Discussions+and+Comments

==**Presentation Questions and Comments Page! When making a comment or starting a discussion, please start with...This comment is from (your name) so that we know who is making the comment or responding to the comment/discussion question. **==


 * Topics: **


 * WHAT IS PHYSICAL EDUCATION/WHAT IS INCLUSION? **
 * Question #1:** Hi this is Jim nice __#|job__ on the video and powerpoint. My question is How are students identified for APE? Do they need to be diagnosed in order to receive services?


 * RESPONSE TO JIM:** Hey Jim! Yes, students need to be assessed in order to receive APE. There is a process in which the student is observed, data is collected, and meetings take place. If the student is assessed and it is determined that the student can successfully __#|participate__ in the GPE setting, that is what will happen. If they are assessed and it is determined that the student can successfully __#|participate__ in the GPE setting but may need some extra time on a skill or concept (for example: throwing overhand), that is possible also and the GPE and/or APE teacher may work with them based upon the agreement in the IEP. If the student is assessed and it is determined that they can not be safe and successful in GPE in the LRE, APE is necessary and most often times the ball will start rolling once a meeting is held on their IEP and with the IEP team.


 * Questiion #2:** If there are National Standard's for Physical __#|Education__ (NASPE), how come there are not national and/or state wide standard that states the amount of time ALL students should be active? Why are some schools and states more/less active then others? - J. Filipone


 * RESPONSE TO JENNA:** Jenna, exactly the thought for most PE teachers I think! Some hold PE high and others do not. Some states have their blinders on and are so focused on teaching to the reading and math tests to get scores up that they cut PE and other courses to provide more time and focus on these other curricular areas. No wonder why we have the problems that we do in our country right now with sedentary lifestyles and high __#|overweight__ and __#|obesity__ rates. It also makes me think about states and districts trying to "save a buck" when they can. If they just changed the amount of time needed for PE that would enable them to cut __#|jobs__, etc.


 * Question #3:** These are some questions from Jeff about specific requirements and licensure for professionals to provide adapted physical education services. What is stopping the other states from developing requirements for adapted physical education __#|certification__ and licensure? What are some of the requirements that the 17 states have mandated in order for professionals to be eligible to provide physical education services to students with disabilities? Great job on your presentation!


 * RESPONSE TO JEFF:** Good questions Jeff, and anyone who would like to add onto this please do. One would think that since these accommodations and requirements have been in place for so long, that all 50 states would have eligible professionals providing APE. Think about what we are doing right now to get our APE certifications. We are taking a grouping of adapted classes that add up to 18 __#|credits__ and then we are taking the APENS exam after our courses are complete. That is not only time consuming, but it costs __#|money__. People are thrown into positions where they feel they are not qualified to teach APE, as they are a GPE teacher. After taking 5 APE courses at WCU I realize that I certainly wasn't ready or comfortable doing so. Also, the 17 states who have "eligible" professionals teaching these services, I question if they have had all required __#|training__ or if they have come across legal issues in the past...


 * Question #4:** Hello, this is Gretchen. Way to get things started with a nice video and power point. Question: The government is obviously concerned with the quality of life, or lack there of, that Americans are experiencing by developing programs such as //Health People 2020// and the bill to enhance school lunches. Is there anything in the works right now to not only federally require that children with disabilities receive P.E., but also students without?

As for students with disabilities, states and school districts are REQUIRED to provide PE. Since '75, PE has been the only curricular area that lawmakers placed in the definition of special education. All you have to do is take a look at the research and evidence that has been collected to see that a requirement for students without disabilities (with a minimum put in place) to receive PE is not only going to save a lot of lives in our country, but it is the right thing to do.
 * RESPONSE TO GRETCHEN:** I love your thought process because I'm sure our entire class struggles with this everyday. It's a terrible feeling to know that without your health and well-being you have nothing, yet they continue to decrease the amount of H & PE in our schools. With the projection that came out last week that in 2030 50% of the United States population will be obese if trends continue as they are now, the cuts HAVE to reverse. It is just a matter of how long will it take?


 * Question #5:** From Drew....First off, nice job on the presentation Margaret. My question is if we are supposed to base our lessons/curriculum/program around the NASPE national standards, then why do we even need the state standards? I feel like it would make more sense for everyone to use the same standards but in college I was always taught to teach to a PA State Standard.

http://www.aahperd.org/naspe/standards/stateStandards/ I visited a few states on the list. Some were exactly the same and others were slightly worded differently. Life would be so much easier if we all adopted the National Standards!
 * RESPONSE TO DREW:** Exactly Drew. There are some states who's standards are the National Standards and some states who have "closely aligned" their standards to the National NASPE Standards according to AAHPERD. If you go to this web site you can see every states standards listed:


 * QUESTION #6:** Great Presentation!! This is Sonya and I noticed that the age groups for the national standards and the PA standards are not aligned. The national standards group K-2, 3-5, 6-8. and 9-12. The PA standards group K-3, 4-6, 7-9, and 10-12. I was just curious if their was a reason behind the grouping.


 * RESPONSE TO SONYA:** Sonya, good question. Since NASPE aligns their standards in groupings of K-2, 3-5, 6-8, and 9-12, we should be doing that as well. AAHPERD stresses that the standards should be closely aligned with national standards. Even one grade level has developmentally different activities and goals for students.


 * Question #7:** Nice job. This question is from Justin. You mentioned NCLB. In the quote it says, "and reach, in minimum, proficiently on challenging state academic achievement standards and state academic assessments." Where does PE fall into these assessments? How is PE covered under NCLB? Other than being mandated by the state of PA, I have seen no other emphasis being put on PE like they do for the core subjects. Mainly how they judge the PSSAs.

AYP, adequate yearly progress, is another part of this law. Schools are expected to make AYP toward meeting state standards in reading, math, and science.
 * RESPONSE TO JUSTIN:** Excellent question, and I see where you are going with this. NCLB is supposed to encourage states and districts to keep up with standards-based reforms. It was put in place to close the achievement gap between students who are economically disadvantaged, have disabilities, or have limited English proficiency. It was also put in place to ensure there are highly qualified teachers in every classroom. So, as far as PE goes, NCLB is ensuring that we have a diverse grouping of students and that we are having PE teachers that have had specific training in PE in the public schools.


 * QUESTION #8:** Good job with the presentation and power point! This is Monica and I was just wondering why with so many laws about equal schooling, why would there be a law that only requires special needs students to have PE and not those students with out special needs. For example, "Brown vs. School Board" says that separate but equal is not equal - so how is two different laws about PE equal??


 * RESPONSE TO MONICA:** Monica, great way of looking at it. When you think about Brown v Board it seems very unequal when thinking about ALL students. On one hand, it is relieving to see that students with disabilities will ALWAYS receive PE as it is mandated and necessary. On the other hand, with the emphasis on other subject areas, PE has been dwindling away. We realize that ALL students need PE, but we probably just expected it would always be there and here we are with elementary schools dropping to PE maybe once a week or on a rotation and teachers retiring and no one coming in to fill their spot. To our professional world this is asinine, but where do we go from here? Our discussion in question 4 also relates to your question so be sure to read and comment on that as well!


 * QUESTION #9:** Great job, Margaret! This is Melissa. You mentioned the lack of federal requirements for PE for students without disability. As PE teachers, we understand the importance of PE for all students. How can we as PE teachers advocate for more of a requirement for PE for all students? I know this is Margaret's presentation, but if anyone else has anything to add, that would be great, too!

Excellent question Melissa. I think we should have Dr. Kat respond to this as well. Advocacy is number one. Planning meetings with administration and possibly the H &PE instructional coordinator might be a good idea to start to get other people who can help bring ideas to fruition is crucial. At the end of the day, however, it is the state and district who will have the final say. Like I have noted previously, this will reverse, it's just a matter of how long will it take or how bad will it get before it does?
 * RESPONSE TO MELISSA:**

I taught a nonverbal student when I was a LTS in Methacton school district and with the help of a sound board and aid he was able to understand and communicate back to use. = =
 * A TEAM APPROACH TO INCLUSION IN PHYSICAL EDUCATION **
 * QUESTION #1:** This is a question from Jeff about including students during the collaborative team meetings. What are some ways to include students that are nonverbal in these team meetings? You did an excellent job with the PowerPoint and presentation!
 * RESPONSE TO JEFF:**When instructing or including a nonverbal child into an activity it is important to use visual cues which can be picture boards, gestures and body language. You can use adaptive communication equipment like a computer (some computer equipment can actually say what they type). If you or another team member knows sign language you can use that to communicate with the student. It is important to limit distractions. And it would be good for a team member to talk to the student about what will happen, who will be there, and what will be discussed before the child arrives.
 * QUESTION #2:** Great video! This is Sonya and my question is how often does a collaborative team meet? Which member on the team determines this?
 * RESPONSE TO SONYA:** Sonya, a collaborative team meets first at the beginning of a school year or as soon as a child is identified for services. This meeting is usually organized by the special educational teacher since they are the case manager for the student. Once the initial meeting is head, continual meetings should occur monthly or bi monthly depending on what the team agrees upon.


