MUSICAL PREFERENCES OF STUDENTS WITH A MODERATE DEGREE OF INTELLECTUAL DISABILITY

This paper has made an attempt at characterizing the type of musical tastes among students with a moderate degree of intellectual disability on the basis of the results of the author′s own research conducted in the years 2015-2016 in six randomly selected special schools in Poland. The study involved altogether 80 students aged 14-15. The research strategy included the diagnostic survey method, thanks to which it was possible to find out about the types of musical tastes of students of special schools. In order to achieve this, the author used his survey questionnaire composed of questions involving personal details, the type of the students' interests and methods of their musical activity both at school and at home. The set of questions was formulated very comprehensibly, explicitly and clearly for the investigated individuals. In certain cases students with difficulties in independent writing or/and oral expression were provided with support through including volunteers in the opinion poll. The obtained findings were analysed in detail. The attempt to select the types of musical tastes had aimed at showing the importance of activities regarding musical education, strongly committed to the improvement of processes of socialization and social rehabilitation of this group of students. The idea of using alternative and innovative contact with music in school conditions has a character of positively developmental and innovative approach in the process of effective enrichment of the therapy and the social adaptation of students. As it was attempted to show in this paper, such lively and professionally oriented contact can allow, among other things, obtaining additional information essential for regular updating comprehensive evaluation of students; deciding on a favourable model of supporting mutual relationship between teachers, parents, students and the environment; preparing an individual program of therapeutic work, guiding direct influences of teachers towards dynamizing, supporting, developing competences, extending students' musical talents. The author′s research confirmed the hypothesis that participants of workshops possess a definite set of musical tastes and its range depends on numerous external conditionings and a favourable school and family environment. The research succeeded in confirming that the more traits characteristic for acceptance of musical forms students possess, the higher the degree of the intensified activity and interest they reveal through their active participation in its different forms.