MEETING INDIVIDUAL NEEDS

Storage containers for paper and paint adaptations. 

Bette Naughton

For many students with disabilities, art may be their main form of communication. In art, they are free to express themselves and their ideas. I fondly recall a self-portrait lesson where students were to include a few things they enjoy that describe who they are. One of my students with multiple disabilities showed me a series of circles on her artwork. “Circles,” I said, and Bella squealed, “Wheels!” “Wheels,” I responded, and she replied, “Tesla.”

I knew Bella couldn’t draw a Tesla car, so I printed out a small line drawing of one and asked her to color it in. This was a great way to sneak in some fine motor work for her, as coloring in small areas builds hand strength and improves fine motor skills. Bella glued it onto her paper along with a few other images. Being able to communicate motivated her to complete the assignment. Had I not engaged her in a conversation about the circles, I would have missed Bella telling me that she loves Teslas and that her dad sells them.

We often look at the final artwork for assessment, but perhaps we should assess our learners on a combination of the artistic process and the final outcomes.

When Susie comes to art class, I always assess how she is that day. Some days she willingly sits and works on her art lesson using the adaptations I create; other days she tears the paper or throws things. I have learned on the throwing days to grab my masking tape and tape the paper to the table. If we are using liquid paint, I give her tempera paint sticks to use. For Susie, chunking the art lesson works best. I let her know beforehand that if she does a chunk of work, such as cutting out a few objects, she will get a break or some other incentive, like listening to music.

Having a good relationship with the paraprofessionals who work with your students is essential. You will need them to support your students as well as your ideas and techniques for adapting art. Paraprofessionals, classroom teachers, and even peers can act as gatekeepers to creating art. They can embrace your adaptation and open the door to art-making, or they can slam the door shut by saying, for example, “They can’t do that; they can’t hold a brush.” I stress to my paraprofessionals that they need to be on time for art; if they come in late, the student misses the initial instruction. If a student cannot attend the full class, I would rather they leave early than miss the demonstration and the step-by-step process/instruction at the beginning.

Paper circle adaptation and other materials for a Yayoi Kusama–inspired pumpkin.

For many students, the learning is in the process itself and not the product. As art educators, we often look at the final artwork for assessment, but perhaps we should assess our learners on a combination of the artistic process and the final outcomes. I find that it’s best to be flexible and provide multiple pathways for success. Praise along the way can be a great motivator.

You will encounter a vast array of learning styles and learners who have a variety of physical and behavioral impairments and disabilities. Therefore, it is essential to have plenty of adaptations for students and their learning needs. Teaching K–5 art, I know that I will have the same students for years. As I create each new lesson, I take the time to create several adaptations to the lesson because I know I will eventually need them.

I have a variety of bins on my shelves that I can easily access as students enter my room. This allows for flexibility in adaptations. The objectives you create for each lesson or unit should also be flexible and easy to adapt. Allow for some flexibility on how students with learning disabilities interpret the objectives and goals of your lessons.

I make bins with labels such as “Paint Adaptations,” which includes a variety of brushes (egg handle brushes, shaving cream brushes, and homemade ones). The bin labeled “Pattern Adaptations” includes stencils, stickers, and stamp sets for students who cannot make patterns independently. These bins allow me to adapt on the fly depending on the class, students, and skill level.

Adapting your art lessons so that students of all abilities can be meaningfully engaged in the creative process builds students’ self-esteem. Adapting lessons, tools, media, and our teaching also creates specially designed instruction (SDI), which meets the goals of students’ IEPs or 504s. For more on adaptive art, please visit the Resource below.

Bette Naughton is an art educator, an adaptive art consultant and artist, and the author of Adaptive Art: Deconstructing Disability in the Art Class, available from Davis Publications. bettenaughton@msn.com; bettenaughton.com