 * QUESTION #3:** Nice job on your video, Jenna. This is Gretchen, and my question is: It is my experience that IEP meetings do not always invite the PE teacher to be involved in the meeting and is sometimes pushed to the way side. What do you suggest doing in this situation to make sure we can play a role in the IEP process?
 * RESPONSE TO GRETCHEN:** Personally, I would contact the special education teachers right in the beginning of the year informing them that I would like to be present at any of my students IEP meetings. If the a child is in your class who has an IEP you do have the right to attend the meeting if the meeting will better allow you or others to meet the child's needs. When I was student teaching at the high school level I was asked to sit in a couple IEP meetings. However when I was a LTS I was just given the child's IEP in the beginning of the year to read over. If I had any concerns with a particular child I contacted the classroom teacher and special education teacher. In the end, its all about communicating to others and working as a team. I will say because of our (PE teachers) teaching schedule it is hard to attend meetings however I think it is important to try to attend if possible.


 * Question #4**: Hi Jenna nice job on your presentation. This is Jim. My question is during your presentation you mentioned that if you could't make the IEP meeting you could sign off on reading it, but can you give input after it is signed? For example if there is something that you wouldn't agree on but since you were't at the meeting it was put in.
 * RESPONSE TO JIM:** Great question. If wouldn't sign anything unless I agreed with what the document said. If you are not able to attend an IEP meeting then it would be good to write about some questions, comments or concerns you have about the child. You might want to provide some assessment information and details on the child's motor development, skill level, etc. You could also say where you feel the child's IEP goals should be and provide information on what the child is capable of. Also if you can not attend the meeting, the Special Education teacher should inform you of what information was discussed before finalizing the document. There are times at the beginning of a school year that you may sign off on reading a child's IEP however this IEP might have been written at the end of the school year and it serves as a refresher for the you.

Class activities can be changed for these students if needed. If a child is not able to properly participate in the class activity, an activity that supports thier IEP goal should be given even if the activity is completely different.
 * QUESTION #5:** Jenna, great job on your presentation! I didn't know you had taught APE in the Methacton School District. I am currently teaching APE in an inclusive setting. I partner with the regular PE teacher to teach the class. Although the IEP's of my students are clear that they are to be included in regular PE, it seems as though there are some activities that the class does that are hardly beneficial to these students. In addition to collaborating with the regular PE teacher, who else would be best to connect with to further discuss the needs of the students? Would you recommend meeting with the Special Education teacher? From your experience, who would you suggest meeting/collaborating with? (From Melissa)
 * RESPONSE TO ???:** When I was student teaching I co-taught an APE class. These student just like yours had IEP's that stated they be included in regular PE, and yes there were some activities that were not benifical to the students. This situtation does occur freqently. My advise would be to contact the special education teacher as well as the PT or OT. The special education teacher should be your first line of contact, he or she can share advice on ways to adjust activities.The PT or OT can help you modify activities or give advise on what activites you can do instead.


 * Question #6:** Great presentation Jenna, thank you. This is Drew. My question is about the people involved in the I.E.P. meeting. Is the student allowed to participate and be involved in the process/meetings or does he/she have to communicate his or her wishes to the parents/teachers? I'm guessing the older the student is the more likely they may want to have a say in the process. Thank you.
 * RESPONSE TO DREW:** Yes Drew you are correct! if the student is capable of attending (appropriate age and ability levels to communicate) he/she can be involved in the IEP meeting. Communication is always important. So if the students is capable in attending the meeting then they should. Students who are involved in the IEP process will be more motivated to achieve goals and stay on task.


 * Question #7:** Jenna, well done. This is Margaret. It's nice to have someone who has some experience with APE discussing the content and answering questions! If I am the GPE teacher and I feel as though a student needs assessment for APE, what should be my first step? If the student already has an IEP team and the meeting was held but I wanted to add to it or change a goal, do I need to request for another meeting ASAP? I realize that meetings are not only scarce, but it is sometimes difficult to have everyone in attendance. From what I have experienced, a lot of times it is difficult to get the parents there!
 * RESPONSE TO MARGARET: Pe**rsonally, If was in a situation like this I would first contact the special education teacher for the child (and if the child isnt in a special education class I would contact the special education teacher for the grade- usually special education teachers are the case managers for students in one if not two grades. After expression my thougths with the special education teacher, I would see if the child is receiveing any services like OT or PT. If they are I would express my concerns with the OT and/or PT. Once I contacted these individuals I would recommend that the child be evaluated for APE. If all parties agree I would go ahead with an evaluation. It is imporant to note that some students are recommended for APE however it is implemented in an inclusion setting rather than a pull out setting.


 * Question #8:** Jenna, nice presentation. This is Justin. why do you think their are so few Recreational Therapist? Is it due to the lack of doctor referrals or low occurrences where their services are needed? Also, what kind of situation would you see a RT in the school setting?
 * RESPONSE TO JUSTIN:** There are very few __#|Recreational Therapist__ because these individuals are more commonly seen in hospital and therapy/rehab centers. These individuals work with individuals who have very severe disabilities. I would say that it is not a lack of doctor referral just not common in a school setting because the need for a recreational therapist is not as strong. Recreational therapist are most commonly seen in hosptials or rehab centers however would assume that if the child was capable of coming to school the rehab therapist could come to help the child get ajusted to school activities.


 * Question #9:** Hey Jenna - good job with your presentation! This is Monica and my question for you is do you personally think that any one person is more"important" in the collaborative team than another? For example, does one person usually contribute more to the IEP or does everyone usually work evenly on it?
 * RESPONSE TO MONICA:** Monica, I dont think anyone is more important than anyone else when dealing with a collaborative team. With any team situation it is a group effort and all work together to accomplish a common goal. I would say that the Special Education teacher would be A LOT more involved than the other team members because they are the case manager. They Special Education teach is usually the one who is contacting the other team members, getting the required feedback, planning the IEP meeting and writing the IEP.


 * PLANNING FOR INCLUSION IN PHYSICAL EDUCATION **
 * QUESTION #1:** Jeff, good job on your presentation. This is Jenna. I have two questions. First, it is only the PE teacher who decides if a child qualifies for APE or is a team approach (Does the OT, PT and other Team members give input or is it soley the PE teacher who is responsible for making this desision). Second, in your personal opinion what would you do if the parents of a child who qualifies for APE does not want the child in an APE setting (the parents only want the child in a GPE setting)?


 * RESPONSE TO JENNA:** Great questions Jenna! The student's IEP team should decide who qualifies for adapted physical education. Qualifying for adapted physical education doesn't mean that the student will be pulled from his or her general physical education setting and placed into a smaller sized adapted physical education class. Some students may need some of the activities and equipment modified, alternate activities, or an aide in their general physical education class. A team teaching approach with the adapted physical education specialist or other members of the IEP team may also be utilized. This is all determined on a case by case basis. It is important to involve the student and the parents/guardians in developing a plan for the student. The family will become aware of what different modifications and adaptations are being made and can discuss some of their interests that may be included in the plan. This could also prevent some parents from being resistant to the term "adapted physical education." I don't know if many people are aware of what adapted physical education really is. I would invite parents/guardians to meetings with the IEP team if they had any concerns over the adapted physical education services for their child.


 * Question #2: (from Drew)** Great presentation, Jeff. Thanks for all your information. My question deals with the developmental vs. ecological approach. It seems like most schools or programs seem to favor the ecological approach. The presentation makes it seem that this is the better of the two choices for APE. I was wondering if there is ever a place for the developmental approach for APE and an example of when it might be implemented. My guess is that schools focus on ecological but use parts of the developmental along the way. Thank you


 * RESPONSE TO DREW:**That is a very good question Drew. There are some concerns about using the developmental approach in adapted physical education because it targets some skills that may not be relevant for a student to be successful in their current and future physical education classes. There are times when performing assessments before planning a program (the developmental approach's method) makes sense. Finding out a student struggles with ball control can help the plan focus on improving these skills. I think that the developmental approach may work for students that need slight modifications in their general physical education class to be successful. For example, students that use wheelchairs can work on the lower-level developmental skills in basketball (dribbling, passing, and shooting) and work their way up to higher level skills (the give and go for example). They can then use these higher level skills to participate in competitive games of basketball. However, the most important thing to remember is that all of these decisions are done on a case by case basis to make sure that the student's needs are met.

