RHYTHM
Some students might learn best by seeing three quarter notes written on the board, while others might learn best by writing the quarter notes themselves on their own paper. Others might learn best by hearing the rhythm played out correctly, while some students might learn best by playing the rhythm themselves on a drum. Many times involving more movement and physicality helps in the learning and retention process, so clapping the rhythm or patting other named body parts may help them internalize the information. There are many ways in music to differentiate.

LEARNING A NEW INSTRUMENT

This process must be broken down into steps anyways, beginning with a demonstration from the teacher on how to properly hold and play the instrument. The beginnings of this, the demonstration of how to play the new instrument and having the student play the new instrument and going back and forth is a great example of ZPD. A great example of scaffolding is in teaching vibrato on a string instrument. You can start by handing them an egg shaker and having them get the feeling in their hand for shaking it. Next you can attach it to the back of their hand with tape or a rubber band, having them repeat the same motion but listening for the shaking. Then you have them play the stringed instrument the way they normally would, but this time focused on their hand motion in such a way as to still shake up the egg shaker and play the note. Learn to make the shaking faster over time while still maintaining hand and bow technique. Through this they can learn vibrato.

OFFICE HOURS:
Having said this I would give it my best shot, and one of the ways I could conduct a personalized evaluation is by encouraging my students to come to my office hours after school so we could have some one on one time to discover their additional needs. If there is a lack of basic music knowledge this can be covered at this time to make sure they feel like they are keeping up with their classmates. If they are overly gifted, I might provide them with additional tasks during the regular class time to make sure they are being challenged appropriately. For example, if they are sopranos and solfeging their vocal part and always finish early, I might encourage them to solfege the soprano II’s, the altos, and even the tenors or bass parts so they have to switch clefs.

The physical aspect of singing and playing instruments assists greatly in a students interactions with the subject matter. This kinesthetic nature of a music class usually reaches all students at one level or another.

For my class specifically, a lack of active participation is one of the clearest ways to identify when a student might have additional needs.
This could be seen through a student being unwilling to complete warm ups or through not singing at all. This could be from a student wandering off to the other side of the room in class or refusing to follow the tasks at hand when provided an instrument. This could be through not engaging with the instrument or engaging inappropriately to the point of being destructive.

With established classroom differentiation, scaffolding, and ZPD as well as consistent student teacher hours I would be able to build a better learning profile for each of my struggling students.

Though my school does not do evaluations, measured progress and consistent parental communication in the form of emails and CJ’s (communication journals that the students carry with them to each class and home) are encouraged. It is through these measures that I would make sure there was consistent focus on each students individual needs.