11/26/2016
Topic:
Students with Disabilities
Patrick Gulick
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Currently I teach a self contained class of ten students with varying disabilities. Having everyone at once greatly affects the lesson and how the content will be taught or performed. Three paras accompany the students and are very helpful with participation and answering any of my questions. They all love singing so we sing often; Yankee Doodle, John Jacob Jingle... Movement is the next best thing we can do in terms of participation. Five of the 10 can stand on their own and move along while the others need help. Again, the enthusiasm to participate is there but modifications need to be made for everyone to be comfortable. Songs where motions can be done while still while still being seated is what I look for and teach the most. Last week we all kearned Skinnamarink and they loved it. I have a feeling we are going to be doing that one often. |
12/13/2016
Topic:
Tools and Strategies
Patrick Gulick
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My use of technology has greatly affected my students with visual impairments. I have a projector that can project our activities right on the whiteboard. I can enlarge and move around objects on the board and place notes on the staff all at eye level. When learning new songs I am able to project the music so that student's with visual impairment can see easier instead of using the book. I also purchased a presentation clicker so that I am able to be away from the computer and still control the music and activities while next to the students. |
12/13/2016
Topic:
Assessment of Learning
Patrick Gulick
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I was once giving an assessment on rhythms. I would play and say a rhythm and the students would have to write it out on their whiteboards. In one particular class I have a student that can't hold the marker well due to his disability. To accommodate this I gave him craft sticks to use to notate the rhythms. One stick was a quarter note and used three sticks to notate a pair of 8th notes. He enjoyed it so much and the rest of the class wanted to use craft sticks too. So every once in a while we play where I divide the class into groups and we use the craft sticks to write rhythms on the floor. |