Great Job presenting Jeff. What are some suggestions to help prepare the support persons who attened GPE with a student who is included?
 * Question #3 (Jim)**


 * RESPONSE TO JIM:** That is a very important question Jim. I think communication is the best way to prepare the support persons for working with students with disabilities in physical education. We need to remember that many of the support personnel do not have any formal training or experience working with students with disabilities in the physical education environment. Physical education teachers shouldn't assume that they have discussed all of their responsibilities with the special education teacher. Support personnel can feel overwhelmed and fearful when working with students with disabilities in physical education, so it is up to the physical education teacher to make them feel as comfortable and prepared as possible. I think it is very important to go over the student's IEP and explain to them what their responsibilities are during physical education class. The IEP can also help explain any medical/health concerns, instructional modifications, curricular adaptations, and interests of the child. This will help ensure that the student is working in a safe and success-oriented environment. The support personnel need to know who is available to answer their questions and address their concerns. I like to meet with our support personnel and discuss the lesson plan for the day prior to class. This way I can explain what their responsibilities are during that lesson and answer any questions that they have. Any type of information provided on the student, the physical education class and curriculum, and the expectations for the support persons will be extremely beneficial.

Thanks!
 * Question #4: (from Gretchen)** Very nice job, Jeff! My question is: Are you aware of any specific motor tests that might suit students with physical impairments and give educators a clearer picture of ability better than fitnessgram or presidential fitness testing?


 * RESPONSE TO GRETCHEN:** Great question Gretchen! The Test of Gross Motor Development, Peabody Developmental Motor Scales, and the Bruininks-Oseretsky Test of Motor Proficiency are some examples of norm- and criterion-referenced tests that may be used. Also, physical education teachers can use a school district approved curriculum or assessment tool to collect data on motor skills and abilities. It is important to remember that scoring lower than peers on these tests does not necessarily mean that the student needs adapted physical education services. That is why we also look at if the student is having significant problems in physical education with meeting objectives, following directions, interacting with the teacher and classmates, and participating appropriately.


 * Question #5:** (Melissa) Great job, Jeff! Thanks for all of the information. As a new APE teacher in my district this year, I was not able to determine which students needed APE. After being in school for about a month, I've noticed that inclusion has been very beneficial for some of my students. However, I am also now aware that some of my students would benefit from an APE class rather than in an inclusion setting. At this point in the year I am unsure if it is possible to have the IEP adjusted. My question is where should I start the process? I'm just not sure how it is most appropriate to go about something like this.


 * RESPONSE TO MELISSA:** Excellent question Melissa! I think that meeting with a student's IEP team would be a great starting point. During this meeting you can share any observation results and concerns that you may have about the student in the general physical education setting. There may be some curricular adaptations and instructional modifications that can be used during class to help the student become more successful. Also, you can look into planning alternate activities if some of the curriculum isn't directly related to the student's IEP. I would recommend looking at Table 4.4 in the textbook (page 64) if you are trying to decide where the best place for instruction is for some students. An addendum may be added to an IEP during the school year if the IEP team feels that it is in the best interest of the child.


 * Question #6:** Nice job Jeff. When you compared the Developmental and Ecological approaches, you said that assessment for the ecological approach happens after goals are established. I am confused on how that works. Where are the goals generated from? Are the assessments then formulated around the goals? Or are the goals from previous assessments and then new assessments are used to set short term goals?


 * RESPONSE TO JUSTIN:** That is a good question Justin. The ecological model tries to envision what skills the student will need to be successful in future settings (high school, recreational programs, etc.). This model is considered a top-down approach because the process begins with establishing long term goals specific to the student's needs and interest. The IEP team will develop an individualized plan that includes all of the skills, activities, and environments that are most important to the student. Assessment will take place after the top-down goals are established and are referenced directly to these goals. The assessment data would help the teachers and IEP team work towards the top-down goals.


 * Question #7:** Good job Jeff! This is Monica - and my question for you is: When you discuss the specific limitations, you suggest different methods for adapting the lessons. Would you suggest that the teacher in an inclusive PE class have just the student with the disability use the adapted method (such as a bar for assistance) or make the whole class use a bar to make the child not stand out different than the rest of the class?


 * RESPONSE TO MONICA:** This is a great discussion question Monica! I think that it is important to offer the adapted method to anyone in the class that would like to use it. There may be able-bodied students that struggle with balance or other skills as well, so this is a great opportunity for all students to build their confidence and experience success.


 * Question #8:(** Sonya) Great Presentation! Can a student who does not have an IEP qualify for APE? I have a student who is falling behind on his gross motor skills and is having a difficult time working with peers and following simple directions. He is in Kindergarten and I believe he is in the special education process to recieve an IEP.I feel like this particular student would benefit from APE. Does he have to wait for his IEP or can he begin APE?


 * RESPONSE TO SONYA:** Great question Sonya! The student's IEP team should determine who qualifies for adapted physical education services. However, there are some things that you can do to help the student in the general physical education setting while his IEP is being developed. You can try to break down skills into single steps and work on piecing the steps together. This may actually help a lot of students in the class master the skills more effectively. Also, I think that all kindergarten students can benefit from lessons on direction following and teamwork, so you can try to add these components to your class. I have noticed that many teachers (including myself) have lectured students on being good sports and working together as a team. Have we ever really shown the students what teamwork looks and sounds like? We need to model these skills for our students so that they know what we are expecting from them. A good creative game of Simon Says is a fun way to work on following directions. Don't be afraid to ask the classroom teacher if he or she has any strategies that have been effective with the student.


 * Question #9:** Jeff, awesome job (Margaret). This is relating more to the students who are in the class without the IEP. Are they //allowed// to know that a student is, for example, is working on a specific goal within their IEP? Obviously we encourage peer tutors and helpers, but does that cross any confidentiality concerns? I wouldn't think it would be but I am curious.


 * RESPONSE TO MARGARET:** This is a very good question Margaret! I wouldn't share any information from a student's IEP with anyone other than the school district employees. The student may be working on the same lesson with the class, but he or she may have some modifications that are being implemented. So, you can offer the different modifications to any of the students that would like to use them. Also, there may be an alternate activity that the student may be working on. You can tell the class that the student will be working on a different activity and that his or her classmates may also participate if they would like to. It's not a good idea to go into specific details with the class about why a student is using particular modifications or doing an alternate activity.


 * ASSESSMENT TO FACILITATE INCLUSION IN PHYSICAL EDUCATION **


 * QUESTION #1:** Great job on your presentation, Drew! This is a question from Jeff on the "What do we teach?" phase of the ecological approach to assessment. What would you do if the student's interests are different from his or her parent's vision of what skills and activities the student should be taught? Also, what if the family is interested in skills and activities that the IEP team doesn't feel are in the best interest of the child? It seems like coming up with a long term plan can be extremely challenging because there are different factors and criteria that may impact this decision. I know that a lot of times children's interest can change in a short period of time. They can be very interested in one activity and then quickly move onto something else.


 * RESPONSE TO JEFF:** Great question Jeff. I think the answer varies for each situation, but I think the parents would have more of a say in the IEP process when the children are younger, say... elementary school, rather than when the student is in high school. You're right, a child's interests are always changing (especially when they are young), so the parents will have a larger say when the student is in his elementary grades. As for high school and possibly middle school, I think balance is important. If the child has a different idea of what he/she wants to do, it is important for the family to communicate with one another and for them to understand how each person is feeling. By following just the parents wishes, the student may be extremely unhappy and lose all interest in physical activity for the rest of his/her life. Along the same lines, following just the student's idea would not be the best idea as well. It is important to find a healthy balance of activities that both parties can agree on. This ties into the IEP team as well... it has to be a group collaborative decision. You're right... it is not an easy process. It is an extremely long process that takes a lot of considerations into play.


