7/29/2019
Topic:
Students with Disabilities
Jessica Klee
|
Last year I had a 3rd grade girl with (D/HH) Hard of Hearing Disability in my music class. She was very sweet, positive and attentive. I placed her towards the front of the classroom and I used a headset microphone with two good quality speakers that amplified the large classroom. I also referred to visual aids on walls with a pointer, repeated instructions a few times, as well as, using hand signs when teaching a lesson. For instance, during vocal warm ups, I modeled a singing phrase while using hand sign (Solfege) then I would play the melody on the piano and then ask the class as a whole to repeat the phrase. After practicing a few times, it was time for each student to sing the phrase by themselves so I could grade or keep track of their progress. I called several students to sing solo before reaching my student with disability so she would feel comfortable watching and listening to her peers before and after her solo. I wanted to make her feel like she was just like all the other students...excited and nervous to show off their voices. The first couple of classes she didn't do or say anything, so I signed and sang for her then moved on quickly to the next student. The 3rd time she just signed the phrase which we praised her and then after that she sang and signed! I know a major factor is that i have routines of activities and procedures that allow the students to eventually know what is expected. Almost immediately she was even singing everything on pitch! |
10/6/2019
Topic:
Tools and Strategies
Jessica Klee
|
I use mnemonics as well for my elementary 3rd - 5th graders to learn the treble clef lines and spaces. I am in the process of introducing game stations to enhance learning because their seems to be a gab between singing the song of the lines to reading to play the notes. I figure kids like to play games and know the rules, therefore after teaching the rules explicitly, they will really comprehend the notes. I am also giving a pre and post test to show growth. |
10/6/2019
Topic:
Students with Disabilities
Jessica Klee
|
As I introduced Music Bingo, one of my students has partial use of their hands, so I told the class to buddy / partner up. Each partner or small group would share an instrument picture and would have to figure which instrument they heard from the recording and place a token on the picture. Since one of my students with disability did not have full use of their hands, they could tell their partner which picture they thought it might be or point to it.
edited by Jessica Klee on 10/6/2019 |
10/6/2019
Topic:
Assessment of Learning
Jessica Klee
|
I have a 3rd grade student with severe Tourette Syndrome. He is a very sweet boy but anything can trigger his anger and he verbally explodes. I greet him when he enters my music room off to the side so none of the other students notice, to see how his day is going and if he needs alone time or wants to be with the class. If he chooses alone time, I have supplies on the bookcases in the back of the room with simple music books to read, little whiteboards and markers to draw or worksheets with clip boards to trace or draw on. It calms him and he is proud of the work he has completed and sometimes within 10 minutes or so , he returns to his seat and participates with class activities. |
10/6/2019
Topic:
Students with Disabilities
Jessica Klee
|
I have a 1st grade student with Cerebral Palsy in a wheelchair. He does not have control over most of his body but he can crawl. When we dance, I block off an area by standing in front of him stating to the class they have all the space in front of me, while the para stands behind me watching him. He crawls around dancing in his own way and loves it! He loves to sing and by now the class including him is use to singing solo while signing solfege, when I sing roll. He actually has a strong voice and you can understand somewhat of the words he is singing. I know I've made the music room a safe and positive place because he shows no fear in any of the activities. For instance, when we walk in a circle, the para holds him up by the waist as he tries to walk. His face lights up with a huge smile and he sings out joyously. |
10/6/2019
Topic:
Tools And Strategies
Jessica Klee
|
As a Fine Arts Educator I could implement at least two of the strategies discussed in my classroom, to better meet the needs of Students with Disabilities. These strategies can be found in Instructional Design and Instructional Delivery, which are components of Explicit & Intensive Instruction.
Explicit or systemic instruction uses Instructional Design Components which contains 6 different strategies. One of those is called, “Mediated Scaffolding, “which is a process that requires building blocks of learning a task one step at a time; each becoming more difficult and challenging. Take for example learning to play the recorder. First, the Teacher would model how to hold the instrument referencing to math angles for precision and then how to play one note establishing finger placement. After some Student practice with the Teacher, then a new note would be added and then a third. Second, the teacher would say what notes to play and then play them with the students, acting as their mirror and exaggerating finger positions. Eventually the teacher would no longer play along, but only say the notes for the students to play. Third, the teacher would introduce the notes on a staff, just like words in a book. A picture of the recorder would be posted with the correct fingering to identify a note and then a diagram of notes on a staff would be displayed. The students would place their recorder instruments on their chin and name the notes aloud for the first line. Then repeat the line, however this time, say the numbers to the fingering and then lastly actually play the notes. All of these steps and layers allow each student to comprehend the tasks either orally, visually or kinesthetically therefore covering all styles of learning. Finally, the teacher can assess and praise or correct immediately by watching or hearing the wrong sound or fingering for each student, which would ensure accurate learning.
Intensive instruction uses Instructional Delivery Components which is another method to teach students, including Students with Disabilities. It too has 6 different strategies one being, “Adequate Time.” Students who are academically behind or have learning disabilities are challenged by the clock. They must learn more information in a shorter amount of time according to Stanovich’s, “The Matthew Effect” (1986). In order to help make the students successful with a focused task, the teacher must allow more student practice time and then during a test, extra time to complete successfully. For instance, in music class, the teacher presents a “Name the instrument” game so that the students can identify different instruments with sounds. First, the teacher would ask the students to buddy/team up and share a picture card of instruments like Bingo. Then as a whole group, the teacher would play the clip of music and ask the students to place the token on the picture they felt would produce the sound they just heard. If the Student with Disability does not have use of their hands, they could tell their buddy which picture they thought it might be or point to it. While the buddies/ partners are discussing the possibilities, the teacher would pause the music to allow “Adequate Time” for the students to grasp and think of the correct answer; before moving on to the next sound. Lastly, once the concept of listening, seeing the picture, and then choosing an instrument is understood, then small group time would be allotted for extra student practice. |
2/17/2020
Topic:
Assessment of Learning
Jessica Klee
|
I have a few "Hard of Hearing" students that range from K-5 in my music classes. Since music is naturally visual, it is easy to accommodate when teaching and assessing. I try to make all the students feel equal by using different forms of hand on activities. I find that the students with disability appreciate it and feel like all the other students, which boosts their confidence. I use response cards and exits cards at times, but more regularly hand signals for instance, showing how many using their fingers when answering a question. That seems to be the quickest route especially since my classes are very large. |
2/17/2020
Topic:
Tools and Strategies
Jessica Klee
|
The first strategy I have recently tried in my classroom is "Learning Centers." Having them in small groups allows different levels of students to help each other and work together. As I rotated to each center and noticed one team had almost finished while others were not, I gave everyone more time and the team that almost finished were given added instruction, in which they happily accepted the challenge.
The second strategy I recently used was "Peer Partners." While everyone was standing at a xylophone (3 rows) after verbally instructing which bars to play; as I walked showing the 1st row, I then asked the 1st row students to turn around and show the person behind them in the 2nd row. Once they understood, the 2nd row would show the person in the 3rd row. Other times I would ask students to "team up" with their neighbor and work together as instructions were given either verbally or in note cards. To my surprise, all the students even with Deaf or physical restrictions really enjoyed collaborating with their classmates! |