Cooperative games and inclusion in physical education

De acuerdo con los principios teóricos de la praxeología motriz este estudio examinó cuatro tipos de conductas motrices cooperativas: ajustadas [AJUS], desajustadas [DESAJ], perversas [PER]) y de pacto (PACT) de 40 niños (18 con discapacidades and 22 sin discapacidades) de 8-11 años que participaron en un programa diseñado para promover la inclusión a través de juegos cooperativos. Las conductas motrices más frecuentes (24%) fueron las AJUS. Modelos de regresión múltiple mostraron que las variables dependientes tuvieron un considerable poder de explicación: AJUS, 34%; DESAJ, el 22%; PERV, 30% y 3% PACT. Con respecto a las variables independientes analizadas, es decir, la edad, el género y si la persona tenía discapacidad, sólo esta última explicó algunas de las conductas observadas.Based on the theoretical principles of motor praxeology this study examined four types of cooperative motor behaviours, namely well-matched [WMAT], mismatched [MISMAT], destructive [DEST] and cooperative agreement (PACT), among 40 children aged 8-11 years (18 children with disabilities and 22 without disabilities) who were taking part in a workshop designed to promote inclusion through cooperative games. The most commonly observed motor behaviour (24%) was WMAT. Multiple regression models showed that the dependent variables had considerable explanatory power: WMAT, 34%; MISMAT, 22%; DEST, 30%; and PACT 3%. With respect to the independent variables analysed, namely age, gender and whether or not the child had disabilities, only the latter explained some of the observed behaviour

Short- and long-term effects of a multi-component physical activity intervention in primary school

There is compelling evidence that physical activity has numerous health benefits during childhood and adolescence. Insufficient levels of physical activity on the other hand can consequently affect cardiovascular and bone health, which may result in severe chronic diseases later in life. Cardiovascular disease and osteoporosis are two of the major chronic diseases affecting a large proportion of the adult population. Both diseases have their origins in childhood and it has been shown that for both, physical activity plays an important role in their prevention. The number of children not being sufficiently active has reached an alarming level and threatens to impose major health burdens worldwide. Thus, developing effective strategies to enhance children’s physical activity levels is of paramount interest for public health. School provides an optimal setting for physical activity promotion, since all children spend a large portion of their time there. This dissertation discusses a school-based randomized controlled trial aimed at increasing children’s physical activity levels and consequently their cardiovascular and bone health. The „Kinder- und Jugendsportstudie“ (KISS) is a school-based physical activity intervention lasting one school year. Of all primary school classes in the cantons of Aargau and Baselland comprising about 10% of the Swiss population, 28 first and fifth grade classes were randomly selected and allocated into an intervention (16 classes; n=297 children) and a control (12 classes, n=205 children) group. The mandatory and stringent multi-component intervention program consisted of daily physical education lessons, daily short activity breaks during academic lessons, and physical activity homework. Children in the control group had the compulsory three physical educations per week. The aim of this dissertation was to assess the effectiveness of KISS on cardiovascular risk and bone health and to explore whether the program was sufficiently effective in order to maintain health benefits over the following three years. In addition, this dissertation will provide a systematic update of existing school-based intervention studies aiming at increasing children’s physical activity and a quantification of physical education-related physical activity. There is strong evidence that school provides a promising setting for physical activity promotion. All school-based intervention studies done in recent years showed positive effects in at least one domain of physical activity. The most successful interventions had the design of a randomized controlled trial, were done over one school year using a multi-component approach integrated into the school curriculum, taught by physical education experts and involving family members. A common intervention strategy was to increase quantity and/or quality of physical education lessons. The particular role of physical education and its contribution to overall physical activity was the center of attention in the second publication of this dissertation. Even if children’s physical activity levels during physical education are relatively low, physical education contributes substantially to overall physical activity. Due to its nature of being a randomized controlled trial in children with a stringent physical activity program in and outside physical education over one school year and with the inclusion of physical education experts, KISS had excellent pre-conditions for being an effective program. Indeed, the results after nine month of intervention are promising. Compared to controls, children of the intervention group showed 14% reduced cardiovascular risk score, 5% reduced body mass index and skinfold thickness, 6% improved aerobic fitness, 18% higher physical activity levels, and 5-8% higher bone mineral content and bone mineral density. Three years after cessation of the program, intervention children still showed higher aerobic fitness and bone mineral content levels at weight-bearing sites of the skeleton compared to the control group. All other beneficial effects have disappeared. Even if short-term effects of the intervention are promising, the major key from a public health perspective is whether the effects of the prevention done during childhood will persist into late adolescence and adulthood. Although the maintained effects on aerobic fitness and bone health have considerable impact on public health, most of the beneficial health effects were not maintained three years after the intervention. This indicates that an intervention over one year is too short for maintained overall health effects. Thus, physical activity programs throughout the school years are needed. Our findings contribute to the growing body of evidence that school-based interventions can increase children’s health; however the major challenge now, is to find effective implementation strategies to transfer such programs into the real-world setting

Inclusion and education in European countries

The focus in this report is strategies that address the disadvantages experienced byminority background students in schools within the United Kingdom (UK) and the wider policy context in which these operate. More specifically, the focus is on four groups ofstudents:• Ethnic minority students including refugee and asylum seekers' children;• Gypsy/traveller students;• Students in care (Looked After Children - LAC); and,• Linguistic minorities e.g. Gaelic, Welsh.The devolved nature of government in the UK means that while some broad principlesare common across the four nations that constitute the UK (England, Northern Ireland,Scotland and Wales), the particular emphases adopted and the strategies developed tofoster social inclusion vary from one to another. In addition, there is no integrated policyfor social inclusion but rather separate policy statements for each of the categories ofdisadvantage identified in the study. All four countries within the UK have a combinationof private and state-funded schooling. In much, if not all, of this report the emphasis ison the state-funded sector

