A-Z List


Standards Adapted for Cognitively Disabled (Severe/Profound and Autistism Spectrum Disorder)

General Adaptations for use in every category and every age group:

  • Keep activities simple and use frequent repetition.
  • Be concrete. Use external stimuli (pictures, puppets, etc.) to make activities concrete instead of using abstract ideas.
  • Break down activities and teach steps in sequence, not moving on until each step is successfully mastered.
  • Use slow rate of presentation.
  • Try to be as age appropriate as possible
  • Common deficits in skills to keep in mind when defining goals for sever/profound population:  holding and grasping objects (i.e. instruments); eye contact; focus of attention; matching skills; self awareness; following simple directions
  • Due to the severity of the disability we have chosen a different format for these standards. Instead of breaking each standard into 3 given grade levels, we have left the standard open through the twelfth grade, leaving much room and time to accomplish these goals in music.

Singing

Content Standard: Students in Wisconsin will sing, alone and with others, a varied repertoire of music.

Rationale: Singing is a basic means of musical expression in all cultures. Learning proper use of the voice in singing and speaking from an early age is vital for effective communication. Students’ ability to use the voice effectively in singing opens the door to personal fulfillment and expression as well as to valuable activities in the school and community.

Performance Standards

by grade 12
Students in general music classes will:
*sing (hum) short, simple songs
*match melodic contour during imitation games match pitches

Performance: Instrumental

Rationale: Throughout history, people have played instruments as accompaniment, for communication, and as an important means of personal expression. Instrumental music, thus, has a unique history and a body of quality literature written for particular instruments or groups of instruments. Like singing, the students’ ability to perform on an instrument opens the door to personal fulfillment and expressions well as to valuable activities in the school and community.

by grade 12
Students in general music classes will:
*be able to improvise on a classroom instrument using simple harmonies such as pentatonic tonalities with instruments set up so there are no wrong notes

Our appreciation is expressed to the Office of University Research at the University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire for their funding and support of most of the projects represented in this website.