3/30/2020
Topic:
Students with Disabilities
Jacqueline Byl
|
A few years ago, I had a student with a skeletal disability involving his right shoulder. He was a guitar player and could only raise his left arm over the instrument. I do not typically offer left-handed guitars to students who are left handed. However, that was the only way this student could play. So, I reversed the bridge and strings to convert a right-handed guitar into a left handed instrument. All instruction regarding fingerings and chords for this student were offered to him as a reverse image of what the other students received. His learning was by no means diminished once we were able to customize the instrument for him. |
5/13/2020
Topic:
Tools and Strategies
Jacqueline Byl
|
Option 1: I could implement the peer partners strategy in my classroom by grouping a student with a disability with a higher achieving student who is positive and willing to help as they practice guitar duets or solo exercises. This will reinforce the learning of the higher achieving student and allow the partner to feel included and not singled out by the instructor. I could also implement the letter strategy as a part of mnemonic instruction. This can be useful for remembering the letters of the strings of the guitar or the lines and spaces of the treble staff. |
5/13/2020
Topic:
Assessment of Learning
Jacqueline Byl
|
I had a student with a learning disability as well as eyesight problems. He did not have a pair of glasses. To accommodate during assessments, I kept a pointer on each note he needed to play next as he looked back and forth between his instrument and the sheet music. This allowed him to play the correct notes in time. |