[MOSAIC] Comprehension and Inclusion; Scaffolding and the Arts

[Lindsey Jean Bishop]

Thank you Cheryl,

I am wondering if the students you mentioned are comprehending more  
than is showing on the surface.  That instead of low levels of comp.  
they may need different forms of expressing their understaning/being  
"assessed."

Having some experience with individuals who have disabilities, and  
particularly those with autism, I have found that it is always  
beneficial to continually try new and varied ways to percieve a person  
or a students' comprehension.   Comprehension assessment, along the  
entire spectrum of formality-levels, is blurry and can be highly  
subjective no matter who we are trying to assess.

Sometimes it can become difficult to help those students - who do not  
express themselves in typical ways - to show their understanding.  Of  
course it is completely dependent on each student no matter their  
label, or presence/absence of a label.  However, I would certainly try  
to provide additional scaffolding, and/or creative projects, in forms  
of comprehension-assessment, for those students who have greater  
difficulty expressing themselves through language.

Has anyone had similar thoughts?  Any cool experiences with applying  
strategies instruction through the arts? I'd love to hear them!

Hope any of this is useful!

Lindsey Bishop
Syracuse University