Reaching Every Student: Strategies for Teaching the Arts Effectively to Students with Special Needs Rhoda Bernard, Ed.D. Managing Director Berklee Institute for Arts Education and Special Needs

Agenda Introduction Berklee Institute for Arts Education and Special Needs Teaching the Arts to Students with Special Needs –Principles Teaching the Arts to Students with Special Needs –Strategies Making the Arts Education/Special Education Connection Q&A, Scenarios, and Discussion

Introduction: Rhoda Bernard Singer/pianist/educator/advocate/program founder/leader/researcher/scholar. Proposition 2 1⁄2 survivor – breeding ground for my passion Harvard University/New England Conservatory/Harvard Graduate School of Education Conservatory Lab Charter School Began at Boston Conservatory in 2004 as Chair of the Music Education Department Started Boston Conservatory Programs for Students on the Autism Spectrum in 2008. Managing Director of the Berklee Institute for Arts Education and Special Needs beginning in September 2017.

Introduction: Berklee Institute for Arts Education and Special Needs Launched September 1, 2017 Stems from more than 10 years of work at Boston Conservatory Three pillars Arts Education Programs Graduate and Undergraduate Courses and Programs Professional Development www.berklee.edu/biaesn https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/0B8f- sQ0BYs3ncjdGbnM4VjBsNnM

Teaching the Arts to Students with Special Needs – Principles Individuals with disabilities may have a strong affinity for the arts. Some individuals with disabilities have prodigious artistic abilities. Studying the arts can directly address some of the cognitive, behavioral, and social challenges of individuals with disabilities. Cognitive (theory of mind, central coherence, executive function, joint attention) Behavioral (anxiety, meltdowns, odd/repetitive, ABC) Social (receptive/expressive language, processing time, eye contact, relationships, age appropriate interests)

Teaching the Arts to Students with Special Needs –Strategies Structure and schedule Preparation for unknown or changes to routine/schedule Simple and clear instructions; individual instructions help Partner written instructions with other modalities Digital video/audio recordings for students to take home for practice and prep Modify projects, assignments, exams to include less material but the same expectations Have a student perform only what s/he can contribute to a meaningful performance Requires “good teaching on steroids.” Examples: breaking down tasks into much smaller chunks, providing support and then fading it very gradually.

Making the Arts Education/Special Education Connection Universal Design for Learning Differentiated Instruction Task Analysis Discrete Trial Teaching Prompts and Fading Accommodations/Adaptations/Modifications Winding it Back

Universal Design for Learning *No two brains learn the same way; learner variability is the rule.* Teaching and Planning Curriculum with the Approach and Goal of Employing: Multiple modes of Representation (how teachers present and provide information to students) Multiple modes of Action and Expression (how students interact with the information and show what they know) Multiple Modes of Engagement (how teachers recruit interest and sustain effort – individual choice, collaboration, goals) Builds in flexibility from the very beginning of the planning process. Metaphor: Buffet Examples from your teaching

Differentiated Instruction Goal is to make learning accessible to all students. Grounded in knowledge that all students learn differently. Learner variability. Teacher finds ways to alter content, processes, products, or the learning environment to engage and challenge all students. Requires teachers to be very flexible and creative, juggling differences within a class setting. Takes place at the point of instruction between teacher and student. Metaphor: Individualized Dishes Examples from your teaching

Task Analysis Task Analysis – Breaking down a task into very, very small chunks, and then breaking it down even further Biggest mistake: chunks are too big Biggest mistake: chunks are combined too soon Examples from your teaching

Discrete Trial Teaching Discrete Trial Teaching – Working each small piece over and over, practicing until it is mastered Biggest mistake: not practicing long enough Biggest mistake: mastery is not consistent Examples from your teaching

Prompts and Fading Prompts and Fading – Starting with supports, and VERY GRADUALLY eliminating portions of the supports until the student can do the task unsupported. Biggest mistake: taking too many supports away Biggest mistake: taking supports away too quickly Examples from your teaching

Accommodations/Adaptations/Modifications Accommodations – Changes made to the environment to help children access the curriculum and activities. Objective stays the same, environment changes. Adaptations: Changing size, color, pacing, or modality in order for the child to meet the class objective. Objective stays the same, delivery changes. Modifications: Changing the objective for a child in order for her to achieve at the highest possible level. Objective changes. Examples from your teaching

Winding it Back Meeting students where they are Winding the sequence back to meet them Gradually winding the sequence forward to stay at the student’s “sweet spot” Knowing the student and how she learns so that you can stay with her in the sequence and time winding accordingly Examples from your teaching

Questions and Answers

Resources Berklee Institute for Arts Education and Special Needs – graduate programs and professional development ABLE Assembly: Arts Better the Lives of Everyone – April 6-8, 2018 - $100; see www.berklee.edu/biaesn for information and to register Arts Education programs (Saturdays) for students of all ages (3 to adult) with special needs. Consultations and professional development with Rhoda Bernard and her staff. (rbernard@berklee.edu) www.berklee.edu/biaesn

Contact Information Rhoda Bernard, Ed.D. Managing Director, Berklee Institute for Arts Education and Special Needs rbernard@berklee.edu; 617-912-9104 22 The Fenway, room 301, Boston, MA 02215