework and other related past studies, the researchers intend to embark on a study using the proactive domain of the SoI framework at an autism centre in Malaysia. The researchers will employ a case study design to observe levels of musical engagement, gauge the consistency of engagement, observe the levels of prompting provided by teachers and observe challenges faced in implementing the SoI in a Malaysian special needs classroom. It is hoped that the findings could indicate that SoI would benefit children with autism, their parents and special educators and add value to existing literature on the SoI framework . Hence, the findings of this study could serve as a springboard for SoI use in Malaysia.
KeywordsAutismMusicSounds of Intent Framework
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