Budget cuts continue to affect schools every year. Art is a program that is often the first to be cut. This is unfortunate for not only students in general education, but those receiving special education services as well. Here are five ways that art programs can assist students in special education, no matter the age.

Expression

Children with certain disabilities may have difficulty expressing themselves verbally. Art offers them another way to express what they are thinking and feeling. Words that will not flow from lips will flow in the form of pictures from fingertips to a sheet of paper. Art provides a child an opportunity to speak without using words. It is amazing to see the different ways that children view the world.

A Chance to Excel

Students who struggle in the classroom have a chance to excel when given a paintbrush or crayons. When drawing, it is not necessary to be the best reader or to know all of the multiplication tables. Children with special needs have the opportunity to be the envy of others in the art room, something they may not have in academic classes. This opportunity to shine increases self-confidence and the enjoyment of school.

Social Skills

Most art classes have more of an open classroom setting. There is less lecture and more time for students to interact and work together. This gives students with special needs the opportunity to see and practice appropriate social skills. Not only can students receive help, they also get the chance to be the expert and help others at their table. Again, this leads to an increase in self-confidence for all of the students involved.

Fine Motor Skills

Holding a paintbrush or a colored pencil can be very difficult for students who have difficulty with their fine motor skills. An excellent way to practice these skills is through art class. In a less stressful setting, students are practicing these skills without realizing they are doing it. This leads to increased skills and greater success.

Experimentation

Art gives students an opportunity to experiment in new ways without fear of ridicule or failure. It doesn't matter what the finished product looks like. If the goal is to make a clay bowl, there are infinite possibilities for the appearance of the final product. A student can experiment with how he or she wants the bowl to look, and if the idea doesn't work, it can be changed. Sometimes it is better to come up with a final objective, rather than an idea of how a final product should look. This allows the student more freedom to express themselves.

Art class in invaluable for students receiving special education services. While these students need the extra academic time, they also need the opportunity to express themselves creatively. It benefits students in special education in many ways.

Learn more about this author, Cathy Pearl.
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