For children, play is not just fun—it’s fundamental to learning, connecting, and growing. Yet for many children on the autism spectrum, accessing social play and communication can present challenges.
In this comprehensive tutorial, registered music therapist Bronte Arns shares a clear, neuroaffirming framework for supporting social communication through music-based play interventions.
Drawing on clinical experience and evidence-informed practice, Bronte breaks social communication into three essential skill areas: joint attention, turn taking, and adjusting to coordinate with others. Each domain is explored across three levels of competency—passive, coordinated, and initiating—providing you with a practical and sequential approach to assessment, goal setting, and intervention.
The language throughout respects neurodiversity and promotes strengths-based, meaningful outcomes for your clients.
This tutorial offers:
Clear definitions of key social communication competencies
Practical music and play-based activity ideas with video demonstrations
Adaptations and extension strategies for diverse client needs
Goal-writing support using respectful, developmentally informed language
Additional resources to embed the learning in your practice
Concluding with a recap and three optional bonus activities, this tutorial also gives you the opportunity to earn CMTE/CPD credits as you refine your skills and deepen your clinical insight.
Perfect for music therapists working with children on the spectrum, this tutorial equips you with tools that are immediately applicable, developmentally sound, and grounded in relationship-based practice.
Bronte Arns is the National Director of Music Therapy for Giant Steps Australia, schools for students on the Autism Spectrum. Her area of specialty is the role of music therapists in transdisciplinary teams, and mentoring therapists in working collaboratively with professionals from other disciplines. Bronte is interested in the power of well-crafted and well-delivered music experiences focused on social learning for students of all abilities. She loves that there is always more to learn about the role of music for deepening relationships and targeting goals around social capabilities.
You've got questions. We've got answers :)
The course starts now and never ends! It is a completely self-paced online course - you decide when you start and when you finish.
How does lifetime access sound? After enrolling, you have unlimited access to this course for as long as you like - across any and all devices you own.
We would never want you to be unhappy! If you are unsatisfied with your purchase, contact us in the first 30 days and we will give you a full refund.
Yes, you certainly do! You will automatically receive a certificate once you finish watching the tutorials. For verification of your bonus content activities please see your TUTORIAL SUMMARY & SUBMISSION INFO for specific information on claiming your CMTE/CPD credits.
You'll need to watch ALL of the video's before you can receive your certificate.
Scroll down to see which CBMT board certified domains you can use to submit this activity for CBMT credits.