9/28/2016
Topic:
Students with Disabilities
Kate Nadolny
|
My student, I'll call him Bo for this response, is autistic and sometimes can have mood swings. When I first met Bo last year, he was very adamant to not participate in my class and would sometimes have emotional breakdowns during class. Throughout the year, I would encourage him to be a part of the class in his own way. So, if he felt like participating, he would and if he didn't, Bo was allowed to sit off to the side. I needed to gain his trust. By the end of the year, Bo was participating in class and really taking the lessons we were learning. This year, Bo always comes to class ready to learn and listen. Sometimes, he will repeat words, but I wouldn't go so far to say he has echolalia. When we go to the instruments, I always set his class (6 other students also with autism) at tables with glockenspiels at them, that way they are not on the ground and they have space around themselves. Bo is always by himself with a glockenspiel. I was teaching them the C Pentatonic scale (where we would remove the keys and play) and at the end of class, I instructed them to put back the "burgers and fries" or B and F. I walked over to Bo and was about to instruct him on where to put B and F. He was putting the keys back in the right place, but was also saying "Fa! Fa! Fa!," when replacing F and "Ti! Ti! Ti!," when replacing B. I was not expecting this. When I realized he had corresponded the full solfege scale to these individual notes, I went through the C Major scale and he knew what note deserved what syllable and tried to do the hand signs! What an amazing moment! I'm currently trying to see if we can work out 15 minute piano lessons during the day to have as a reward for him and to foster his learning. |
9/28/2016
Topic:
Tools and Strategies
Kate Nadolny
|
I have used Peer Partners in my classroom. When students go on the instruments, they are always paired with another student. This allows them both to work together to get the part I am teaching or the concept ingrained. They are allowed and encouraged to help one another. Another strategy that I use is Mnemonic Instruction. The sillier the letter strategy, the better. It allows students to say something totally ridiculous and also reinforces the concept at hand. For example, for our line notes we say, "Elmo Goes Belly Dancing Fridays." They think that is hilarious and they will always remember their line notes for treble clef. With students for disabilities, this allows them the chance to have something to hold onto that will not change. We will always refer to C Pentatonic scale when taking out the notes and removing the burgers and fries. Line notes will always be about Elmo's dancing habits. With Peer Partners, this gives them a chance to work with non-disabled peers to figure out how to do something.
edited by Kate Nadolny on 9/28/2016 |
9/28/2016
Topic:
Assessment of Learning
Kate Nadolny
|
An adapted assessment that I did for my students with disabilities dealt directly with the Staff. Students were learning about what lines and spaces correlated to the notes for Treble Clef. I had taped a staff on the ground. For my general population students, they were asked individually to come forward and stand on the line or space that represented whatever note I told them. For the students with disabilities, I had them come up with two other general population students. They all were given three different notes, but were allowed to work together to find the correct line or space for that note. It gave the student with disability a chance at independence because they had their own test, but still received help from general population peers and reinforced the strategy of Peer Partners, or in this case peer groups. All students liked the challenge and the formative assessment was helpful in knowing who understood it and who did not. |
9/17/2021
Topic:
Students with Disabilities
Kate Nadolny
|
I currently have several students who are hearing impaired. When it comes to listening activities, they are always brought closer to the speakers so they can hear better. Plus, listening activities for all students are combined with written assignments befitting of their grade level (i.e., Kindergarten has a coloring page showcasing their opinion, 3rd grade listening to Copland's Fanfare for the Common Man has to draw a picture of whom they think the fanfare is for and write a sentence about them.) |
9/22/2021
Topic:
Tools and Strategies
Kate Nadolny
|
I had a student who had a severe language delay and was working with a speech pathologist a lot to help with her pronunciation. She carries an iPad with her to help express herself so that the teacher (whether it is me or someone else) can full comprehend what she is saying. This iPad helps her to ask questions so that she can complete the activity to the best of her ability. |
9/23/2021
Topic:
Assessment of Learning
Kate Nadolny
|
If scholars have a difficult time with writing due to dysgraphia or because they broke their dominant writing arm, they are given a choice of taking a electronic version of the assessment on a laptop or to dictate their answers to me as I write them down. |