 * Question #2** (from Gretchen): Nice job on your presentation, Drew. My question is very similar to Jeff's. I was considering students in a life skills setting during this entire presentation. A parent might view strength training as the best interest so the student can more easily perform daily tasks, while the student may want to focus on basketball because it is their favorite sport. How does this type of situation play out?

__#|Check__ out my response to Jeff above. The best thing for the child would probably be a combination of the activities, and continuing to keep the lines of communication open. Strength training is extremely important to whatever activity the student will want to do, whereas basketball is more isolated. By keeping the lines of communication open and constantly reassessing the student's present level of performance, the student will be more likely to succeed and thus enjoy physical education. I hope this answers your question!


 * Question #3** (From Jim) Drew great job on the presentation. My question is similar to the previous two. Should you only focus on specific skills or would it be better to create a more well rounded student and teach many different skills exposing the student to new activities.

The presentation talked about taking many factors into consideration: the parents wishes and goals, the students wishes and goals, etc. It is important for a student to be happy and to work on skills that are going to benefit them after HS or when they move on to MS. On the other hand, it is important to not spend all four years of high school working on playing soccer for example. The student will become bored and it is important to provide options and variety sometimes. Also, the student's interests may change.


 * QUESTION #4 from JENNA:** Enjoyed watching your presentation! Where did the "Ecological Approach" come from? When did it start? Who decided to change from the traditional model to the ecological model? Obviously the ecological approach is more effective but who made the change?

Great question Jenna. I looked up a couple of articles and could not find the exact origin of the ecological approach, but I know that Rainforth & York-Barr did extensive reasearch on the ecological approach in the late 90's. My best guess is that it was implemented because the traditional approach was ineffective, and not yielding results that were benefitting students. Not everyone is using the ecological model though! Kind of the same way that not everyone is using the "new" PE. People are stuck in their ways or sometimes just don't know about it! Here is an article I found online that might help you and provide you with more information than I can. http://eeando.unl.edu/cehs/siegell/881/mod3/mod3pdf/SCAllinder%20copy.pdf

Great Presentation! My question is about who qualifies for adapted physical education. If adapted physical education is a direct service for students with disabilities than why is there not a norm procedure on determining who qualifies for APE? Do you think that each state should be responsible to come up with a norm way to determine who qualifies?
 * Question #5 from Sonya:**

Determining who qualifies for APE is a long and challenging process. I am not sure why there is not a norm procedure for determining who qualifies. It would be great to see a procedure that outlines a way to determine who qualifies. Obviously each case will be different and have different factors to take into consideration, but the book does a pretty strong job of outlining the process of determining who qualifies. One assessment would probably not be realistic for all students (this the downside of standardized APE tests). A student with a physical disability may be fine to participate in regular PE, whereas a student with a learning disability may struggle in regular PE. It is important for the PE teachers to collaborate with other teachers, and the students parents to determine what is best for the child. Least Restrictive Environment is always the goal.


 * Question #6 From Justin**: Nice job Drew. You talked about assessments that should be sensitive to the interest of the student being assessed, the parents, and the students peers. Can you elaborate a little more on how an assessment should be sensitive to their peers? I understand that the student and parents are an critical part of the IEP process, but how would their peers affect the assessment that you use?


 * Question #7**: (Margaret). Thanks Drew! Testing assessments are done to determine if APE is needed as you discussed and you gave us the most common BOT test of motor proficiency. I realize states are all different and use a variety of tools and "strategies." Once the initial test is complete, a student is diagnosed, and their IEP is developed with goals, etc. for APE, is that test re-administered only at the end of the year or is it done periodically? Are assessments used assessments related to the test, or is it under the teacher's (GPE/APE) discretion?


 * Question #8 from Melissa:** Great job, Drew! When talking about the ecological approach, you mentioned that a student could qualify for APE as a result of the lack of social skills. You also mentioned that the social aspect physical education is very important, which I also agree with. How much weight do you give to the social aspect of physical education in relation to other significant factors? Does the importance of the social aspect ever out weigh the physical ability or behavioral patterns of the student? If so, how is this determined?


 * INSTRUCTIONAL MODIFICATIONS **


 * Question #1:** This was an excellent presentation! These are some questions from Jeff about Mosston and Ashworth's teaching styles. What are some strategies for incorporating the production styles in elementary physical education? How can we then modify these strategies for students with disabilities? Do Mosston and Ashworth recommend certain teaching styles for specific age groups and grades? I can see kindergarten, first, and second grade students having a very difficult time with the production styles.


 * RESPONSE TO JEFF: Great question Jeff! I believe the best strategy to help include production styles in your class is planning. Physical education teachers need to make sure that the questions that they are using to prompt the students is going to lead to success. Questions should start at an easy level and continue to get harder. Also, make sure you think about your grouping. Do you want students to work by themselves, with a partner, or a group. I agree with you that teaching production styles is hard for the younger grades. I did not find any recommendations on age groups. I think that the younger grades can still engage in production style lessons. For example, to teach a divergent discovery lesson give each group different pieces of equipment. Their job is to create their a new game and teach it to the class.**
 * Question #2: (Jim)** Sonya great Job!!! I really liked the 3 part presentation it was easier for me to watch the 3 short videos. Thanks. Anyway onto my question. It is about duration. Is there a recommended time for students? If students come to a GPE class to be mainstreamed should they stay the entire time or should it just be how long you can keep thier attention?


 * RESPONSE TO JIM**: Thanks Jim! Duration is more of a factor to consider when you are planning your lessons. I believe all students should stay in each class the entire time to make sure that they are able to successfully complete each objective. Duration is more of how long you are having students engaged in each activity. When students are engaged in an activity for too long it might lead to off task behaviors. To eliminate those behaviors it is important to consider duration. The only recommended time I found was for teaching stations. For younger students try to rotate around three minutes and older students can rotate every five minutes. Its tricky though if you have students with ADHD that have a hard time focusing on one task for longer periods of time. To help students that have a hard time staying focused you can make them a visual behavior chart. On one side it has a picture of each station. If that student stays at the station for the correct amount of time they can earn a sticker. At the end of class stickers can lead to an extra task. (helping the teacher put equipment away)


 * QUESTION #3 (JENNA):** Great job Sonya! I also enjoyed the 3 short videos. And also enjoyed the questions you added at the end of your presentation. My question is... What style of instruction do you think it better, Mosston and Ashworth's Reproduction Styles or Mosston and Ashworth's Production Styles or is it best to use a combination of both??


 * RESPONSE TO JENNA:** Thanks Jenna! I think that both styles have benefits. I think to ensure that students are getting a quality physical education experience is by using a combination of both styles. Reproduction styles allow the teacher to model the skills and students know exactly what to do at all times. This might lead to kids to stay on task because they know what the expectations are. Production styles allow students to be more active learners. For production styles to be effective teachers have to make sure that the lessons are planned out. Teachers need to think of what they want the students to learn and be able to come up with questions or prompts to lead students towards success. I think both styles have advantages so mixing the styles up would be the best.


 * QUESTION #4 (Drew):** Excellent presentation Sonya. I thought the topic of reverse mainstream seemed like a great idea... I had never heard of it before. My question is how often is this strategy used? I feel like it may be hard to implement or utilize in school districts with a smaller number of students with disabilities.


 * RESPONSE TO DREW:** Thanks Drew! To be completely honest I have never heard of this until I completed this project. I think that this strategy can be used in any adapted physical education class. If a adapted physical education class only has a few students than the teacher would have to bring more students without disabilities into the class. These students are not peer tutors so it would be best to use this method when you want your adapted physical education students to participate in game play. Students without disabilities should have modified rules. For example, dribbling the basketball with the opposite hand, shooting the soccer ball with the opposite hand, and goalies can not use their hands.


 * QUESTION #5 (Gretchen):** Nice job on your presentation. I like how you broke it up with the 3 video's; it was perfectly scheduled bathroom or stretch time! My question is about peer tutoring. I love the idea of having the students do this as a class for credit, however what about schools that do not have this as an option? How much should you involve general education students into the adaptations for another student that has disabilities? With that in mind, how much are you allowed to reveal about a students disability without ethically crossing a line or getting yourself into trouble?
 * RESPONSE TO GRETCHEN:** Thanks Gretchen and great quesiton! Most schools do not offer peer tutoring as a credit so general physical education teachers can use students that are already enrolld in their class. If this is the case you want to have several students be peer tutors so they can rotate and take turns. This way all students are still getting enough practice time so that they can still have a general physical education experience and be successful themselves. One more way to have peer tutors in your class is to not assign any student to a student with a disability. The teacher can just simply say if you see any friends having a difficult time performing the skill you are allowed to ask them if they need help. This way students take it upon themselves to help students with disabilities out and don't feel pressured that they have to. Peer tutors do not need to know the specific disability each student has. General physical education teachers can give peer tutors a dialy checklist that includes the goals for the session and the skill cues that need to be worked on.
 * Question #6** (Margaret): Thanks Sonya! My question is your opinion since you have done research on the topic: I'm thinking about the upper grades, 6-12. Do you think students always respond to visual supports? Do you think there comes a time when visual supports are not age appropriate or do you feel that as long as the supports are written in a way that isn't juvenile that they will work just as well?


