6/19/2018
Topic:
Assessment of Learning
Jeffrey Clayton
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Several years ago I had a very petite, lyric soprano who was visually impaired. She possessed a good overall ear but the process of learning, practicing, and memorizing her choral music was difficult. She did not have any skills in Braille music though she was beginning at the end of her high school years. To teach, monitor, and evaluate I allowed her to bring a recorder to class and record the singer next to her [high level student] so she could hear an authentic example the melodic and textural lines. I would accommodate the time she needed to do this by having her pair with a pianist for some peer tutoring work in a practice room. Once she had the music learned it was easy for her to participate in normal quartet testings.
I also had this student in a vocal techniques class and as I have done with many of my students I encouraged her to send me small bits of her practice via an audio through text or email. I encouraged her to send any moment in her vocal development where she felt she needed feedback. I could then text a response that she could 'hear' at any time. I was particularly pleased at several moments of epiphany she shared. |
6/19/2018
Topic:
Tools and Strategies
Jeffrey Clayton
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In both my choral and vocal techniques classes I implement a variety of technology tools to facilitate student learning, particularly with students with disabilities. In the vocal techniques classes I utilize Appcompanist. This is an iTunes app that contains the accompaniment for 1000's of classical and musical theatre songs. The app allows a student to change keys, tempo, loop specific trouble spots, put a fermata on a cadenza, etc. You could actually perform with this device is necessary. A specific feature for students with learning or visual disabilities is the ability to have the melody played on top of the accompaniment either at pitch, an octave above or an octave below. This is extremely helpful in the learning process.
I also utilize voice memos where the students send me samplings of their vocal work [practice or performance] so they can avoid the classroom anxiety until they have mastered the skill or overcome their nerves. Students can learn at their own pace. |
6/20/2018
Topic:
Students with Disabilities
Jeffrey Clayton
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I have had several visually impaired students in my choral classes. Besides the normal assistance by their para-professional, I would always provide the accommodation of a peer tutor [usually a student with excellent reading and piano skills] for learning their vocal lines. The student would be allowed to record students near them in rehearsal for use later in home study. The student was encouraged to seek more feedback than normal from me through voice memos that demonstrated their progress or merely asked questions that could be answered at any time and when they needed it.
I have also had a student with Tourette's Syndrome that possessed a very large voice and was extremely self-conscious of her ticks. Many times it caused students around her to be uncomfortable. Through her IEP and work with the parents we were able to adjust her seating assignment so her voice would find a place that complimented the ensemble sound and a place where she felt she was not providing as much of a distraction to her peers. |