Materials & Instructional Adaptations in the Visual Arts Classroom

by Lisa Doslu

Students of all kinds can benefit from differentiated learning as a result of careful adaptations of materials and/or instructional delivery. In particular, adaptations to both materials and instructional delivery can enhance English Language Learners success in mastery of both language acquisition and content material.

Materials Adaptations:

Pictures - include pictures or illustrations of requested tasks. Visual Aides such as timelines, graphs, skits or slide shows. Multi-media such as on-line virtual museums, web books or

podcasts.

Adapted Text - not dumbed-down text, rather text with scaffolding around academic vocabulary or advanced metaphors. Translated Text - in the students native language.

Instructional Adaptations:

Time more time given to learn specific tasks and classroom projects. Level of Support increased one-on-one support, or scaffolding to reinforce specific skills. Altered Output allow students to respond in a variety of methods which address Gardners Multiple Intelligences pedagogy. Quantity reduce the number of items, not the quality, required from the student. Participation increase the students participation in daily learning activities.

The following is an example of material and instructional delivery adaptation from a lesson on altered books: (adaptations in grey)
Standard Objective
Content Objectives: 7th & 8th grade students will

Adapted Objective
Content Objectives: 7th & 8th grade students will create (or modify an existing altered book) an altered book that that expresses an overall intended idea, mood or feeling predetermined by the student (with specific prompts given to student via one-on-one scaffolding with the teacher). Students will present their books orally (students may opt out of this or choose a willing classmate to co-present with) through classroom gallery walks and critique their own work in writing through written reflection (with specific prompts given to student via one-on-one scaffolding with the teacher and in students native language if needed), using words from the vocabulary focus (with vocabulary scaffolding by teacher), to explain their artistic choices made to achieve their desired effect or message.

create an altered book that that expresses an overall intended idea, mood or feeling predetermined by the student. Students will present their books orally through classroom gallery walks and critique their own work in writing through written reflection, using words from the vocabulary focus, to explain their artistic choices made to achieve their desired effect or message.

Language Objectives: Through a classroom gallery walk, students will verbally explain their overarching theme for their altered books and use at least three words from the unit vocabulary bank in their description. Through a written reflection, students will write three to five complete sentences using a minimum of five words from the vocabulary bank to explain their creative process and the overall theme of their altered book.

Language Objectives: Through a classroom gallery walk, students will verbally (students may opt out of this or choose a willing classmate to co-present with) explain their overarching theme for their altered books and use at least three words from the unit vocabulary bank in their description (student will be able to practice vocabulary pronunciation with teacher in advance). Through a written reflection, (students may have additional time to complete written reflection with teacher scaffolding as needed) students will write three to five complete sentences using a minimum of five words from the vocabulary bank to explain their creative process and the overall theme of their altered book.