Adapted PE
Category: Physical Disabilities

I have a student in the fifth grade who is a little person. He is fully functional, just short. I would like some ideas on how to adapt activities for the other students so it is fair for him and he can succeed. Or some activities that would focus on 'personal best' performance for all students but still be fun and active for all.

I am glad you are interested in helping this little person feel more included in your physical education program while making sure you are not sacrificing the program for the other students in your class. The best way to accommodate a child with a disability while make sure you do not ruin the activities for peers is t0 ask peers to come up with modifications. For example, if you are playing a dodging and fleeing game, ask the peers how rules can be added or changed to help this child be successful. You might get things like a safe area for the child to run to or the child has to be tagged 2x rather than just 1x. The key is getting peers to create modifications so that they have a vested interest in the modifications and more readily accept these modifications.

I do like the ideas of "personal best" for all the students. This certainly would allow everyone in your class, including the little person, to be successful and challenged at that level. For example, at a throwing station you can have different size targets and different distance to throw from. That way everyone who goes to this throwing station would be successful and challenged at their level.

Last modified date: 9/12/2010

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