4/12/2019
Topic:
Students with Disabilities
Edith Williams
|
Administrator wrote:
Think of a music student with a disability you have now, or have had in the past. Identify their disability. Describe the way in which their disability affected their music learning. Describe at least one or more ways you successfully accommodated or modified instruction for this student. Share your response in the threaded discussion. |
4/12/2019
Topic:
Students with Disabilities
Edith Williams
|
I have an elementary student with LI. Until recently, it was almost impossible to understand what he was saying. He tries so hard to have his speech to be understood. Through his speech and classroom teachers and paraprofessionals, he has made great strides. He is such an inspiration and has worked so diligently to improve his ability to speak. Recently in a small group assignment, this young man's work stood out impressively. There were only 5 students in their group. The assignment was to select a poem, practice saying the poem so as to create a rhythm for the wording of the poem, and then to choose an instrument to represent a line or all of the words used in the poem. The group was then to decide whether or not to have the whole group or an individual speak one line or all of the lines of the poem together. As his group presented their poem, this young man had practiced speaking his part so well that he was one of only 2 students to successively be "heard" and understood in his group's presentation. I was so proud of him for his speaking "out." This would not have happened just a couple of years ago. I emailed his classroom teacher to let her know what an excellent job he had done on his project. Other times I have had to modify his assignment so that he could play an instrument instead of speaking a part. It requires adequate time for him to prepare any speaking effort. But he is now in the sixth grade and continues to amaze all of his teachers with his dedication and hard work. |
4/12/2019
Topic:
Tools and Strategies
Edith Williams
|
One way that I have used technology in my classroom to help students with visual impairment, is to show an ukulele tutorial from online on my screen. Not only are my students learning the fundamental skills and concepts, but they are having so much fun in the process. They can immediately see where to place their fingers in order to create new chords and this gives me the opportunity to circulate among the classroom in order to help students who previously were having difficulty in correct finger placement. It also allows the students to see a larger figure in greater deatail than just the teacher at the front of the classroom. |
4/12/2019
Topic:
Assessment of Learning
Edith Williams
|
One example of an alternate assessment that I have used in the music classroom for students with disabilities is to have the student play the rhythm of a six measure passage instead of writing the identification of the note names. The student had orthopedic disabilities (OI) and wrote with great difficulty. He was able to successfully play the passage using a mallet. He was beaming when he finished his exam and was able to "show off" in front of his classmates who exuberantly cheered him on. |