Choices, Choices, Choices the Key to “V”ictory for Inclusion

People say “a picture” is worth 1,000 words and often helps to explain ideas. Well, the authors hope this is true because, in this article several illustrations will be presented depicting how to set up inclusive activities. Follow these simple suggestions and equipment ideas and you’ll create an environment that fosters inclusion.

In general, the transition of ideas from the written word to actual practice is difficult. Applying inclusion ideas to the gymnasium often seems almost impossible. After years of teaching inclusion classes at the university, we understand that students quickly forget what was learned in the classroom and fall back on old behaviors. In fact, most future physical educators are ingrained with “sports” activities that have rules, specific equipment, and one set of standards, which is the opposite of inclusion.

Because most games and skills taught and played are for the middle 68% of the population – it’s perhaps understandable to try to make the biggest group happy – little thought is given to the high-end and the low-end ability levels. The children with advanced abilities are bored to death with the rinky-dink un-challenging games, while the lower-end are frustrated and over-challenged because they are unable to do the skills. In both cases, children are not being challenged at their unique level.

Helping university students overcome this deep-seated teaching style requires a healthy dose of hands-on practice with children who have disabilities as well as lesson plans that include drawings of inclusion strategies (as illustrated in this article). And we’ve discovered that novice teachers seem to retain and actually practice inclusion strategies more often when using a combination of learning methods.

Inclusion does not have to be hard; it can be as easy as telling the children to choose a ball they want and go play. Without designating rules and using official equipment, children have the opportunity to be creative and challenge themselves at their unique level. In this Baseball drawing, children can choose the distance they want to throw the ball and what type of ball they want to throw.

Like all good students, children in PE have been conditioned to lineup, but we advise PE teachers to discourage parallel lines of children playing and the use of parallel lines on the gym floor. Parallel lines limit expectations, self-challenge, and choices in play. If you as a teacher notice children forming lines, tell them they can move closer or further apart as well as encourage the use of different type of balls and equipment. The shape of the “V” in victory is a great visual to remind us of the continuum of choices that allows all ability levels “high-medium-low” to succeed.

The volleyball illustration shows the game being played with official rules, court dimensions, and equipment (high level). It can also be performed in a lower level form of play by offering choices in group size, type/amount of balls used, net high, and no out-of-bound lines. For instance, for children in wheelchairs or walkers a badminton racket might be a better choice to hit a balloon. For children with a weak grip, a strap or velcro could be used to fasten the hand to the racquet. Equipment that is soft or floats will not hurt or injure players and is easier to hit over the net. Further, using many beach balls and balloons will give more opportunities to strike the ball. Other modifications might be, before the ball is hit over the net all team members must touch the ball before going over the net or all the red balls are to be used by Jose (who uses a wheelchair).

Medium level play also offers choices in net height, team size, type of ball, and number of balls used. However, medium level may include official volleyballs, regulation high net, and children making up their own rules for the game. Whatever the level of play, PE teachers should monitor activity to determine if adjustments are needed in equipment (more/less balls, net high/low, soft/hard ball), team size, and if children are engaged and having opportunities to practice skills.

Modifications for medium and lower level basketball play for children who want a noncompetitive game to work on their fundamental can include:

• Smaller and lighter objects to shoot or dribble (bean bags, tennis ball, volleyball, Nerf ball, rubber kickball).
• Lowering the basket, placing a hula-hoop under the basket, placing hula-hoops at different heights on the wall, trash cans, boxes or coffee cans could all be used as targets.
• Giving all children many balls to use when practicing.
• Teams use different number of players.
• More than one ball used in a game.
• If only one ball is used, then all teammates must touch the ball before shooting a basket.
• Play games based on a set time not by score.
• 4-goal basketball game that includes choices of balls, baskets, and teammates.

Notice, how you can create an environment in which high level players/athletes have the opportunity for competition and to challenge their skills during a game, as well as children who want a noncompetitive game or just want to work on their fundamentals.

The final illustration shows an example of extended skills stations. Each station focuses on a skill that has been given some thought as to how many different ways it can be performed. A major key to being inclusive is to think of any skill and ask yourself “how could the skill be done harder or easier, backward or forward, higher or lower, side-to-side, one or two arm(s) or leg(s), with equipment that is lighter or heavier, longer or shorter, thinner or fatter, and at a distance that is close or far.” Also, choices in the playing surface impact how fast a ball might roll and/or the children’s ability to move. For example, a child who uses a walker or a wheelchair could move more easy on a hard surface (black top, gym floor) than a soft surface (grass, gravel). If these questions are asked and applied you will witness all level of players being successful.

Children can also be given the opportunity to think of different ways to do a skill. For example, children have added ideas to the “jump rope” illustration, such as (a) for kids with limited jumping ability to place the rope on the ground to jump over; (b) spinning a long rope around like a helicopter to jump over; and (c) high ability level students could have a rope hooped around one ankle and challenged to swing the rope so it can be jumped over by the other foot.

Other examples, could be using a heavy rope and jumping on one leg to make it harder or challenging a child who uses a wheelchair to practice circular motions with the 2- piece jump rope trainer or holding one end of a longer jump rope as peers jump.

The Underhand Throw station can be made more or less challenging by changing the distance, target size, or object thrown. For example, throwing a washer into a coffee can 10yds away is much harder than landing a beanbag in a hula-hoop 5 feet away. Having different sized containers (boxes, boards, cans, targets) and objects (bean bags, washers, squeeze balls, tennis balls) also increases children’s overall throwing variability. These variations challenge the throwing skills of children of all abilities rather than insisting that everyone throws the same ball at the same target from the same distance.

At the Ladder station skill differences are used to make the task harder or easier (no equipment changes). Children can hop with both feet or one foot, jump over one square or several squares, and/or high knee sideways, backward, or zigzag through the ladder. Place pictures by the ladder to encourage students to try different movement skills.

Finally, the Bowling station illustrates how children can be creative when given the opportunity: Alley distances are different, size-shape-weight of pins different, arrangement of pins different, and types of bowling balls different. Also children used a variety of ways to propel the bowling ball such as the “granny shot,” 1 step – 6 step approach, backward between the legs, and for children who use a wheelchair a ramp can be added. Notice than an official bowling situation (balls, pins, alley, rules, scoring) is also provided as an alternative choice for students.

When children transition and move from station-to-station let them choose from a variety of skills (skip, hop, walk backwards, etc.). Also when transiting from the gym to the field have children perform a skill. Another transition tip that will help give children more time in PE is to have the classroom teacher bring them to the gym. Physical education “time” should not be spent in the hallways.

If PE teachers follow these simple “choice” suggestions and equipment ideas children with high-medium-low abilities will have a better chance of being challenged and also succeeding at their own unique ability level.