3/5/2018
Topic:
Students with Disabilities
Carol Pollock
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About a year ago, I had a fantastic student with an orthopedic impairment that I did modifications with. (He was missing parts of his fingers on one hand, and missing part of his forearm.) At the time, our fifth graders were learning guitar. This hard-working young man not only didn't let his impairment slow him down, we went through a trial-and-error process of figuring out what would be the best way for him to be successful at playing. Not only did he play the guitar, he was one of the best players I had that year! It was quite a process to figure out modifications for him. We ended up laying the guitar flat so he could reach all the strings (it's normally played on its side.) With the part of the forearm that he had, he ended up using that to strum the guitar. He used his other partially-formed fingers to press down the strings to form each chord. He was such a great kid!!! |
4/2/2018
Topic:
Tools and Strategies
Carol Pollock
|
Two strategies that I intend to use (or currently use) are learning centers and peer partners.
The first strategy I will use will be learning centers. I have previously used centers before, but at a smaller school (where the numbers weren't quite as large!) I would like to take on the huge task of implementing them at my current school. Although there are many skills that need polishing and practicing, one of the biggest ones that I have observed students needing is naming notes on the staff (which, to be honest, is a challenge for MOST of my students). In addition, I have previously observed that my ESE students do well in centers/small groups because I am able to work through more complex tasks with them individually or they are able to work with a small group and spend more time on a specific skill that is much easier and more comfortable for them at their own pace.
The second strategy I currently use is peer partners. I have noticed in the past (when given a good initial set-up by me) that fellow peers make the best instructors/tutors for students that need additional/different strategies. As long as I choose pairings carefully, the success rate of my ESE students at better understanding the presented materials really soars! |
4/9/2018
Topic:
Assessment of Learning
Carol Pollock
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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.
- Option 2: Think of a music student with a disability you have now (or have had in the past). Identify their disability. Review the Alternative Assessment Checklist and select two or more options that could potentially benefit this student in assessing his or her music learning. Share your response in the threaded discussion.
I choose Option (1).
In the past, I had a student who had a physical disability where not all of his hand/fingers were fully formed. He did quite well on the recorder, as I purchased an adaptive recorder for him to work with. When we got to guitar, however, was much more challenging. In order to make it work for him, he had to lay it flat like a slide guitar because he couldn't hold it. As he was a very bright child, he was able to figure out how to adapt his playing style to press down on the strings of the left hand, and use the part of his right arm to strum. He was able to perform most of the chords we were working on successfully, as long as they were adapted to one finger chords. |