Peer mentoring students with disabilities in a high school orchestra program

Abstract

Researchers have identified the benefits of peer mentoring in both general education (Karcher, 2005; Karcher, 2009; Karcher, Davidson et al., 2010; Karcher et al., 2002) and music education (Goodrich, 2007). Mentoring and other peer-assisted learning strategies have also been identified by researchers as effective strategies for teaching and including students with disabilities in music contexts (Jellison et al., 1984; Salvador, 2016). However, limited research has been conducted to study how peer mentoring students with disabilities unfolds in music contexts. The purpose of this study is to examine an existing chapter of the United Sound mentoring program to understand participant perceptions of one another, the perceived benefits of the program, and the factors contributing to its overall success. A total of 12 students and two teachers (N = 14) participated in the study. Observations were completed on three occasions at 3-week intervals. Following two of these ob servations, interviews with eight of the students (n = 8) and both teachers (n = 2) were conducted resulting in a total of 20 interviews. Results from the study indicated that students and teachers had positive views of one another, but peer mentors struggled to feel comfortable when discussing the topic of disability. Other notable findings were that mentors developed interpersonal/teamwork skills, increased their pedagogical awareness, and effectively used informal mentoring to assist their fellow mentors. Additionally, both teachers indicated a positive shift in how they view students with disabilities.