Adaptive Art Lessons
Engaging students with disabilities in creative activities can be challenging for you and for them. Early planing and extra consideration can prevent many of the problems you face at art time, but this doesn't mean you have to spend hours making elaborate preparations for the next art lesson. Adapt lessons that have worked well with non-disabled students. Simplify the procedures, eliminate hazards and modify concepts to fit the emotional, physical and intellectual needs of your class.
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Block Cities
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Glue together wooden blocks to make houses and buildings. You can use donated scrap wood or recycle used building blocks. Consider substituting the wood blocks for foam or cardboard cubes, this will make the activity much safer for students who are likely to drop or throw wooden blocks. Turn the block project into a social activity by having students work together. They can combine several structures to form a neighborhood or collaborate on creating one large building.
Today I...
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Build language and social skills with this story-telling project. Have students write and illustrate a story about their daily activities. Invite direct exposition as well as more abstract, emotional responses. Highlight the fact that every day is full of activity and an opportunity to practice and develop critical life skills. Encourage discussion of disability-related challenges such as getting up in the morning, eating or getting to school. Stories may be hand-written in yarn-bound books or excerpts may be typed and pasted to poster-sized drawings of a particular scene.
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Sidewalk Art
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Take your lesson outside and use chalk to make a large-scale drawing. Unlike clay and finger paint, chalk is virtually mess-free. There is no need to worry about soiled clothing or material clean-up. And there is more than enough space for everyone to draw in the same place. Just be sure to include your teaching assistant and aides in the planning of this lesson as the logistics of working in an open-air environment can be tricky.
"This Is Our Class" Collage
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Students--and staff--who lack direct interaction with students with disabilities can develop false and negative beliefs about special needs students. Bring your school community a much-needed reminder by making a collage that shows what goes on in your classroom. You can post pictures, photographs, drawings and words that show the activities you enjoy. If the poster will not be laminated, avoid materials such as pastel and chalk which will smudge.
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References
Resources
- Photo Credit paint image by Darren Nickerson from Fotolia.com
