Students organise inclusive sports festival

Published 19 September 2012

PGCE Physical Education and Dance students recently facilitated a day of modified and adapted physical activities to children from special schools in East Sussex. The activities included Boccia, Goalball, New Age Kurling, Dance and parachute games.

Students had to plan each session to take into account the various needs of each individual pupil and then teach these activities throughout the day. This provided students with opportunities to develop their own subject knowledge of disability games and physical activities as well as how to adapt them to suit each pupil.

PGCE Physical Education student Stephanie Fitt said: “This was an amazing and humbling experience. It has helped me to understand the various learning needs of individual children and the importance of differentiated practice in physical education and dance.

“It has also made me more aware that physical education is not just about competitive team sports and that with careful thought physical education and dance can be a fulfilling and rewarding experience for all children.”

The day was organsied by PGCE Physical Education and Dance leaders Dr Gary Stidder and Lucy Pocknell.

Principal lecturer Dr Gary Stidder said: “The inclusive sports festival provides an opportunity for trainee teachers of physical education and dance to gain valuable pedagogical experiences and develop differentiated approaches to teaching and learning.”