FACILITATING SOCIAL ACCEPTANCE & INCLUSION

FACILITATING SOCIAL ACCEPTANCE & INCLUSION Chapter 9 Pages173-187 KIN 579: Inclusion in Adapted Physical Education By: Gretchen Colwell YouTube Video

Objectives • Identify positive behaviors that ensure a healthy inclusive setting • Understand how to remove barriers and increase social acceptance • Foster interactions between students with and without disabilities • Explain the roles to classmates without disabilities

BEHAVIORS THAT FACILITATE SOCIAL INCLUSION

Have a Positive Attitude Apprehensiveness is common, but the first step is to be willing to try when working with individuals with disabilities. Don’t fall victim to: • Misconceptions • Misunderstandings • preconceptions

Positive Attitude continued… Give inclusion your best shot: • Learn about the child • Use resources available • Experiment with different ways to include the child

Take Responsibility for Teaching All Students in Your Class YOU are the teacher! Own it! • Do not entrust the education of one of your students to someone who is probably under qualified. • Aids are there to help, not make decisions about curriculum, how the activity should be performed, or necessary adaptations.

Model Appropriate Behaviors • Welcome the child with disabilities • Model friendly behavior through actions & words • Greet & hold conversations • Pats on the back • High Fives • Choose the child first • Recognize them during activities

Include the Student in as Many Activities as Possible • Try to limit the amount of “different” activities you do with a child with disabilities • Not working them into the general class as much as possible could lead to: • Social Isolation • Loss of learning

Individualize the Curriculum & Instruction • ALL students have individual needs, not just students with disabilities • Use a larger array of teaching strategies • Set high expectations, but make sure they are reasonable based on your knowledge of the child

Reinforce Positive Interactions • Use peers as much as possible • Partner activities encourages friendship • Team activities encourages cooperation • Have peers assist with a difficult task AVOID: • “mothering” • Teasing or negative interactions

Be Knowledgeable About the Students • Medical and health information • How to communicate • Behavioral problems • Activities the child really enjoys Knowing more about the child with disabilities needs, will also help the educator to explain to peers WHY certain adaptations to rules or equipment are made.

PREPARING CLASSMATES WITHOUT DISABILITIES FOR SOCIAL ACCEPTANCE & INCLUSION

Circle of Friends “A systematic way of identifying and outlining all of the friends, acquaintances, and key people in one’s life.” • Circle of intimacy • Circle of friendship • Circle of participation • Circle of exchange

Guest Speakers Invite speakers with disabilities or sport organization representatives to speak with classes Examples: • United States Association for Blind Athletes • National Wheelchair Sports Association • Special Olympics

Role Playing Facilitate a day of playing sports while role playing a disability [see table 9.3 for role-playing ideas] & conclude with a discussion. Discussion topics: • Feelings while playing • Advantages/Disadvantages

Sports Rules Discussion • Modifications • Handicapping *Involve all students in the process of adapting rules to accommodate others.

Discussions on Differences & Similarities Look at a variety of contrasts, not just disabilities. Examples: - hair color - birth place - siblings

Discussion on Disabilities • Why might people have a disability? • What are prior experiences with individuals with a disability? • See figures 9.2 & 9.3

Famous People who have Disabilities • Lead a discussion • Show photo’s • Show performances *Explain that the individuals you are observing are recognized for their talents, not their disability [Appendix B]

Use Movies to Dispel Stereotypes Table 9.4has movie examples of each of the following: • Cognitive disability/Down syndrome • Autism • Schizophrenia/mental illness • Cerebral palsy • Dwarfism • Deafness • Blindness

How to Interact with Specific Children Peers should understand: • How to talk to the child • How to include the child in activities • Specific ways to befriend the child

Provide Ongoing Information, Encouragement, & Support for Acceptance Peers should: • Talk to the student with disabilities • Provide feedback & positive reinforcement • Ask the student if they need assistance

COMMON BARRIERS TO SOCIAL INCLUSION IN GENERAL PHYSICAL EDUCATION AND POSSIBLE SOLUTIONS

Scenario #1 • Know a lot about the student, but very little about physical activity • Compelled to assist the student as much as possible • May prevent the student from learning appropriate social skills • Peers may not want to interfere with the instruction • Explain the need for interactions between student with disabilities and peers • Have the teacher assistant work in a group • Provide the teacher assistant with specific ideas to promote interactions between peers Problem: Teacher assistants trying too hard Solution: Awareness training for teacher assistants

Scenario #2 • Health or safety issue • Separation from peers encourages isolation • Prevents social interactions • Have peers rotate into the student with disabilities alternate activity • Keep the theme of the main task • Add more stations/activities Problem: Student cannot participate in the general activity Solution: Utilize peers without disabilities

Scenario #3 • Imbalance promotes a feeling that students with disabilities always need help • Have students with disabilities serve as tutors • As tutee: learn to listen & accept feedback • As tutor: observe others & provide feedback • Use peers as friends as well as tutors Problem: Peers are tutors, but not friends Solution: Utilize reciprocal rather than one-way peer tutoring

Scenario #4 • Students with disabilities tend to try and maintain their group identity rather than interact with the rest of the class • Principle of Natural Proportions • Divide the class into small groups Problem: Students with disabilities are grouped together Solution: Teacher-mediated interaction

Conclusion Quality physical education promotes motor, cognitive and social development for students with & without disabilities.

FACILITATING SOCIAL ACCEPTANCE & INCLUSION