4/30/2023
Topic:
Assessment of Learning
Richard Wright
|
In assessing students on the autism spectrum I have found that if I break the skill down to its basic components and slowly work through the skill we can achieve success. This occurred while playing recorder with 3rd students, some who were on the autism spectrum. After playing b,a,g for 5 weeks I still had some students that were unsuccessful at playing Hot Cross Buns. I found that they were over blowing, not using their tongue to attack the note, and erratically moving their fingers. I took each step beginning with gently tonguing b, covering the holes completely, and achieving the correct tone before moving to the next note. It was slow moving but afterwards the student had a better understanding of how to successfully play the piece, the gratification of having done so, and a white bead on her pipe cleaner to represent the first level white recorder karate belt. |
4/30/2023
Topic:
Tools and Strategies
Richard Wright
|
In my kindergarten music class I have a lot of students on the autism spectrum, some with varying learning disabilities, and some with behavioral disorders. I use my computer to access a website called Music Play Online by Denise Gagne. The program provides a complete curriculum for elementary school music programs including singing, dancing, instrument playing, note reading, body percussion, and much more. I utilize it often to quickly engage my students in music making. The students love the visuals on the screen and tend to learn songs more quickly when sung by the person or character on the screen. Last week we we did the song Space Worms. Before I played it I told them that it was really scary and that I probably shouldn't show it to them. They begged for it and said that they weren't afraid. I put it on, they laughed and almost immediately began singing. The second time I added scarves to sing and dance it while kids took turns beginning the leader. This could have gone on forever, then I brought out the stretchy band which they have never seen. They went bananas, singing and bouncing the stretchy band to the music! No one got hurt, no had a melt down. |
4/30/2023
Topic:
Students with Disabilities
Richard Wright
|
At one time I taught music at The Exceptional Student Center. I had students with the entire spectrum of possible disabilities each student, every class. I utilized my Orff training as well as my experience as music therapist at he state hospital to create vibrant lessons to enrich the lives of my students. We played instruments, sang songs, moved creatively, read stories, and acted stories out with musical accompaniment. I always utilize playing xylophones while set up in a pentatonic scale. This gives the player the option to strike any note and still be within the harmonization. With my lower functioning students I assisted them to play using guided hand over hand technique. This can be done with most of the percussion and guitar/ukelele. I would finger the chord and guide the student to strum the strings. After school I developed a chorus with the higher functioning students. Although we sang I understood that not everyone would be able to hit the pitch. We accompanied ourselves with simple percussion instruments, danced with scarves, and used simple sign language. We gave a holiday performance that was well received by the parents and school. Although it was not music note perfect it was performed with a great sense of energy, enthusiasm, and respect for the music. The students felt great sense of achievement. In the words of Beethoven " Music goes from the heart to the heart"! |
4/30/2023
Topic:
Students with Disabilities
Richard Wright
|
I have used pneumonic strategies in teaching music to all students. In the Orff strategy we use language to express rhythms. The word pie becomes the sound ta which represents the quarter note. The word apple becomes ti ti which equals 2 eight notes. Apple pie become ti ti ta. There are five basic rhythm words that lay the foundation of all rhythmic understanding. I also, do a lot of activities with peer grouping. We clap rhythms, dance with partners, and play instruments with partners to strengthen and develop playing skills. |
5/2/2023
Topic:
Students with Disabilities
Richard Wright
|
In playing the recorder some of my autistic students didn't understand the delicate nature of tonguing the note to create a tone. You can't do it too hard or to soft. So, I had to take extra time to work with them independently to have them imitate the way I use my tongue, first by just saying the word tu, then thinking that word when you play that note. Changing to the next note was difficult because they were not fully covering each note. We had to analyze each note to see how they were not fully covering the holes and what it would take for them to cover. And with each note came a slightly softer tonguing until we 3 notes. We did we would slowly go through the song Hot Cross Buns until we could play each note and achieve success. |