Teaching Art to Children with Special Needs

Authentic Learning Experience Prepares Preservice Students to Teach Art to Children with Special Needs

In ‘Authentic Learning Experience Prepares Preservice Students to Teach Art to Children with Special Needs’, authors Christina Bain & Cindy Hasio explain how we can address special needs students in our classrooms. The authors emphasize that more pre-service training is needed to help art teachers to be better prepared to assist the students in their classes with special needs. “Keifer-Boyd and Kraft’s (2003) article “Inclusion Policy in Practice” inspired the creation of a new education course” in addition to the article I writing about. (Bain C., Hasio C. 2011, pg.34). These “learning experiences” were “instrumental in helping this group of preservice students gain the confidence and skills necessary to welcome students with special needs into their future art classrooms”, (Bain C., Hasio C. 2011, pg.34). It is important that pre-service students learn the diagnostic terms for various types of special needs categories so that they have an awareness of their capabilities and how to work with them. I agree with the authors that we should conduct fieldwork in order to get to know our special needs students and customize our art classes to their capabilities and interests. I believe that if we come from a place of love and compassion when we are teaching, regardless of our students’ capabilities, that we will create a happy and successful classroom atmosphere.

Is it best that students with special needs have their own self-contained classrooms so that enough attention can be given to them? Do inclusive classrooms, which are a mix of non special needs students with a few special needs students, exclude the rest of the students by not giving special attention to everyone? What opportunities will we have as teacher candidates to speak with special educators, paraprofessionals, and occupational therapists to better understand how to approach teaching special needs students?

Creating Meaningful Art Experiences with Assistive Technology for Students with Physical, Visual, Severe and Multiple Disabilities

~by Mari Beth Coleman and Elizabeth Stephanie Cramer

In this article the authors explain how we can use a variety of technologies to assist art students with a range of disabilities in our classroom. A list of no-tech, low-tech, middle-tech, and high-tech options are described in order to help us to help our students to participate and feel engaged as much as possible in art class. I appreciate the thoughtfulness, innovation, and creative solutions that were provided so that we as art teachers can feel more confident in being able to assist our students with their art projects regardless of their level of ability. I like the idea of allowing all of the students to use use the modified tools so that the disabled students do not feel singled out. Perhaps these tools are in some cases simply easier to work with for everyone. For example, the hand grips that are put onto paint brushes and crayons could be helpful for anyone wanting a more comfortable tool.

Is there any budget provided to us as art teachers to build or buy the tools and technologies needed to assist students with disabilities? How and where do we access these tools and the money to purchase them? Do we as teachers need to pay for them out of our own pocket? What training and support is provided to teachers in high schools who have students in their class with disabilities? Are any additional staff provided to assist us with working with these students at any point?