all messages by user

I have a student in my theatre class that is on the autism spectrum. She struggles with social interactions and is extremely fixated on her specific likes and interests. This can make group projects very difficult. It can also be difficult to keep her engaged if she is not interested in the current topic, which can lead to behaviors that are very distracting to the class. One way that I successfully accomodated for this student is to use one of her favorite TV shows as a source for monologues and group acting scenes. Because of her extreme interest in the characters and plot, she was engaged and focused, eagerly learning lines, talking about characterization, even going as far as to create a costume for the project.

I have had a student with high functioning autism (aspergers). This disability can be made very apparent in an environment where self awareness and ability to think outside of the box is a plus. This student felt very comfortable with situations that are black and white and that he could complete on his own. In the fine arts there are a lot of cooperative assignments. I was able to meet his needs by allowing him to research topic for improve and present them to the class, basically putting him in the directors seat. This way he felt a level of control in this situation. He enjoyed the technical side of things so he was on the lights and mics where his level of concentration was an asset.

One way I have used technology to meet the needs of a student with a disability in my classroom is by allowing a child with AHDH and Autism along with my other students to use an app called Quizlet for studying for an upcoming test. I knew that this particular student had a hard time taking detailed notes but thrived when presented with a task he could accomplish on his own on his iPad. This tool is helpful for the average, gifted and struggling learner as it is self-paced and self correcting so if the correct answer is not achieved it will be displayed on the screen for further review. It is also a great too because it can be repeated over and over for further comprehension.

I've used graphic organizers and grouping practices regularly. In AVID training, we learned a lot about Cornell notes and I think it's extremely important to teach students how to take notes. The basic Cornell note can be modified to meet different needs for each student, but it provides an excellent framework and routine to help them document information they learn, either in class or from books or videos.
Grouping practices do need close monitoring, but there is so much that can be done to differentiate learning using stations for groups. You can teach the same topic in the same amount of time providing multiple possibilities for product. Students who have trouble learning visually can be placed into a small group with a project that centers around movement or sound. In smaller groups, students tend to feel less lost in the crowd and have a chance to voice their thoughts without feeling too intimidated.

An example of adapted assessment I have used in the classroom for a student with disabilities is when I allowed for an assessment to be given orally and I wrote down the answers as the child dictated them to me. The child had dyslexia and ADHD and he knew the content but could not get it on paper in a way that made him feel successful in his learning. By doing it orally he was able to articulate is answers in a fashion that made his proud of his final outcome.