Action research in physical education: focusing beyond myself through cooperative learning

This paper reports on the pedagogical changes that I experienced as a teacher engaged in an action research project in which I designed and implemented an indirect, developmentally appropriate and child‐centred approach to my teaching. There have been repeated calls to expunge – or at least rationalise – the use of traditional, teacher‐led practice in physical education. Yet despite the advocacy of many leading academics there is little evidence that such a change of approach is occurring. In my role as teacher‐as‐researcher I sought to implement a new pedagogical approach, in the form of cooperative learning, and bring about a positive change in the form of enhanced pupil learning. Data collection included a reflective journal, post‐teaching reflective analysis, pupil questionnaires, student interviews, document analysis, and non‐participant observations. The research team analysed the data using inductive analysis and constant comparison. Six themes emerged from the data: teaching and learning, reflections on cooperation, performance, time, teacher change, and social interaction. The paper argues that cooperative learning allowed me to place social and academic learning goals on an even footing, which in turn placed a focus on pupils’ understanding and improvement of skills in athletics alongside their interpersonal development

The roles of specialist provision for children with specific speech and language difficulties in England and Wales: a model for inclusion?

Children with specific speech and language difficulties pose a challenge to the education and health systems. In addition to their language difficulties they are also at risk of literacy and social, emotional and behavioural difficulties. The main support for children with more severe difficulties has been enhanced provision in mainstream schools (language units or integrated resources) and special schools. The move to an inclusive education system challenges this tradition. The present paper reports the results of interviews with heads of language units/integrated resources and headteachers of special schools (n=57) as part of a larger study within England and Wales. Their views are considered with reference to criteria for entry to specialist provision, the development of collaborative practice between teachers, teaching assistants and speech and language therapists, and the implications for inclusive education

Inclusion and education in the United Kingdom

Paper describes inclusion and education in the United Kingdom

The benefits of using traditional martial arts as an intervention programme for children with behavioural, emotional and social difficulties

The aim of this paper is to examine the potential use of a traditional martial arts programme as a form of intervention for children with behavioural, emotional and social difficulties (also known as BESD) and the benefits that such an intervention could offer. As a special education teacher and Karate-Do practitioner, I believe I can present the use of martial arts in the school setting in a different light, explaining their usefulness as a psychotherapeutic tool that promotes inclusion. In this paper the benefits and inclusive characteristics of martial arts will be examined, as well the importance of the instructor as a mentor, therapist and role model. There will also be a brief overview of similar intervention programmes that have already been successfully implemented in schools

Advancing task involvement, intrinsic motivation and metacognitive regulation in physical education classes: the self-check style of teaching makes a difference

It was hypothesized that “self-check” style of teaching would be more preferable in terms of creating a mastery-oriented climate, and promoting adaptive achievement goals, intrinsic motivation and metacognitive activity in physical education classes. Two hundred seventy-nine (N = 269) 6-grade students were randomly divided into two groups that were taught four consecutive physical education lessons of the same content following either “practice” or “self-check” styles of teaching respectively. Students responded on questionnaires prior and after the intervention. Results revealed significant interactions between groups and measurements. Students in the “self-check” style group scored higher in scales measuring mastery-oriented climate, mastery goal, intrinsic motivation and metacognitive processes and lower in scales measuring performance-goals and performance-oriented motivational climate. These results underscore the importance of using styles of teaching that enhance opportunities for deep cognitive processing and promote mastery-goals and mastery-oriented climates

DEECD Early Childhood Intervention Reform Project

This literature review was commissioned by the Office for Children and Early Childhood Development, Department of Education and Early Childhood Development (DEECD), as part of its Early Childhood Intervention Services (ECIS) Reform Project (Stage 2): Developing Options and Next Steps. This Project aims to significantly enhance the efficiency, effectiveness and sustainability of Victoria’s ECIS system and improve outcomes for children with a disability or developmental delay and their families. Early childhood intervention services (ECIS) support children with a disability or developmental delay from birth to school entry and their families. ECIS provides special education, therapy, counselling, service planning and coordination, assistance and support to access services such as kindergarten and child care. The services funded through DEECD are provided by government Specialist Children\u27s Services teams and non-government Early Childhood Intervention agencies. In addition to the services provided by ECIS teams and agencies, the state and federal governments fund a range of complementary programs to support young children with developmental disabilities and their families. These include initiatives to support families (My Time parent groups, Family Support Packages), services to support inclusion (Preschool Field Officers, Inclusion Support Facilitators), and funding to support particular disability groups (Helping Children with Autism packages). These additional services and supports, together with the ECIS teams and agencies, make up the totality of early childhood intervention provision for young children with disabilities. The focus of the literature review is research on contemporary Australian and international evidence-based service delivery models for children with a disability, developmental delay or additional needs aged 0-8 years

Contours of Inclusion: Frameworks and Tools for Evaluating Arts in Education

This collection of essays explores various arts education-specific evaluation tools, as well as considers Universal Design for Learning (UDL) and the inclusion of people with disabilities in the design of evaluation instruments and strategies. Prominent evaluators Donna M. Mertens, Robert Horowitz, Dennie Palmer Wolf, and Gail Burnaford are contributors to this volume. The appendix includes the AEA Standards for Evaluation. (Contains 10 tables, 2 figures, 30 footnotes, and resources for additional reading.) This is a proceedings document from the 2007 VSA arts Research Symposium that preceded the American Evaluation Association's (AEA) annual meeting in Baltimore, MD