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Gregory Gafford Posts: 3
3/28/2022
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I taught a group of brothers and sisters that all had major hearing impairments. As a music teacher, it was hard for me at first to find ways to include them in my instruction. This young student very much wanted to participate; he was able to feel the vibrations of producing wind in the recorder while we played. There were definitely some modifications that went into playing. When we played as an ensemble, though he could read the notes, he could not hear the tempo, so I found a way to visually represent the beat on the scree so he could follow along with the rhythm and tempo of the rest of the class. This student wanted to participate in the recorder karate program we were using and he very much wanted to attain certain belts. He made it to the fourth belt level before he was transferred to another school, but he was so proud he played the song on the morning announcements for the whole school to see.
Another child who had physical disabilities with her hand, I was able to tape some of the holes on the recorder closed so she could participate and she was also successful.
edited by Gregg Gafford on 3/29/2022
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Gregory Martin Gafford
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David Hammer Posts: 3
4/2/2022
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Several years ago I had a student with Cerebral Palsy in my general music classes--he was a student for all his elementary school years, K-5. He enjoyed music and musical activities all the way through. When it came time for his 5th grade class to experience the violin, he was undaunted, and with the assistance of his paraprofessional (who attended music with him) holding the violin, he was able to manipulate the bow and play the open strings of the violin. When the students were ready to move on to more advanced concepts on the violin, I asked him if he would like to "conduct the orchestra," an idea he was quite thrilled with. We gave him a baton, and he conducted the other students...he was so enthusiastic, he couldn't wait for each music class so he could conduct again. Eventually we invited his dad and his classroom teacher to come and see him conduct the class...he was able to remain involved and continue to experience the music in a way that fit him.
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Christine Jackson Posts: 2
4/6/2022
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I currently teach students with Autism and have a few non- verbal students in this class. I use my smartboard often to have them touch a picture to respond to a question. I also use programs like musiclab where they can create their own music by using artwork and such to create the different sounds and patterns.
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Sabrina Browning Posts: 4
4/12/2022
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I currently have a 4th grade student with Autism. He needs routine, struggles with social skills, and some smells and sounds have an adverse affect on his behavior. I made sure to immediately create a routine that was special just for him. He has a green foam square that is just his, that he knows where to find it and put it on his spot every time. When playing instruments, we had to try a few sanitizers until we found one he was ok with. He feels comfortable enough to tell me when a sound bothers him. Developing relationship when these students are in a mainstream environment is crucial for their success in such a fast paced environment. Don't assume things about your student, ask them, especially older ones.
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Elizabeth LaViska Posts: 3
4/13/2022
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As a STEAM Specialist, I am always using music and art in my lessons. As an elementary teacher, I have many students with disabilities. The wide range has allowed me to not only work with a variety of students but also create accommodations and modification if needed. One recent example is that of a Kinder student. She immigrated from Honduras and was immediately detained and placed into foster care. While in placement her foster parents realized that she may be deaf due to nonverbal communication. She was evaluated and now has hearing devices. She is not only learning the English language, but also sign language. At the age of 6 she has a positive attitude and tries her best. While in my glass last week, we were learning a song and dance about the life cycle of a butterfly. I needed to make sure that I had the sign language available for her. It was perfect because not only did she learn the signs, but the other students did too. It was beautiful!
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Rebecca Colon Posts: 3
4/15/2022
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I remember when I did my teaching practice that the teacher appointed me to practice with deaf students. It was a group of 8 students and for me it was a tremendous challenge. I started looking for all kinds of information about how sound waves and vibration could be felt through touch. That was the first thing that came to mind. These students were mostly totally deaf and only a few were partially deaf. I worked on the concept of the beat and adapted my class using a speaker and rhythm band instrument. They placed one hand on the speaker that produced a constant beat and with their other hand they played that same beat on the instrument (sticks, tambourines, wooden block, among others). In addition, the students who were partially deaf placed them so that the totally deaf they saw them. In addition, I modeled the pulse with a musical instrument so that they in turn would follow it. It was all a success. I thought that teacher didn't like me but the results showed me otherwise. He trusted me and he knew I could do it. He gave me a lot of security to start this beautiful career as a music teacher that has been going on for 22 years.