 * RESPONSE TO MARGARET:** Great question! Students with disabilities have a hard time dealing with change. If students are used to visual supports than I would keep implementing them. I think that visual supports can be used so that they are still age appropriate. All students in grades 6-12 have schedules. The only difference between their schedule and students with disabilities schedules is that they use pictures and not words. Pareducators and general physical education teachers can go over the visual schedules before class with the student. Also, schedules and behavior charts can be placed in a small binder that the student with a disability can carry around. This way they are not out in the public eye but are still there if the student needs a reminder.


 * Question #7 (Melissa):** Great job, Sonya! My question is about reverse mainstream. It seems as though it is very similar to reverse inclusion, and I am wondering how it differs from what we know as reverse inclusion. I really like the idea of reverse inclusion, but I'm afraid it might be unrealistic to use all the time in GPE classes. Do you think reverse mainstream is a more realistic approach than reverse inclusion? If so, how do you think it is best implemented at the middle school level?

RESPONSE TO MELISSA: Thanks Melissa! Reverse mainstream and reverse inclusion strategies are when general physical education students come into the special education setting. I like this idea of reverse mainstreaming. General physical education students are able to be good models and combining the two groups of students leads to social interactions that they might be able to have otherwise. Also, bringing students into the adapted classroom increases the number of students so they can have time to practice their skills during game play situations. I think that it is a case to case situation for each school. For example, if an adapted class has only four students in it you might want to bring in four students from the general physical education setting. I think that it would be best if you can pull students during a study hall so they can still participate in the general physical education. Also, this should only occur when the teacher needs to have more students in their class. Remember this is not peer tutoring! Thanks for the quesiton.


 * Question #8 From Justin**: Nice job on the presentation. I apologize for being tardy with my question. My question is about the Mosston and Ashworth's production styles. All of those examples are great but how would you adapt some of those styles for high school students. I do understand that some students with disabilities may have a mindset of a grade level lower. But how can you adapt those styles to higher level thinking that may be encountered in the high school setting?

RESPONSE TO JUSTIN: Thanks for the question! So I think that guided discovery and convergent discovery are more geared towards the lower grades. Divergent discovery lessons would work great for cooperative learning activities. You can give students a problem and as a group they need to come up with a plan. Some activities can include the spider web, group juggling, radioactive river, and mat dash. These are just a few examples to use to get the students working together and putting the instructional load onto the students. Another teaching strategies that you may want to try is the Learners Individual Design Program. I have never used this method before but it is geared towards the older students. One example is having students make their own work out plan. You would have to create the creteria and students will need to create their own program. This would be great for students because they can take their work out plan outside of the school setting.


 * CURRICULUM MODIFICATIONS **
 * QUESTION #1:** Hi Monica, this is Jenna. Enjoyable presentation. You provided a lot of great information and examples. After viewing your presentation, I thought to myself how would I have modified my Frisbee unit, being taught to middle school age students, to make it appropriate for a child who was blind or wheel chair bound, etc. What do you find to be the hardest part about making appropriate lesson modifications?
 * RESPONSE to JENNA:** Hi Jenna. What I find to be hardest about appropriate modificiations is making sure I am challenging the student enough. I was never a great althete and know not everyone is, so I tend to be easy on students. I find it difficult to find a lesson that everyone can do and is still challenging to everyone. I don't want the student to just "do" the activity; I want them to gain something from it as well.
 * QUESTION #2:** Great job on your presentation, Monica! This is a question from Jeff about using alternative activities in physical education. What are some strategies that physical education teachers can use if students with disabilities become upset about participating in alternative activities? I know that some students want to be involved with the rest of their class and will not understand why they are participating in another activity. Also, what are some ways that a teacher can explain why there is an alternative activity to the student with the disability and his or her classmates?


 * RESPONSE to JEFF:** Hi Jeff. To answer your question, if a student became upset I would let the student attempt the other activity. If needed, I could allow both activities to be modified, that way the student would feel excluded from doing one activity. Also, I don't know if I would explain that there is an alternative activity. I would make the class think that there are two activities and they were rotating between the two.

(With regard to falling, I was always taught, as one falls, to attempt to continue rolling to lessen the impact. Also trying to land hip to forearm - but absolutely, always trying to protect the head first.)
 * QUESTION #3:** (from Gretchen) Nice job, Monica. Great information on different ways to modifying for specific disabilities. I was wondering, though, different ways an Aerobics instructor could modify for a person with visual or hearing impairments. What types of equipement would be available to help aid in a yoga, zumba, or kick boxing unit?


 * RESPONSE TO GRETCHEN:** Good question Gretchen! If I was teaching an aerobics class with a student with a visual or hearing impariement I might use the student as my "model." This way the student won't be excluded from understanding the directions and the other students can understand what is being asked of them by seeing the student demonstrate it, with my hand-over-hand assistance. I think that would be the best way- but it would also depend on the student's specific needs.


 * Question #4:** (from Drew) Your presentation was great! Nice job. My question deals with the topic of obesity. What are some strategies a PE teacher would use to modify lessons, curriculum, etc, for students who are obese?


 * RESPONSE FOR DREW:** Thanks Drew! To answer your question, I might need a more specific lesson, but here are some examples that I can think of. If I was doing a lesson plan on jogging, I would allow the student to walk for 2 minutes, then jog for 1. I woud allow the student to take breaks & make sure I included another student to walk/jog with the student to keep pace/company.
 * Question #5** (from Jim) Great Job with your presentation. My question is with Category #3 Does the student with the disability stay in the same station or do they move to the other stations as well? I wouldn't want the student to feel like they were singled out or excluded in an activity especially if they had a peer buddy helping them.

RESPONSE TO JIM: Hi Jim. To clarify, the student would not rotate - except if you look at Jeff's question, I would change it to allow the student to participate in both. I would try to make both activites modified to keep it even for all.


 * Question #6:** (Margaret) Thanks for your presentation Monica. Do you think there is a line that you cross when giving instructions and preparing students for the activity if you are pointing out modifications to be made or giving "other" options and challenges/modifications? Is it okay to take time to speak of these changes with the entire class, or do you think some things should be kept to speak about individually or in smaller groups?

RESPONSE FOR MARGARET: Hi Margaret! When reading the chapter, I thought about the same idea. I don't think I would explain the changes to my stuents, or discuss why I am modifying an activity. I feel that by saying something, I would be alienating the student, which I don't think is appropriate. If I had to say something to the class, I may say it in a manner that would not make it single out the one student with disabilities.

Question #7 (From Justin): Nice job on the presentation. My questions kinda expands on your specific modifications for students with Autism. Keeping all of your specific mods. in mind, how would you address a situation where a student with autism is out performing other students (without disabilities) in your class? I understand we are not all experts, but currently I have a situation at my school where this is happening. Just wondering about your take on the situation.

RESPONSE TO JUSTIN: Thanks Justin. I think that you have to moderate your lesson still, but differently than we would do usually. Usually we make things "easier" for the student for disabilities, but maybe you should modify your activity to make it harder for that student. Challenge your student so that you are keeping him/her active, but also it might motivate other students to be more challenged. Like you said, we're not experts yet, but that would be my suggestion. Good Luck!

Question #7-(Sonya) Great presentation Monica! My question is about curriculum overlapping. When you are using curriculum overlapping is the student participating in the same activity as the general physical education class or are they just focused on their IEP goals? Does the student with a disability off to the side? I am not sure if I like this idea. I think that if a student is off to the side working on separate goals that it singles the child out. What are your thoughts?

RESPONSE TO SONYA: I agree Sonya. I don't think that the child should be seperate from the rest of the class. I think that if you overlap curriculum, you should combine one aspect of the student's IEP goals into the lesson. For example, if a student's IEP goal is working on reaching, I would make the activity for the whole class that has to do with reaching for a ball and then throwing it. If the student can not throw the ball, I would have him/her still practice their reaching.


