Teaching Physical Education to Children with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities

Philip Vickerman, Anthony Maher

• Publisher: Routledge
• Year: 2018
• ISBN:
  9781351206136
• Edition: 2
• Topic: Education
• Subtopic: Education General

Teaching Physical Education to Children with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities provides a thorough overview of the challenges and opportunities for inclusion in PE lessons. Combining a theoretical framework with practical strategies for teachers, the title covers a diverse range of issues which teachers need to address to provide high quality learning experiences for children with SEND.

This second edition is grounded in up-to-date research on inclusion and has been fully updated in line with the SEND Code of Practice and Ofsted Inspection Framework. It seeks to demystify the statutory responsibilities placed upon teachers and schools to include children with SEND and offers practical examples of how PE teachers can make use of different strategies to differentiate through their planning and assessment. A new chapter explores the importance of consulting with and empowering children with SEND, and additional focus is given to how teachers can work together with SENCOs and LSAs to develop an inclusive culture in PE lessons.

Written in an accessible style with reflective tasks in each chapter, this unique text clearly outlines relevant practice-based evidence to fully include children with SEND in PE lessons. This will be essential reading for teachers and school leaders and will enable PE teachers to plan and deliver inclusive lessons for all children.

Chapter 1

The context for inclusion

Introduction and purpose of the book

Teaching is often referred to as both an art and a science and consequently requires a combination of creativity and innovation, matched by theoretical reflection and refinement. This book aims to address this eclectic approach to teaching children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) in the physical education (PE) curriculum. The book will discuss and debate what can be considered as the essential theoretical elements of teaching children with SEND in PE, whilst offering opportunities for reflection on how these can be delivered in practice. In addition, the book encourages you to ‘think out of the box’, be open to change, have open minds, and have high expectations of children with SEND and what they can achieve in PE, school sport and lifelong learning and participation in physical activity.

Whilst there is no one correct way of teaching, or set of skills, techniques or protocols to follow, the book does set out to establish what can be considered as core principles of good practice. In order for you to ensure children with SEND have positive, meaningful, and successful learning experiences in PE, you as an individual teacher need to combine these core principles with your own individual uniqueness and experiences to produce the right mix for successful learning.

It is our intention that this book will act as a stimulus for thought and reflection, whatever stage of personal and professional development you are at (i.e. whether you are a trainee teacher, recently qualified, experienced practitioner, or working in an advisory or leadership capacity). Furthermore, the book will be of relevance to academics and those with a general interest in the area of disability sport, and can be used as an opportunity to reflect on and review your current knowledge, understanding and delivery practices.

The book is structured around themed chapters that combine academic theory, research, practical application, reflective tasks and further reading. It is envisaged that this diverse approach will meet the individual needs of readers, whatever their stage of development. As a result, the book sets out to:

• draw upon current research evidence and apply this to the practice of including children with SEND in PE;

• examine the statutory responsibilities that are placed upon teachers in relation to including children with SEND;

• combine academic theory with opportunities for critical reflection;

• provide a comprehensive range of tasks, issues and points for further debate;

• equip you with the knowledge, skills and understanding to ensure that children with SEND in PE learn and develop effectively.

The rise of the political and statutory inclusion agenda

In October 1997 the new Labour Government launched their Green Paper on special needs education, which stated:

We want to see more pupils with special educational needs (SEN) included within mainstream primary and secondary schools. We support the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) Salamanca World Statement on Special Needs Education 1994. This calls on governments to adopt the principle of inclusive education, enrolling all children in regular schools, unless there are compelling reasons for doing otherwise. This implies a progressive extension of the capacity of mainstream schools to provide for children with a wide range of needs.

(DfEE 1997a: 44)

The return of the Labour Government to power in 1997, saw inclusion rise up the political and statutory agenda in the United Kingdom (UK) to such an extent that there was widespread evidence of policies embedded across diverse sectors of society. In education, for example, there was an increased emphasis on the inclusion of children with SEND through legislation such as the National Curriculum (NC) (2000) Inclusion Statement (QCA 1999c), SEN and Disability Rights Act (DfES 2001c) and the revised Code of Practice (DfES 2001b). In addition, the introduction of the Human Rights Act (Her Majesty’s Stationery Office, 1998) and the Government’s Every Child Matters (DfES 2004a) agenda focused attention even more on the rights and responsibilities relating to children with SEND.

