Fostering musical creativity of students with intellectual disabilities: Strategies, gamification and re-framing creativity

In Hong Kong, the principle of ‘one curriculum framework for all’ applies to all students, including students with special educational needs (SEN) (EDB 2020. “Special Education Needs.” https://www.edb.gov.hk/en/curriculum-development/major-level-of-edu/special-educational-needs/index.html). Students with intellectual disabilities (ID) are expected to achieve the same learning targets as their counterparts in mainstream schools. Within this common curriculum framework, students (age 6–14) study Music with one of its overall aims ‘to develop creativity’ (CDC 2003. Music Curriculum Guide (Primary 1 – Secondary 3). Hong Kong: CDC, 11). This qualitative multiple case study reports a sample of nine music teachers fostering the musical creativity of students with ID. A discussion of the findings reveals that in this sampling: (1) instructional strategies focus on the process not product of musical creativity, (2) creative fostering strategies embody gamification and (3) these music teachers re-frame creativity as being innate and commonly held by their students with ID.