 * Question #8 (Melissa):** Great presentation, Monica! I don't believe my question saved the first time, so here it is again! I have a question about figure 6.2 on page 113. What would you do if you had a student in an inclusion setting who would be better educated in an alternative setting. One of the questions Table 6.2 asks is if the modification alienates the child from the rest of the class. How would you handle this if safety was an issue? What could be done if a child could not participate in an activity safely, but the adaptations would not be beneficial to the rest of the students?


 * FACILITATING SOCIAL ACCEPTANCE AND INCLUSION **


 * Question #1 (Jeff):** I really enjoyed your presentation, Gretchen! The information that you provided shows how important the affective domain is in physical education. Are there any specially designed models or programs that teachers can implement to help facilitate social acceptance in their classes? It is critical to create and maintain a sense of teamwork and community in physical education, and this appears to be more of a philosophical approach from the teacher.

Thank-you, Jeff! The affective domain is incredibly important; great observation. I have been doing some hunting on your question. The main resource I can find to help facilitate social acceptance is reading as much information as possible, practice – practice – practice, and use other teachers you know. Facilitating social acceptance is something that you should plan a head of time, do not just try and “wing it.” There are several articles on ERIC about facilitating social acceptance that might help give you more ideas; although they are not specific models to follow.
 * RESPONSE to JEFF: **

Thanks, Jenna! Role playing is a fantastic way to put yourself in someone else’s shoes. There are several fears that teachers and students may experience when role playing disabilities. For the teacher, I believe the biggest fear is that someone will get hurt or the class will not take the activity seriously. I believe trying the activity with a small group to start is a great way to test for flaws in the activity. Also, your classroom dynamic will set the expectation. For students, the biggest fears are probably that they will get hurt or that people will make fun of them. A few options to reduce their fear of getting hurt is explaining that you have practiced this activity ahead of time and do a demonstration as a person with a disability. Shoe them that you are willing to do the activity as well. In addition, use their fear that people are making fun of them or “staring” at them as a teachable moment. Do they think this is something that people with disabilities go through? How would people staring make them feel if they had a disability? This fear actually plays perfectly into the role play activity. I hope this answers your question.
 * QUESTION #2 (JENNA):** Gretchen, excellent presentation! I recently made the same adaptions to my Ultimate Frisbee Unit for the middle school students. I also loved your idea of having a Role Play Unit, having students experience different disabilities is great. I actually did this in my adapted PE class while in college and it really helps one understand what a child may be going through. What might a fear be in implementing this Role Play Unit with students (of all ages)?
 * RESPONSE to JENNA: **


 * Question #3** (Margaret)**:** Thanks Gretchen! What would be your recommendation for the para educators/ paraprofessionals who are not doing their job and who are not being helpful and assisting when they should be? What would be a good strategy for asking for help and assistance in a positive, non-confrontational way?

Margaret - My suggestion for increased paraprofessional aid would be to nip lack of involvement in the butt right away. Meet with them before they start coming to your class and provide them with your expectations. This should be a positive, casual meeting. Provide positive comments and feedback regularly. You can also include them in the activities and using their name so all of the students know who they are. If they are not comfortable with physical activity, let them preview the lesson beforehand so they have time to prepare themselves.
 * RESPONSE to MARGARET: **


 * Question #4 (Jim):** Gretchen great Job!, Love the dog too, I have a black lab too. I have mainstreamed autistic support students included in almost all of my classes. In each class I really work to create the team atmosphere. My question is the opposite of Margaret's how would you recommendation when a paraprofessional is too involved? What is a good strategy of asking them to back off without offending? I also have this issue with my students as well they tend to treat my students like a new toy.

Thank-you, Jim! I feel the response to your question is quite similar to how I responded to Margaret’s. Immediately meet and discuss your expectations. Give examples of appropriate help and participation in the classroom setting. If they are still too involved, maybe you should pair students before class, instead of letting the students choose and the paraprofessional goes directly to the student with disabilities. Meeting throughout the year should help limit the paraprofessional overstepping their role. If you only meet at the beginning of the year with the paraprofessional and do not meet with them again until months later, the meeting may not seem as positive had you been giving feedback all along. Do not put discussions off; make them a priority.
 * RESPONSE to JIM: **


 * Question #5-(Sonya)** Great Job!! When you are using role playing is the child or children with disabilities present during the lesson?

This might be something to discuss with the special education teacher or parent if concerned about sensitivity. Anytime I have had a role play activity, it has been in a health unit where I discuss different disabilities; it wasn’t used to facilitate acceptance in my classroom. You do not necessarily have to target the child’s specific disability. For example, If the child has a physical disability that requires them to be in a wheel chair, you may want to pick other disabilities to start making the other students in the class think about how all people are affected by disabilities. You might not even have wheelchairs as resources, so use crutches; put one’s arm in a sling, use blindfolds, and even cotton balls in the ears. The student in the wheel chair could be part of the role play or be one of the students helping a “disabled” student.
 * RESPONSE to QUESTION 5: **


 * Question #6 (Justin)**: Great Job! The role playing unit is a great idea. I also have experience with this activity in my undergrad. My question is about able-bodied students being unresponsive to the activity. Working in an inner city setting, attitude from students is an everyday occurrence. How would you go about dealing with a student who is refusing acceptance of the role playing activity? The "I don't care, this is stupid, I don't have to worry about this" type student?

Be as creative as possible with these types of students. Maybe lead into this type of activity by watching an emotional video or movie; possibly use a guest speaker. If they feel the activity is stupid, try and make them think about the future and what would happen if they were or if a loved one was in an accident. How would they manage ending up in a wheel chair? What if they have a child with a disability? - Reminding your students that not everyone with a disability could make them rethink their “attitude.” The affective domain can be extremely tough to target, but with some practice and creativity, I’m sure you’ll accomplish your goals.
 * RESPONSE to JUSTIN: **


 * Question #7 (Melissa):** Thanks, Gretchen! I really enjoyed your presentation! I really liked the portion about preparing classmates without disabilities for social acceptance and inclusion. I am planning to incorporate some of those activities into a social health unit at the middle school level. I also liked the modifications you made for frisbee. I have also experienced having teams that are getting blown out by their opponents, and I liked your suggestion about talking to the team who is running up the score and asking them how they can adjust their playing to be sensitive to the other team. In what way do you address the winning team without making the losing team feel badly about losing? While I think it's a great idea to to do this (I'm planning on using this in my PE classes), I'm wondering how exactly you do it without making the other team feel worse?

Thank-you, Melissa! Try your best at the beginning of class to make sure the teams are balanced. This can be hard to do with an activity such as Ultimate Frisbee because it is not a team sport that most students play, unlike football, basketball, baseball, etc. Make sure to start with basic skill work to give yourself a better understanding of where ability levels may be. There are always a few students that are very strong with an activity like this, so if there is a problem with running up the score. Pull one of these strong players out and discuss with them that the other players are not enjoying themselves and ask what changes we can make (the other students will actually think that the student you are talking to is in trouble – let’s face it, students learn young, in the classroom, when you are pulled in the hallway, you’re in trouble). If there is still no improvement, add rules: the team must make a set number of passes, everyone must touch the Frisbee before scoring, the defense cannot be with in so many feet of the offense, etc. Hope this helps!
 * RESPONSE to MELISSA: **


 * Question #8 (Drew):** Your presentation was great Gretchen! I loved the ideas about role playing and talking about feelings, similarities/differences, etc. Could it be possible to do a whole unit on disability sports instead of just one day? Or do you think this might make an individual with a disability uncomfortable? I brought up the idea of wheelchair basketball to my students and they were very excited and wanted to try it. Wheelchair basketball is not the only option of course, and I feel that trying lots of different sports/activities would be beneficial to the kids.