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Danelle Eckhart Posts: 2
4/15/2022
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I had a student with autism who was sensitive to sound. I moved him away from speakers and other sound sources. Looking back I could have encouraged sound muffling headphones as well. He is a talented musician and thrives in class.
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holley driver Posts: 3
4/20/2022
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When taking a summative assessment in the music classroom, I read and sang notes aloud regarding questions to do with pitch interval.
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Elaine Ashley Posts: 3
4/20/2022
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I had a student in gr. K-5 with cerebral palsy. When we played recorders, she could only play with one hand. When the class progressed beyond her, she tried to play the songs on the xylophone. In our concert, she accompanied us with a different part and was very proud. I also gave her the option to research recorders and create a power point for the class to learn about the history. When we tested for "recorder karate belts", I adapted the skills she needed to pass in order to earn each belt. I learned that it takes time to prepare alternate lessons and instrumentation for a child with physical disabilities. I'm wishing now that I had done more for her.
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Frank Windham-Milton Posts: 3
5/16/2022
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I currently teach a student who is Autistic and also has a Para to accompany him to Special Area (Music). Student has a genuine love for Music and naturally inclined. There are days in which the student has difficulty working with other students. When this happens, I inform my student that it is okay that he is having a rough day and that he can work by himself today in the designated area in my classroom. When he is ready to team up with his shoulder partner, he may do so. On days that student behaves very well, the student may help pass out instruments carefully to the class along side the additional helpers selected. He loves to share the safety rules before the class plays an instrument or use a prop such as the parachute. Student is very good at classifying instruments into categories and gives specific characteristics as to why an instrument may belong to a particular family. He also loves to sing and will give feedback about his interpretation of the song or what the song is about. Student calls out answers to questions from time to time as is redirected to remember the class rule of raising your hand and waiting to be called on. He will admit that oops I forgot to raise my hand and need to wait to be called on. Lastly, I observed that a few years ago student has a sensitivity to loud sounds, when his class comes to music, I will adjust the volume on my Bluetooth speaker and also the Bass. I will ask the entire class if the speaker is too loud and if the volume is at a comfortable level. Everyone will put their thumb in the air to show me that the volume level is at a comfortable level. The same approach is used when playing instruments, the entire class will play softer.
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Frank Cedric Windham-Milton
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Keith Schuman Posts: 3
5/23/2022
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I have some students who are sound sensitive. When the volume gets too high for them, they put on headphones to soften the sound somewhat. It allows them to participate in class just like everyone else.
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Mark Majeski Posts: 1
5/25/2022
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Administrators need to understand the entire picture and how music fits into the climate and culture of the school. The musical language, expression, and analysis allow students to become more than they thought they could be. Music opens the world to students and allows expression to be part of their lives. Without expression, we are a blank slate, tabula rasa. Many administrators are managers, and their vision is limited due to political, financial, and external pressures that prevent them from bringing their schools to excellence.
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Donna Vojcsik Posts: 4
5/26/2022
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I have a large ASD unit at my school. They had difficulties with the recorders, so I created a color coded system using colored hole reinforcers. Every student soon wanted the "fruit loops" stickers on their recorder! It made it easier for the ASD students to play and became a treasured accessory for everyone. Double win!
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Kim Gandrup Posts: 1
6/6/2022
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I currently teach a 4th grade student with ASD and a Language Impairment. He has below age level expressive, receptive and social skills. He also becomes frustrated and stops working or participating. His language impairment affects his ability to communicate his thoughts and ideas effectively. This negatively impacts his ability to understand and apply new concepts in the curriculum. He responds positively when in small groups or partnered with a peer. During music class I try to partner him with one of his classmates. The kids help him stay on task with writing, and even explain directions in way he can understand. During a recorder lesson, I observed his partner helping him move fingers into the correct fingering for notes. He seems to pay more attention when a student is giving directions or demonstrating a skill than to adults.
