Why adapted physical education is important

All students enjoyed success, expressed fun and interest, and were physically active. The one caveat to these findings was that some of the older students i. Despite the portrayal of a successful adapted PE class where all students do well, there is a less optimistic line of research examining the social dynamics of adapted PE classes.

In contrast to the reported results, more mixed findings have been reported on the experiences of nine elementary-age children who participated in inclusive PE classes.

Children reported having bad days if they experienced being teased. While teasing was seen as an example of being rejected, the children were also ignored and neglected.

Being seen as objects of curiosity or rejected and neglected were all classified as forms of social isolation. A second major theme was represented by instances where the children perceived that their abilities were questioned and devalued. It was not uncommon for their mental as well as their physical abilities to be questioned. Finally, in the third theme, there were situations where the children were inactive or had minimal levels of participation.

Common reasons were environmental barriers like a grass field that inhibited wheelchair access, lack of teacher and classmate support, as well as outright neglect. In summary, when children could not be active, had their capabilities questioned, or were socially marginalized, they experienced these situations as constituting a bad day in PE. Fortunately, the same participants also described how they had good days in PE. There were times when classmates were quite encouraging and helpful.

For example, during relay races children with disabilities remarked on how they were cheered on. Moments like those described above were categorized as promoting a sense of belonging. Children who have a diagnosed intellectual disability may have additional physical disabilities which can result in below age-level performance in typical motor skills. Regular involvement in physical education and sport can help them to develop the skills they need.

When encouraged to participate in frequent fitness measures, many students with special needs see improvements in everything from their hand-eye coordination and flexibility, to their muscle strength, endurance, and even cardiovascular efficiency.

Physical activity improves general mood and wellness in psychiatric patients suffering from anxiety and depressive disorders. For students with special needs, developing a sense of self-esteem can be particularly important, as they may often feel isolated and removed from the group. The structure of sport — which comes with a set of rules and organization, can be a learning tool that helps children to practice self-regulation and enhance their decision making skills.

However, where that service is delivered and how children are evaluated to gain access to that class varies greatly. The best programs offer an array of APE services, including self-contained , supplemental instruction, mainstreamed, and inclusive. In both cases, the child can lose out on the benefits of a comprehensive approach. If parents are not satisfied with the services being delivered, then they should request to have their child assessed by an APE specialist.

Written on November 18, by: Matthew Schinelli. Teachers need to make sure that the activity is made fun and not too serious. They need to give more trial chances to help the child get it right. Activities should be kept short to enable learning even with short attention spans. The play area needs to be structured and visually appealing to make it attractive to the student.

For example, use a larger and brighter ball to make it easier to handle. And of course, the curriculum needs to adapt to reduce the number of objectives that need to be mastered. Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder ADHD : Students with ADHD may have motor delays and the teacher needs to work on reinforcing confidence and positive feedback is the way to do it. For this, teachers can implement a reward system where a student earns rewards by meeting a minimum expectation. Autism spectrum disorder: It is important to understand student needs and preferences.

It is possible that students can get very nervous and anxious during a physical education class. They need to be introduced into that environment with care. Students can also be introduced to the setting beforehand to reduce anxiety.

They can be taken to the PE setting a few minutes earlier than the scheduled class to get acclimated to the environment. Peer tutors can also help improve the experience for a child with disability.

Incorporate visual aids with easy to comprehend images while instructing. Visually impaired: It is important to give time to the blind player to walk around and understand his environment and be comfortable with it.