Thanks Drew! You could absolutely do an entire unit. There are several approaches you can take for this type of unit. My thoughts would be to do a different disability during each day of the unit and using the same activity. Another way would be to do different activities, but use the same disability. Doing a unit on disabilities and varying the activities, will lead to better discussions and better experiences. Be proactive and teach disability sports even if you do not have a student with a disability in your class. If you want a specific activity, try Goal Ball. It is a sport for individuals with visual impairments. It will be a completely different unit than students have ever experienced before, and students that might not be the top athlete’s might excel.
 * RESPONSE to DREW: **


 * MAKING INCLUSIVE PHYSICAL EDUCATION SAFE **


 * Question #1 (Jeff):** Great job on your presentation, Melissa! My question is about a difficult situation that comes up with teaching inclusive physical education, especially in districts without adapted physical education specialists. What should teachers do when the safety modifications for students with disabilities are limiting the able-bodied students from meeting their goals and objectives? There are many elementary schools that do not have full size gyms, and classes are held in either the cafeteria, multipurpose room, or in the classroom. In these situations the space for physical activity is extremely limited, and it doesn't provide areas for alternate activities. Our goal is to make sure that all students are actively engaged and participating safely. However, there are students with disabilities that are at danger of being seriously injured during physical education. Do you place the students with disabilities in a smaller separate class? However, they will be missing out on the social skills, peer acceptance, and benefits of inclusion. Or do you change the curriculum to activities that can be safely modified for the students with disabilities? This approach will limit what the able-bodied students are being taught. It is a difficult situation because we are responsible for giving all students the best quality physical education that we can.

Thanks, Jeff! That is a great question! It is very difficult situation to address. When it comes to making student safety a priority, it is important that all areas are student safety are incorporated into the physical education program. Several of the chapters mention that an alternative physical education class for a student with disabilities should only be an option when it is unsafe for the student to be in an inclusion setting. It is important to evaluate each situation before making a decision like this. For example, if safety is an issue due to limited space, a good alternative would be to move the disabled student to another inclusion class that has a smaller amount of students. This would allow the student to participate in an inclusion class in a way that is safe. Although social skills, peer acceptance, and other inclusion benefits are very important, I do not believe they override the priority of student safety. In an inclusion setting where safety continues to be a concern, I would suggest brainstorming modifications with your department. There really is not an easy answer to this question, and I believe this will be a question that will continue to arise in the inclusion PE world. If anyone else has insight that you would like to share on this topic, feel free to add it below!
 * RESPONSE to JEFF:**


 * QUESTION #2 (Jenna):** Melissa, great job. Enjoyed watching your presentation. My question is about liability. You mentioned that a PE teacher could be sued if a child gets injured while participating in an inclusion setting. Being a PE teacher, I feel that we should create all lesson plans by following STEPS (safety, time, equipment, people and space), making safety my number one concern at times. What would you do if you were a GPE with no aids or assistance provided during an inclusion class and a disable child got hurt? I feel that some injuries you just can not prevent. Besides contacting the parent, documenting what happened, informing school nurse, what do you recommend a GPE do to ensure that they are not sued? Also how often does this happen (suing APE or GPE teacher)?

Thanks, Jenna! That’s a great question. I like your idea of creating lesson plans by following STEPS, as all of those pieces of a lesson relate to student safety. Informing the nurse, contacting the parent, and documenting what happened are all great ways to prevent yourself from being sued. However, you can actually start prevention before an incident even happens by planning ahead. By writing lesson plans that include specific safety procedures for each class, you will show that you have planned for student safety ahead of time. If you have this in writing before an incident occurs, you will have evidence of your planning. Unfortunately, I was unable to find reliable information about how often PE teachers are sued, which is probably a good thing!
 * RESPONSE to JENNA:**


 * Question #3 (Justin):** Nice job, Melissa. The presentation was great. So much so, I could only come up with a hypothetical situation and question. What can be done if a disability arises but is not included in the students medical records or IEP? Currently, I work in a charter school in Philadelphia. Through the transition from the school district, many students' IEPs are misfiled or non-existant. Although I am a health teacher, would a GPE teacher be liable for any incident that arises due to a disability that was misdiagnosed or non-existant in the students file?

Thanks, Justin! That’s a great question. It is the responsibility of the PE teacher to keep all students safe. While it would be ideal for you to have access to IEPs, it seems like you do not always have that option. My suggestion to you would be to continue to get to know your students as individuals. Through continuous assessment you will begin to learn more about each of your students and their needs as individuals. When determining liability, each circumstance is different and can be ruled differently by the judicial system. However, if an injury resulted due to known information that was not accessible to you, I would imagine that you would not be held liable as it could be ruled as an unforeseeable event.
 * RESPONSE to JUSTIN:**


 * Question #4 (Drew):** Great presentation Melissa! I have a question dealing with liability in physical education. What do you think is the most important aspect in creating a safe environment for children to learn? Always having your eyes on the kids, building trust with the students, the instructional process, etc. Thanks!

Thanks, Drew! All of the things you have mentioned are an important part of creating a safe learning environment. When it comes to student safety, I do not believe there is one aspect that is most important. As we see in the text, there are many different aspects to keeping physical education safe for all students. Each specific aspect of safety is important to keeping students safe, but to have a truly safe environment each aspect must present. For example, you may always have your eyes on the students, but if you are using inappropriate equipment, a student could easily be injured. Without using a variety of safety methods, there is greater chance of student injury.
 * RESPONSE to DREW:**


 * Question #5 (Gretchen)**: Good job, Melissa. My question is with regard to my school district at this time. Last school year, we were building a new high school. It was near completion when the gym caught fire. We started in the new school at the beginning of the year but still do not have a gym. As a physical education department, we have expressed our concerns with temperature, walking 10 to 15 minutes to reach fields we are required to use at this time, and the size of our classes compared to the locker rooms we are using. We have been told, "Deal with it." One of our biggest fears has been a student getting injured. What would our liability be since we are being forced by our administration to proceed with activities we are not always comfortable doing?

Thanks, Gretchen! That is a great question. That is an unfortunate circumstance you are in, and I would imagine you have many concerns. My recommendation to you would be to continue to keep safety as a priority even though it may be more difficult for you during this time. While I am not exactly sure what your liability would be in your specific circumstance, it is still important to keep student safety a priority. Walking 10 to 15 minutes certainly takes a significant amount of time away from your class period, but is there a way you could incorporate this into a fitness related warm up? You could possibly have students jog to the field and stop to stretch together at the half way point. Locker room conditions are also a part of student safety. If it is possible, you could monitor locker room numbers by allowing so many students into the locker room at a time and then allowing more students to go in as students come out. This could work well if you team teach and have someone covering the locker room while another teacher is monitoring students in the hall who have changed or are waiting to change. Although the administration has already been approached with these concerns, I would encourage you not to give up. If you and your department could come up with specific modifications or alternate ideas, your administration might be more receptive to your requests. For example, if the cafeteria is open or available in the morning, you might suggest using that space for class during that time. You might also suggest modifying the curriculum and using a larger classroom if it is available to you.
 * RESPONSE to GRETCHEN:**

Thanks, Jim! This can be especially difficult in a small gym or limited space. Ideally, you would have adequate storage space in an equipment closet, but not every facility has that option. If you must store them in the gym, it would be best to find a place that is far from any type of class action. Depending on what you are covering in class, it may or may not be appropriate to store larger equipment without covering it with mats. For example, if you had controlled fitness stations set up it might be appropriate to leave larger equipment uncovered. However, for a fast moving game of flag football, it would not be wise to leave large equipment uncovered by padding or mats of some kind. If you know there are students who like to sneak behind the mats, it would be important to address this matter with them. If you have students who continually end up behind that mats, it would be wise to position yourself close by whenever possible so that you are able to stop these students before they make their way into gym space that is off limits. Putting brightly colored cones in front of the mats or open equipment is another way to remind students that these areas are off limits for them.
 * Question #6 (Jim)** Great Job Melissa! My question is about storing large equipment to the side such as Volleyball Standards and Gymnastic equipment. When you store large items like this to the side, should they be covered or sectioned off? I know I contanstly have issues with my AS students who like to get behind the mats and swing around on the volleyball standards. Thanks.
 * RESPONSE to JIM:**

I completely agree, Margaret! Although I have been lucky to teach in a school with a pool, I think it is safe to say that many schools do not have aquatic programs because a pool is not available. Even districts that do have pools generally do not have them in each building. In addition, a general physical education class often consists of several different settings other than the aquatic setting due to limited availability. It is true that aquatic programs have proven to be beneficial for individuals with specific disabilities. However, due to the fact that many schools do not have pools, I wish the author gave additional recommended safe activities for students with bronchial asthma and cerebral palsy (Table 10.1).
 * Question #7** (Margaret): Thanks Melissa! My question refers to the recommended safe activities. Many of the activities recommended for specific diseases and disabilities by the text are aquatic and swimming activities. Aside from the high school I attended, I haven't seen a pool in one single school that I have spent time in. Do you think the author thought about this when creating the list? Do you think it is just an activity that has proven to be successful or do you think they taught and trained in schools that had pools? I just thought that was interesting...
 * RESPONSE to MARGARET:**


 * Question #8 (Sonya).** Great Presentation Melissa! This year I had a student have a pretty bad asthma attack. I know for the most part of who has asthma just because I have had the same kids for five years. This kid is new this year and never told me he had asthma. I feel like my school should send me a list of all of the students who have asthma. I never gotten any medical IEP's or paperwork. Is that appropriate to ask for? Am I allowed to ask for that? Who do I ask?