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David Lawhead Posts: 7
6/9/2022
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I have a student with a hearing disability in the chorus. She is high functioning and very talented. Before I knew of her disability I moved singers around to different chairs and I noticed that her success decreased immediately. After a private conversation, she was happy to share with me that she had one "good ear", as she called it, and felt much more successful when she could sit on the end. From that point on, I made sure that her "good ear" was always toward the rest of the choir.
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David Lawhead
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Candace Travis Posts: 4
6/12/2022
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I find that using the creation app garage band is useful to teach form and composition. It can clearly make an ABA form piece with contrasting instruments, students can also create Melodies using the keyboards and record their creation.
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David Lawhead Posts: 7
6/13/2022
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I had a student with cerebral palsy. She was very intelligent but her response to music was not always accurate because of her disability. Music brought her so much joy that her body would sometimes respond in unpredictable ways. Her right hand was her preferred hand so I would always hand her a mallet in her right hand. She was more successful at striking a single tone chime rather than a Glock or xylophone. If we used the larger instruments, which she loved, she couldn't reach them in her chair so an assistant would move her to the instrument and steady her as she played. Removing extra bars and keeping only the ones she needed always helped her accuracy.
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David Lawhead
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April Laymon Posts: 5
6/14/2022
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I had a remarkable student who had autism (I'll call him 'David'). He was assigned his own paraprofessional, but mainstreamed into a very dynamic 5th grade class, and the students were wonderful with him. We discovered music was his "thing", that brought him out of his internal world, and connected him with others. He also had an incredible singing voice. Playing instruments was something we learned to moderate. He could handle the Orff instruments being played, and he loved when the class would play together--but drumming was a bit too stimulating. The class learned how to moderate the volume, and if he wasn't playing the piece we were, he was certainly singing it! Since he was also somewhat visually-impaired, he would sit close to the front during group instruction, unless he was having an off day...but usually, by the halfway point of music class, he was right back in the thick of things. When he exited music class, he was always on top of the world. I believe we all learned more from David that year than he ever learned from us.
Towards the end of that school year, we had a professional music ensemble on our campus, working with our students over the course of a week, thanks to a local fine arts program. They were extraordinary, and their music was joyful--like David. He sat on the floor in front of the ensemble, drinking in every note of their performance. When they finished, he leapt to his feet, and went to pump every single musician's hand. "You did a GREAT JOB!" he told them. "I am SO PROUD of you!!"
Honestly, I couldn't speak for several minutes. And I filed that story away in my heart for a rainy day.
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Amanda Hamilton Posts: 1
6/16/2022
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- Describe an example of adapted assessment you have successfully used in the fine arts classroom for students with disabilities.
Most of the music materials and assessments are now online and tie direction to the students Canvas account for auto grading. some of my students with disabilities do not respond well to the use of technology so I generally sit with a small group of them and read the questions for them and go over answer choices and plug the answers into the laptops myself. The point of the assessment is to see if they are understanding the access point not using the technology correctly, so in order to get that data point, you have to be flexible.
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Jennifer Karol Posts: 3
7/12/2022
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I've taught many students with disabilities over the years. I teach a couple students that are nonverbal. They are unable to sing, chant rhythms, or fully participate in any activity that uses our voice. Three of the nonverbal students are in the same class together. When we sing, I usual visuals and add movements. I add movements in so that the kids that are not verbal are still participating. I encourage them to join in to the best of their ability. I have them seated between or near students that are verbal.
One thing I noticed in the disability list is "non-pitch matchers/Amusia." I never thought of it as a disability even though I've had students that I know cannot match pitch and cannot hear pitch. It makes more sense labeling it as a disability.
edited by Jennifer Karol on 7/12/2022
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