The UK-based picture mirrored similar developments in the USA associated with concepts of ‘zero reject’ and ‘entitlement for all’. For example, the ‘Public Law 94—142 Education for All Handicapped Children Act (1975)’ in the USA set out to ensure children were given a fundamental right to access education, and have a clear statement of their SEND, which was subject to regular review. The law also enforced a requirement for states and localities to assess and ensure the effectiveness of their efforts to educate so-called ‘handicapped’ children. Consequently, those responsible for the education of these children became accountable for the development and implementation of an appropriate education, within a context that was mindful of pupils’ individual needs. Furthermore, many European countries established similar statutory expectations on the inclusion of children with SEND which affirms the social drive for children to gain their entitlement and accessibility to an education which meets their individual needs.

In the UK, statistical evidence from the DfES (2004b) supported the increased emphasis on inclusion, and showed year-on-year rises in the number of children with SEND (i.e. registered on the Code of Practice) being included within mainstream education (2004 – 76 per cent, 2001 – 61 per cent, 1997 – 57 per cent, 1993 – 48 per cent). Due to changes to SEND legislation and policy generally, and SEND classifications, assessments and support in particular, it is not possible to provide a direct comparison between current statistics and those cited from 2004. Nonetheless, the following is offered to give a flavour of the current landscape: the percentage of pupils with SEND attending state-funded primary schools has increased between 2010 and 2017, from 77.2 per cent to 82.8 per cent. However, the percentage of pupils eligible for SEN Support but without Statements or Education, Health and Care (EHC) plans attending state-funded secondary schools has declined over the same period, from 72.4 per cent in 2010 to 56.6 per cent in 2017 (DfE 2017a). Importantly, these numbers do not include children who attend independent schools. Nonetheless, there remains pressure on teacher educators, schools and teachers to reflect upon these issues because, as the NC (2014) states, teachers must (1) promote the spiritual, moral, cultural, mental and physical development of all pupils; and (2) prepare all pupils for the opportunities, responsibilities and experiences of later life (DfE 2014a).

According to Avramadis and Norwich (2002), teachers are recognised as the main agents of the implementation of inclusive policy and, as such, ‘without a coherent plan for teacher training in the educational needs of children with SEN, attempts to include these children in the mainstream would be difficult’ (Avramadis and Norwich 2002: 139). Indeed, much of the available research relating to PE teacher training emphasises a perceived failure – expressed mainly by the teachers themselves – of the British Government and teacher educators to providing training that enables them to teach pupils with SEND in PE (Vickerman 2007; Vickerman and Coates 2009).

Therefore, there is an obvious need for agencies such as initial teacher training (ITT) providers, schools and teachers to review existing practices and procedures in order to provide a systematic approach to this area of their work. In this respect, it is important to note that special educational needs coordinators (SENCOs) and learning support assistants (LSAs) have highlighted the challenges associated with inclusion in PE in particular, citing the training of teachers and their own opportunities for professional development as being limiting factors (Maher 2016). This is significant given that SENCOs and LSAs are supposed to be key facilitators of inclusion.

In order for change to have impact, Depauw and Doll-Tepper (2000) argued for the need to recognise inclusion as a process model in which associated issues are infused throughout all of the teaching, learning, policy and practice aspects of your work. In other words, a holistic and possibly quite radical approach is required. Therefore, in order to produce positive PE experiences for children with SEND it is vital not merely to address issues at a superficial level, but more essentially to make a difference through inclusive delivery in practice. This book will help you to meet these expectations through a combination of theory, reflection and practical examples of including children with SEND in PE.

Setting high expectations

In order to reflect a commitment to inclusion at government level, the latest NC (DfE 2014a) and the Teachers’ Standards (DfE 2013a), which set the minimum requirements for teachers’ conduct and practice, emphasise the important of setting high expectations which inspire, motivate and challenge all pupils, including those with SEND. This view is rooted in the 1994 Salamanca Statement (UNESCO 1994), which identified a set of beliefs and proclamations relating to the notion that every child has a fundamental right to education. It identified core principles of providing children with the opportunity to learn, an education system designed to take account of diversity, access to regular child-centred education and the acceptance of inclusive orientation as a means of combating discrimination and building an inclusive society.

Task 1.1 The Salamanca Statement

Reflect on the 1994 Salamanca Statement (UNESCO 1994), which establishes a set of beliefs and proclamations related to the notion that every child has a fundamental right to education. The statement identifies what are considered to be core principles of providing children with the opportunity to learn, establishment of high standards, an education system designed to take account of diversity, access to regular child-centred education, and acceptance of inclusive orientation as a means of combating discrimination to build an inclusive society. Using the table below, analyse what you understand by these terms, and how you can ensure they are delivered as part of your daily teaching and learning practice.

