6/3/2019
Topic:
Students with Disabilities
Amanda Lyon
|
I have had many students that have disabilities that affect their learning but the most severe case I have had is a student who has a combination of ASD and resulting EBD behaviors that follow. He has some speech issues, but mostly has no filter. His ability to process his thoughts before they leave his mouth is very low and frequently results in him blurting his cranky feelings about not understanding, not caring, being angry about what's happening around him, etc. It sometimes results in Oppositional Defiance as well, regardless of how he is progressing with his work. He struggles physically with the instruments we play in class, and when he does not get something correct the first time, his frustration comes out AT me and other students (who consequently also have EBD behaviors and will respond accordingly). His physical issues include slow adaptation of new fine motor movements as well, which usually mean I have to place his fingers on the instruments for him. He responds to this well, but does not remember the placement for a very long time, sometimes it can take weeks before a one-finger chord on guitar or ukulele will finally settle. |
6/4/2019
Topic:
Tools and Strategies
Amanda Lyon
|
Administrator wrote:
Choose One(1):
- Option 2: Describe at least one way you have used technology to meet the needs of a student with a disability in your music classroom. Be sure to identify or describe the specific technology and the student's disability. Share your response in the threaded discussion.
I should preface this with the fact that I am at an ESE center and teacher K-12 general and instrumental music. Most of my kids have emotional disabilities but many have physical impairments as well.
For many of my students, fine motor skills are lacking and it becomes frustrating to the point of them quitting any activity we do that requires writing. While I do attempt to keep them writing because it's a skill they need to develop, for time purposes, I sometimes have to utilize tech for assessments. I use a number of apps on my ipads to assess and allow them to practice certain skills. We use MusicTheory.net (and it's app version Tenuto) for note reading practice and assessments on the staff and in rhythmic form; we use RhythmCat for performance of a rhythm that doesn't require playing an instrument; we use multiple tuning apps for those who don't hear close pitches yet; we use apps so that students who don't have full range of arm movements can perform on various instruments through GarageBand, Prodigies Bells, and more. For students with emotional disabilities that inhibit their ability to be social on occasion, they are offered specific responsibilities like recording the classes assignments, documenting the music, and/or using the bluetooth speaker to participate from my "cool down corner." |
6/4/2019
Topic:
Assessment of Learning
Amanda Lyon
|
Administrator wrote:
Choose One(1):
- Option 1: Provide/Describe one or more examples of adapted or alternative assessments you have successfully used in the music classroom for students with disabilities. Be sure to identify the student's disability. Share your response in the threaded discussion.
Prefacing by stating that I teach K-12 general and instrumental music in an ESE center...
With my larger elementary classes that have students who don't have good pitch center yet, but can match well, and I know understand the concepts behind whatever we are singing, I will assess in small groups. The entire group (with my assistance) will sing the scale, song, or melodic pattern together and I will record and evaluate each voice separately later. This also helps keep order in my sometimes chaotic classrooms and it keeps the kids with emotional disabilities from being able to discern each student's individual voice and reduces bullying/blurting criticisms.
In my secondary courses, I have created summative assessments that include a written/text portion so that my students who have physical impairments or disabilities can still feel successful even if the sounds they produce on the instruments are not yet ideal. Students have to demonstrate in traditional reading and writing that they understand the concepts we are demonstrating on instruments as well.
I have also used different accommodations like "easy" fingerings when possible to assist with students who do not have the fine motor skills needed to play certain instruments. A good example is using "easy chords" on ukulele and guitar are one finger and three strings instead of 4/6, then they can progress to medium difficulty by adding another finger/string to that same chord when ready (now called medium). I have students alternate when they are struggling to process as well. If they have just learned a new fingering that has multiple fingers going, they can integrate the medium or full fingering at their own pace. This helps me also assess where we should go next in the curriculum. If they are not ready for three fingers, I might allow them to do finger picking one string next instead of going "in order." |