4/23/2017
Topic:
Students with Disabilities
mary wright
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My school is an official ESE school and we have a large population of ASD and IND students. They are in self contained classes that come to music in groups of 2-3 classes together along with 4-5 adult assistants. It’s a huge group with multiple levels of ability and disability. One student is IND and also has behavior issues of impulsivity and violence. He is held onto all day long by a teaching assistant. He kicks her sometimes. If she lets him go, he will run out the door or run around the room trying to break and throw things. I have to make sure that expensive or delicate things are put away before he arrives. Last time, I had boomwhackers lined up on the floor and he ran in and stomped all over them and mashed some. I hate to admit it, but I’ve given him jellybeans sometimes to keep him seated and still. I have modified the curriculum for the entire group. He is not the only student who will break or throw anything in their hands. I use streamers, scarves, lollipop drums and jingle bells that can’t be broken easily and can be replaced easily. I’m able to get this student's attention, as well as that of the rest of the class, if we do an activity where they each get to be the leader or center of attention. That would be something like “Doggie where’s your bone?” or leading the class in moving streamers. He will actually settle down a little and participate if he is the leader. I’m hoping through this course to find better ways to involve these students in music. |
4/25/2017
Topic:
Tools and Strategies
mary wright
|
I use cooperative learning often with Kagan activities. I have students turn and discuss the content with their shoulder partner. At the end of class, students discuss the Essential Question with their shoulder partner before we discuss it as a group. We do Think-Pair-Share. Students walk around in space to the beat of music while holding a rhythm pattern card. When the music pauses, they stop at a new partner each time and read their rhythm pattern using syllables. The partner reads his/her pattern and then they switch cards and the music starts again.
I use a multi-sensory approach for everything through the use of manipulatives, visuals such as pictures, graphs, thinking maps, listening maps, movement for everything and reading and writing. |
4/25/2017
Topic:
Assessment of Learning
mary wright
|
I have classes with mixed ASD, IND, deaf and all ages in one group. They are on many different levels. Some sing and participate fully while others just sit or run around the room. I can usually get them to sing by using a toy microphone. Doing that, I found that some can sing quite well. I also use response cards, but some students will just drop them on the floor and not answer. I can assess rhythm playing and reading by letting each student create a rhythm with picture or note cards for everyone else to play and speak. Then I can observe each student. |