Arts Integration and Students With Disabilities

Hyperactivity	Inappropriate activity level during unstructured tasks	Provide structure Give classroom job for student to be responsible for completing	Alternate/varied activities allow for movement, prevent “desk fatigue.”	Alternate/varied activities allow for movement, prevent “desk fatigue”
	Inappropriate activity level during structured tasks	Proximity control Hands-on manipulatives Frequent movement Structured class Allow standing during work Break assignments into short sections, provide feedback, then assign next section Teach self-monitoring techniques	Teacher is facilitator of learning, allowing for movement of the teacher to assist students with prescribed interventions. Inquiry Centers permit more movement of the teacher so as to provide appropriate proximity.	Teacher is facilitator of learning and guides the inquiry process, making him or her free to implement prescribed interventions
	Appears driven by motor	Provide physical outlets that do not distract classmates Do not take away recess or gym time	Physical outlets for ADD students are easily incorporated into each of the 4 phases of instruction (experience, inquire, create, reflect) Alternate/varied activities allow for movement, prevent “desk fatigue”	Learning tasks are hands on, varied and active
	Talks excessively	Provide non-verbal cues to stop talking Self-monitoring strategy	Teacher as facilitator, group work and peer helpers easily incorporated without distraction of the other students prescribed interventions	Teacher as facilitator, group work and peer helpers easily incorporated without distraction of the other students prescribed interventions
Impulsivity	Blurts out verbalizations	Provide non-verbal cues for when to respond Self-monitoring strategy Instruct and reinforce social routines Use teaching techniques that encourage active responding	Teacher as facilitator rather than provider of direct instruction, is free to be available to provide ADD student with reminders of prescribed accommodations	Emphasis is placed on metacognitive reflection which helps ADD students learn to analyze their own thinking and promotes self discipline
	Intrusive	Role-play social talk situations	High levels of engagement and personal experience with subject matter can reduce impulsive tendencies	Six facets of authentic education: empathy phase: ADD student becomes aware of how his actions impact the learning environment of others
	Accident-prone	STAR technique	Varied tasks can place the ADD student in a role of importance which can reinforce social routines in the classroom	UBD instruction allows for student choice with respect for required tasks
	Explosive	Provide cool-down time	Learning activities can be viewed by the ADD student as a reward in itself
Attention	Daydreams	Establish eye contact Use teaching techniques that encourage active responding Encourage note-taking Give child something to hold in hands for stimulation	Arts Integration and Arts Strategies provide for high interest, stimulating and active curriculum linked to high levels of student engagement.	Learning activities are based on “mysteries” or “problems” to be solved. Students are challenged and engaged. Big ideas (desired learning outcomes) are framed around provocative, interesting questions that evoke the inherent curiosity of the learners
	Short attention span	Provide short tasks	Arts Integration can work on both ends – shorter ‘lessons’ and at the same time lengthening the attention span with high engagement and high	Instruction is geared to address individual student readiness, interest and learning profiles. Time variance for learning, exploring and assessment tasks are designed to provide for student uniqueness, differences, needs
	Difficulty following directions	Provide visual cues and have student check off steps Use prompt cards with auditory directions Color, circle, or underline written directions Have child underline or rewrite directions before beginning Provide an example of correct format and completed sample problem Have students verbalize content, directions, and techniques. Detect errors or misunderstandings.	Arts Integration provides for a variety of tasks with flexibility for task completion This type of instructional practice lends itself to the use of computers and technology in all of the learning phases The use of art as a vehicle for instruction provides for the visual presentation of materials Visual and verbal instructions are incorporated in this methodology	Students know what is expected of them and they are often given the rubric that will be used to assess them prior to the beginning of the task. For ADD students, these rubrics serve as reminders as to what they are to be doing and how they should be doing it.
	Difficulty with transitions	Provide signals before transitions Establish clear routines, model and practice with role-play Use music or timer during transitions	The use of Visual / Graphic Organizers helps students keep track of facts and knowledge they still need to acquire. This is especially helpful for the ADD student who needs to “keep his/her place.”	The use of Graphic Organizers helps students keep track of facts and knowledge they still need to acquire. This is especially helpful for the ADD student who needs to “keep his/her place.”
Organization	Difficulty with time management	Use day-timer, schedules Agenda with daily checks by teacher and parent Daily home-school checklist Break down project into steps and check each step Teach goal setting for test and assignments Create backward timeline to estimate time to complete each part of work or project	Group activities or paired inquiries make it easy to provide for peer helpers to remind student of prescribed maintenance tasks and assist the student with prescribed interventions already in place in the classroom.	Cooperative learning inherent in the units of instruction provide for a means by which the ADD student can be assisted with maintenance by peers in an unobtrusive way.
	Loses materials, homework, etc.	Color code folders for organization of materials 3-hole punch in folders to use immediately Develop buddy system to assist Attach items (pencils, rulers, eraser) with Velcro to desk Send a copy of homework to parents by email, etc. Have students check in and out unnecessary books and notebooks at the door	Teacher as facilitator is free to assist or remind ADD students with organizational tasks	Teacher as facilitator is free to assist or remind ADD students with organizational tasks
	Sloppy work area, products	Limit amount of materials available Use pencil boxes of different shapes to organize materials and have them labeled	Teacher as facilitator is free to assist or remind ADD students with organizational tasks	Teacher as facilitator is free to assist or remind ADD students with organizational tasks
	Disorganized notebooks, lockers	Train student in organizational strategies Portable 3-hole punch in notebook and file papers immediately 3-holed zippered notebook with dividers for each class Keep a class sample of organized notebook: table of contents, number each page Set up locker structure with labels, visuals for objects, etc.	Teacher as facilitator is free to assist or remind ADD students with organizational tasks	Teacher as facilitator is free to assist or remind ADD students with organizational tasks
Memory	Difficulty following directions	Provide visual cues and have student check off steps Prompt child for verbal directions: Call child’s name, touch child, use a private signal word, move closer to child Use prompt cards (written directions in addition to verbal) Cue child about upcoming difficult times or tasks where extra control will be needed	By emphasizing the design or creation aspects of the learning Arts Integration allows for authentic assessment which allows ADD students to demonstrate the required skills and knowledge acquisition naturally, reducing the need for worksheets or excessive written assignments. This allows the ADD student to shine, positively impacting self esteem. Concepts/info are repeated throughout the phases of learning; insights and ideas of classmates are presented with regularity, exposing ADD student with a variety of ways to think about content. Group discussions and activities lend themselves to peer support for and collaboration with the ADD student.	Students work to answer essential questions. Their knowledge acquisition is assessed authentically and in a variety of ways: artistic products or forms, theatrical renditions, the building of models, etc. The ADD student is given a method by which skills and knowledge can be demonstrated in ways other than the written word or the taking of a test. Units are interdisciplinary, helping the ADD student to see connections and to apply strengths and prior knowledge to the task at hand Assessments are formative, and give the ADD student the immediate feedback that they so often need.
	Repeat offender	Review cause-effect	Use “cause and effect” as the *concept* Early on in lesson planning to illustrate the concept in global terms for a deeper understanding so that it may be applied locally in the classroom. Use the *reflect phase* to give students the opportunity to discuss and write about cause and effect, giving examples in their own lives.	Units are interdisciplinary, helping the ADD student to see connections and to apply strengths and prior knowledge to the task at hand Assessments are formative, and give the ADD student the immediate feedback that they so often need.
	Forgets materials	Provide visual cues	All Arts Integration approaches use visual, audio, and kinesthetic methods to engage studentson a deeper, more authentic level of learning.