Assessing Students with Differing Needs in Elementary and Middle School Music Classrooms.

How is my child doing in music? We often provide behavioral or general information to that question. Individualized feedback through multiple strands of learning is sometimes difficult when we have hundreds of young students to teach.

Students who need individualized learning Some students are months or years behind others in their general music class Other students are months or years ahead of others in their general music class

The benefits of winding instruction Winding back Winding forward Multiple means and access points

Adaptations and Accommodations Size Color Pacing Modality

Modifications Winding forward or backward to find the specific step within a sequence that meets the current need of the student. Assessing students where they are in the sequence, rather than at the central objective or goal for the majority of the students.

Finding the place within the sequence Sometimes on an incremental level May be different and dependent upon the specific day or student profile Sensory Behavioral Emotional Cognitive Communication Physical

Modifying in the Classroom Winding back Winding forward Keeping all plates spinning 

Rhythm Activities Rhythm patterns My Mother Your Mother (same, same/different, differentiated) Rhythm Go Round Rhythm Flash Cards (fly swatter) Find Your Family Bee Bee Bumblebee (popsicle differentiation) Rhythm Rondo

Elementary School Rhythm Reading Sequence Chart

Melody Activities Doggie Doggie Beach Ball Melody Flashcards (fly swatter) Finger Staff Sol Mi (improvisation circle) Duke’s Place

First Grade Melodic Sequence Non-modified or adapted curricular goals Modified curricular goals Adapted curricular goals Students will decode quarter eighth patterns from chants that are well-known to them Student will tap the rhythm with words to chants that are well-known to him Student will derive quarter eighth patterns using popsicle sticks given as much time as necessary

First Grade Melodic Sequence Non-modified or adapted curricular goals Modified curricular goals Adapted curricular goals Students will apply new rhythm syllables to chants well-known to them Student will chant rhythms that contain quarter/eighth with other students Student will chant using rhythm syllables at a tempo of his choosing

First Grade Melodic Sequence Non-modified or adapted curricular goals Modified curricular goals Adapted curricular goals Students will sing sol-mi patterns using neutral syllables Student will approximate higher and lower pitches following individual prompt by teachers Student will sing sol-mi patterns using neutral syllables at a tempo of his choosing

First Grade Melodic Sequence Non-modified or adapted curricular goals Modified curricular goals Adapted curricular goals Students will show higher and lower with their hands and with the use of icons Student will show higher and lower through any modality he prefers Student will demonstrate higher and lower using icons and/or body motions

First Grade Melodic Sequence Non-modified or adapted curricular goals Modified curricular goals Adapted curricular goals Students will discover the two pitches (sol and mi) and their similarities as noted in several folk songs well-known to them Students will sing folk songs that contain sol-mi with other students Student will discover sol-mi in at least one folk song well-known to him

First Grade Melodic Sequence Non-modified or adapted curricular goals Modified curricular goals Adapted curricular goals Students will apply new solfege syllables to chants well-known to them Student will apply new solfege syllables to at least one chant well-known to him

Later melodic sequence ideas Let us Chase the Squirrel Great Big House in New Orleans

Tracking progress through time Student name Sings a variety of do pentatonic songs Sings a variety of do pentatonic songs in solfege Reads a variety of do pentatonic songs in solfege, from various staff placements Decodes solfege of known songs and patterns that include do, re, mi, sol, and la Uses solfege (do, re, mi, sol, and la) abstractly, in tone ladders and tone sets Jonathon X Maribeth Isaiah Anibel Quin Tanner Hsui-Hui

Activities to prepare various tonal centers Y Toop D’rom Now All the Woods are Waking Ah Poor Bird (bum)

Identification of Scale Type Steps to identifying scale type Date of mastery Sing a variety of songs and name them as a known scale type or “other”. Sing the resting tone. Sing a selected song in the new scale type with text. Sing the song in solfege. Sing and identify the resting tone in solfege. Sing and list all the pitches used in the song as a tone set; the teacher writes the pitches from lowest to highest, leaving a space for any missing solfege. Circle the resting tone in the tone set. Count the number of different solfege pitches used. Name the scale, with resting tone first, then the number of different solfege pitches (bi = 2 pitches, tri = 3 pitches, tetra = 4 pitches, penta = 5 pitches, hexa = 6 pitches). Tonic scales do not include fa; chordal scales include fa.

Activities to encourage part singing Skip to my Lou Now All the Woods are Waking Ah Poor Bird Jubilate Deo

Part Singing Curricular goal Date of mastery Student sings the text in a large group while the teacher sings the resting tone as a pulse with text. Student sings the resting tone as a pulse with text in a large group while the teacher sings the text. Student sings the text in a small group while the teacher sings the resting tone as a pulse with text. Student sings the resting tone as a pulse with text in a small group while the teacher sings the text. Student sings the resting tone as a pulse in solo with text while another student sings the text. Student sings the text while another student sings the resting tone as a pulse with text.

Part work activities Chants My Mother, Your Mother Bee Bee Bumble Bee/Bate Bate Songs Hot Cross Buns/Lucy Locket Let us Chase the Squirrel/Great Big House

Part singing progress through time Activity (i.e. canon, rhythmic ostinato or partner songs) Sings song without help Sings the song while another part occurs (i.e. ostinato, drone, canon) Describes and identifies the other part Performs the other part Performs the other part while the song occurs Performs the song and the other part simultaneously (i.e. tapping/playing the ostinato, hand signing in canon) Jonah Becca Simon Jaidyn

Charting Student Learning Objectives Objective: The students will solfege unfamiliar patterns using only notes in the diatonic major scale (steps-no skips), and rhythms that include quarter, paired eighth, and half notes, and equivalent rests.

Pitch Matching Steps Pitch Matching Sing major scale on neutral syllables, ascending ☐ Sing major scale on neutral syllables, descending Sing major scale with solfege, ascending Sing major scale with solfege, descending Sing pitches on a staff with solfege Find and sing “do” using a “do key”

Reading Steps Reading ☐ Recognize staff Recognize treble and bass clefs Understand line and space notes Name the line in both clefs Name the space in both clefs Identify notes on lines and spaces in both clefs Recognize rhythms: half, quarter, eighth, and equivalent rests Recognize bar lines and measures Recognize time signatures 2/4, 3/4 and 4/4

Rhythm Readiness Steps Maintain steady beat ☐ Chant and clap Perform half notes and rests Perform quarter notes and rests Perform paired eighth notes

Honoring the Individual Pacing during class Time outside of class Materials and music that fit developmental needs Placing the students at the center of everything you do at school

The Fable

Find Me!! Facebook: Alice Hammel Email: hammela@mac.com Website: musicandspecialneeds.org