2/5/2022
Topic:
Students With Disabilities
Lindsay Wheeler
|
"Think of a student with a disability you have now or in the past. Describe ways in which their disability affected their learning in your class."
I have been teaching Visual Art for 13 years, but the biggest challenges in my class have always been the emotional disabilities. It seems we can always come up with a way to creatively use tools for the physically impaired; the emotional disabilities were always harder to engage. I find that in the Visual Art world, mostly at the elementary level, but still also somewhat at the secondary level, we have this amazing opportunity to get to know our students in a non threatening, loving way. We are not by state assessments, are therefore have more time to spend breaking down some of the barriers students have put into place. The engagement piece is the first hurdle, and once you have achieved that, half the battle is won. Unfortunately though, there is no one answer for what that takes for each student. After the student has become engaged, the next hurdle is self acceptance. Acceptance of failure, more attempts, and hopefully a satisfactory success. Again, this is a process sensitive to each student's individual needs, yet as Visual Arts Educators, we have the ability to take the time these processes sometimes take, over multiple projects, and thus represent a VITAL portion of the IEP team, and should absolutely be included more within these meetings. |
2/5/2022
Topic:
Students With Disabilities
Lindsay Wheeler
|
Jessica Gautier wrote:
I have a KG student who has a learning disability- he is Autistic. He is smart, but gets overwhelmed in my classroom. Many times he wants to run around the room and touch my instruments or personal items on my desk. I have created a special spot for him to sit (a magic carpet). He knows now to come straight to the carpet. I also have made a point to model the correct way to handle an instrument and many times I have to have the student practice a few times how to put an instrument away or he picks a friend to help show him.
Have you tried allowing the student to wear headphones in your room? I don't know if you school allows it but I have had success with over the ear headphones, like people wear on a shooting range or at a racetrack - for students with any type of sensory issues. |
2/5/2022
Topic:
Students With Disabilities
Lindsay Wheeler
|
"Describe how two of the strategies discussed could potentially be implemented in your classroom. Be sure to identify the two strategies by name and describe how they could be used to address the needs of a student with a disability."
Differentiated instruction and tasks cards are frequently used in my classroom. More often than not I have a mixed bag when it comes to what students are able to sit down and do, so I frequently have a list of activities to complete for credit on a particular assignment, allowing the student to best meet their needs or abilities. I also use task cards for students who finish work well, but quickly and are bored or need more to understand a particular concept.
"Describe at least one way you have used technology to meet the needs of a student with a disability in your classroom. Be sure to describe the specific technology and how it assisted the student with a disability."
In several classrooms I have had access to class ipads and have used several clay manipulation, coloring, drawing, puzzle and art history apps to meet the needs of my students. |
2/5/2022
Topic:
Students With Disabilities
Lindsay Wheeler
|
"Describe an example of adapted assessment you have successfully used in the fine arts classroom for students with disabilities."
For students who cannot concentrate on the intricacy involved in some art tasks, I have allowed modified options within the assignment to allow them to complete the project successfully but more quickly.
"Think of a fine arts student with a disability you have now or in the past. Review the Assessment Accommodations Checklist and select two options that could potentially benefit this student in assessing his or her fine arts learning. Discuss how they would benefit the student."
Fewer questions and frequent breaks are two successful assessment accommodations I have used this year with a student with ADHD. He needs to frequently get up and walk a loop around the room, stretch and sit back down. |