Through the introduction of recent inclusive legislation within the UK the notion of education for all, and entitlement, are viewed as central to the Government’s drive to create a socially inclusive society in which all children are able to participate, learn and reach their full potential.

NC Inclusion Statement

The NC 2014 states that every state-funded school must offer a curriculum that is broad, balanced and which:

• promotes the spiritual, moral, cultural, mental and physical development of pupils at the school and of society, and

• prepares pupils at the school for the opportunities, responsibilities and experiences of later life.

(DfE 2014a: 4)

Significantly, like its predecessors, the statutory curriculum includes an inclusion statement. Here, the onus is placed on teachers to plan and deliver lessons in ways that ensure that there are no barriers to pupil achievement. According to this document, teachers should recognise the individual learning needs of each pupil, ensuring that potential areas of difficulty are highlighted and supported, so that pupils with SEND can study every national curriculum subject (DfE 2014a). In this respect, the Code of Practice (DfE/DoH 2015) provides statutory guidance to schools and teachers on duties, policies and procedures relating to Part 3 of the Children and Families Act 2014 and associated regulations. Thus, it is important that you refer to the Code in order to understand your legal duties to children with SEND. As the DfE/DoH (2015: 12) state:

whenever they [schools and teachers] are taking decisions they must give consideration to what the Code says. They cannot ignore it. They must fulfil their statutory duties towards children and young people with SEN or disabilities in the light of the guidance set out in it. They must be able to demonstrate in their arrangements for children and young people with SEN or disabilities that they are fulfilling their statutory duty to have regard to the Code.

The new Code was released in an attempt to make the SEND system more efficient and effective for parents and children. A pledge was included to identify SEND at the earlier possible opportunity so that learning needs could be supported, together with a commitment to involve parents in key decisions relating to the supported offered to their child (DfE/DoH 2015). This is important given the link between early identification of learning needs such as dyslexia (e.g. Snowling 2012) and autism spectrum conditions (ASC) (Boyd et al. 2010), and the appropriateness of learning support and educational outcomes. An increase in responsibilities for teachers and other support staff such as LSAs and SENCOs means that changes from the 2001 Code should be acknowledged and understood. Below is a list of some of the key changes evident in the new Code, which reflect the Children and Families Act 2014:

The Code of Practice (2015) covers the 0–25 age range and includes guidance relating to disabled children and young people as well as those with SEND

• more emphasis on the involvement of children and parents in decision-making at individual and strategic levels;

• a stronger focus on high aspirations and on improving outcomes for children;

• includes guidance on the joint planning and commissioning of services to ensure close co-operation between education, health and social care;

• includes guidance on publishing a Local Offer of support for children with SEND;

• new guidance for education and training settings on taking a graduated approach to identifying and supporting pupils and students with SEND (replaces School Action and School Action Plus);

• for children with more complex needs, a coordinated assessment process and the new 0–25 Education, Health and Care plan (EHC plan) replace Statements and Learning Difficulty Assessments (LDAs);

• greater focus on support that enables those with SEN to succeed in their education and make a successful transition to adulthood;

• information is provided on relevant duties under the Equality Act 2010;

• information is provided on relevant provisions of the Mental Capacity Act 2005;

• new guidance on supporting children with SEND who are in youth custody.

(DfE/DoH 2015: 14)

For a detailed explanation of these changes, and what they mean for children, parents and schools, please read Everybody Included: The SEND Code of Practice Explained (Nasen 2014). In addition, Massey’s (2016) Provision Mapping and the SEND Code of Practice offers a useful resource to assist teachers to evidence the support they have provided pupils with SEND and the impact that support has had on learning and educational outcomes.

Task 1.2 The Teachers’ Standards

Look at five of the Teachers’ Standards (DfE 2013a) identified below and reflect upon how you can meet these when including children with SEND in PE. Also take time to consider how you could evidence that these Standards had been met.

In summary, it is essential teachers understand and engage with the NC inclusion statement, SEN Code of Practice and Teachers’ Standards to ensure that they fulfil their legal responsibility of creating inclusive lessons that meet the needs and capitalise on the capabilities of all pupils, especially those with SEND.

The role of statutory and non-statutory agencies in supporting the inclusion agenda

The DfE is a government department responsible for education and children’s services in England. It is also home to the Government Equalities Office, which is responsible for equality strategy and legislation across government. According to the DfE (2017b), ‘we work to provide children’s services and education that ensure opportunity is equal for all, no matter what their background or family circumstances’. Thus, through a range of legislative and policy-making strategies, they play a central role in setting the agenda for others in the delivery of education, PE and SEND.

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