Teaching of physically disabled students
January 2013
Teaching Physical Education to Pupils with Special Needs
by John Morris
Physical education is paramount to the holistic development of every young person. More so when that young person has physical, cognitive, and or emotional /behavioural difficulties to overcome also. Teaching physical education to children with special needs often requires the teacher or coach to use different methods and approaches in order to generate even the smallest improvement in learning, performance, and independence. The activities games and adaptations featured in the book have been developed within the teaching environment and enable students with special needs to have opportunities to participate and compete whilst learning and consolidating new and existing skills. Activities in the book can be used to supplement existing programs and schemes of work or they can be used as stand alone activities. They are intended and designed to be inclusive also. The contents have been organised into sections that cover: Games and ball skills Gymnastics and dance Developing spatial awareness and Athletic activities Schemes of work influenced by the national curriculum and the equals' schemes have been supplied to use with the activities so that the book provides a user with a guide for how to deliver an adapted PE program to pupils with special needs. They may also be useful to mainstream teachers who may need to supplement and adapt mainstream PE programs to accommodate pupils with moderate learning difficulties or physical disabilities.