 * RESPONSE to SONYA:**

Great question, Sonya! It is definitely appropriate to ask for access to student information such as medical information or IEP’s. When it comes to medical information, the school nurse would be an appropriate person to ask. In several of the school districts where I have taught, the nurse has contacted me with medical information about specific students. This was very helpful, especially as a new teacher. In my current school district, the nurse in my building met with every department to discuss the medical issues of the students in each class. While I am not certain this done in every building, it was very helpful. I am also able to access IEP’s of students in my classes through my online grading system. If you do not have an online grading system or you do not have access to IEP’s through the system, I would suggest talking to an administrator in your building. It’s very important to know the needs of your students, especially as safety related needs.


 * ACCOMMODATING STUDENTS WITH BEHAVIORAL CHALLENGES **

Presentation Assessment
List some of the ways that you use the techniques that were described in today's presentation.
 * JENNA:** I follow the method of tracking behavior. In my attendance book I always right a check, check + or check minus next to students names. If I have 1 check minus I talk to parent and 3 check minus I call home. I also document any negative behaviors that I see and inform the class room teacher/administration of the behavior. For positive behavior, I award curtsy coins to students. 3 coins equals a nut pass which allows students to dress down (I teach in a catholic school so dress down days are big with students grade K-8). I also try to use I messages and say the behavior I would like to see. "I really like when you do . It makes my heart happy to see ."


 * JEFF:** I use the Hellison Model in my elementary physical education classes as well. I have the numbers 1-4 painted on the doorway, and the students assess their performance as they leave the gym. I think this model is great because it teaches student to take responsibility for their actions. Also, I have a fish bowl in the gym that says "caught you doing something good" on it. I give students a ticket to write their name on and put in the bowl if I see them demonstrating great effort, teamwork, sportsmanship, and other acts of kindness. At the end of each month I pick three names from the bowl and allow those students to each select an activity to do in physical education class (each activity needs to be approved by the teacher). I also pull names from the bowl if I need helpers, demonstrators, or any other assistance from the students. This shows the students that the more their name is in the bowl the better chance they have to be picked!


 * MELISSA:** I use preventing the behavior with one student in particular. This student has an issue with picking her skin on various body parts where skin is exposed. The PE uniform consists of shorts and a t-shirt, so this tends to be more of an issue for her in PE. When the students are sitting in their squads for attendance before group stretching begins, I give her something to do so that she does not have down time to pick at her skin. Sometimes I give her a physical activity to complete, and other times I give her something to hold in her hands such as a stress ball. I also partner with one of the IU classroom teachers to use a reward system. When certain students do well in PE by following directions and participating, they get a reward once they return to their classroom. I liked that Jim gives out tokens to his students, and I would like to incorporate this into the rewards system.


 * Sonya:** My school has a very solid behavior system that has been working great for me in my classroom. My older students have merits/demerits and my younger students have a choice cart. I also use a prize box and positive notes that I send home with my students. When students are displaying a behavior I like to give the silent look and a general group reminder. For the most part that stops my kids and gets them back on track. If it goes farther I give a individual consequence and then demerits/ or color change. I find talking to the student really helps with my students and prevents alot of behaviors. When I talk to them I find out what in the environment is setting them off. I also do a class wide incentive. Its called first to fifty. Every day my class starts on a five. Anytime a class has a hard time with transition or if I need to give out too many warnings it will go down. The best part it can go up and down all class and it builds a sense of community and team in my class. My first class that earns 50 points gets a choice day! I do have a few students who are very emotional. With these students I set my timer and it gives them a chance to cool off. Also, setting my timer helps because they I don't forget they are sitting and it doesn't allow anyone just to not participate.


 * Monica**: My school actually just had a discussion about our behavioral plan at a a staff development day. We have a new system in place that gives the students tokens upon doing "good behavior." Tokens are then cashed in for prizes. Good behaviors consist of being on task, being friendly, positive social interaction, and listening. It is a new plan so we do not have enough evidence to show if it is truly effective, but after looking at your presentation, it looks like we're on the right path.


 * Justin**: At my school we have a school wide behavior plan for students. Students are given a rating each week depending on their behavior throughout the week. Students who go "above and beyond" normal student behavior are rated positive. Other low key students are rated neutral. Finally, students who are misbehaving or have received one or more detentions are given a rating of Concerned. These ratings are used for prizes, extra-curriculars, and developing of behavior plans. I have instituted a plan in my room that awards students with points based on how well they do in the classroom. Points are given for attendance, answering questions, and doing well on test/quizzes. Students are deducted points for misbehaving, calling out, interrupting other students or the teacher, and excessive absences. The top students are given prizes at the end of the week, month, and marking period.


 * Margaret**: Where I taught there was no school-wide type of behavior plan, just a behavioral intervention plan for students who needed them. When situations arise where behavior is an issue more class-wide, which was frequent, we proposed token behavior types of interventions much like Sonya and Monica do with their classes. We would offer a pizza party or a choice day for the class with the most "points."


 * QUESTION #1 (JENNA):** Great Job! Enjoyed how you did the video as an actual presentation. I liked your high five behavior chart! My question is, Do you use your personal behavior management High Five sheet in an inclusion setting? Do you use this method with with students who can be behaviorally challenging? If so how successful is it and what modifications have you made? Also can I have a copy of that, I would love to use it in my classroom.
 * Response to Jenna:** Jenna, I use the high five sheet with all my studetns starting in second grade. With all of the students including the ones who are behaviorally challenging I watch what they hit and if I feel that I signifigantly disagree with what they wrote I pull them aside and I talk to them and try to find out where they are coming from. For my lower functioning AS students the para professional that comes with them will go over it with them and ask them, the questions sometimes modifying them a bit. They might have to follow directions and help each other, work with a partner, etc. Depending their social goals is how I also modify, on task for 90% of the time, or asks for help when needed, Etc.Here is a copy of the social responsibility chart.


 * QUESTION #2 (JEFF):** You did an excellent job on your presentation, Jim! One of the strategies mentioned in your presentation is to ignore the behavior (extinction). What are some situations and scenarios where ignoring certain behaviors would be appropriate and beneficial? How often should this strategy be used?


 * Response to JEFF:** Thanks Jeff, good question!! The situations and scenarios that would be appropriate and benefical. First if the student is doing something that is attention seeking. These student are getting thier reinforcer when there is a reaction. Extinction is one of the most difficult behavioral strategies to implemen because it takes a lot of self-control from the teacher. The other example As for how often you should you it? It depends on the situation. I would use it when it is necessary. If a student finds that their behavior is not working they are more likely to stop doing it.


 * QUESTION #3 (MELISSA):** That was a great presentation, Jim! I feel like I learned a lot that I will use in my own classes. I liked how you suggested providing an activity during a time out for certain students and behaviors. Other than the puzzle that you showed in your presentation, what other types of activities do you provide for students during time outs. Do you generally use the same activity for each individual student? For example if you gave Student A three time outs in one week, would you give him the same activity every time? Or would you give him three different activities. Also, other than the puzzle, what other activities do you use during time outs. You mentioned that you are in an elementary setting. Would you use this strategy at the secondary level? If so, how would the activities your provide be similar and different?


 * RESPONSE to MELISSA:** Melissa good question. For my students I use several things, I have the puzzles, cards that you have to lace, sorting bins, social stories, for my older students I have books and magazines. I would use the books and magazines in a secondary setting. Perhaps you can give the student who is a behavioral challenge something to read and they can fill out a worksheet.


 * QUESTION #4 (Gretchen):** Hey Jim! Great job on your presentation!! I actually have a very similar question to Jeff. When trying to use extinction, what if other students are the ones reinforcing the action? What would be the next best step if you are having difficulty changing a behavior because of other students actions? (Have a great Thanksgiving!)


 * Response to Gretchen**: Gretchen that is a good question. I wasn't exactly sure the answer it but after thinking about it there are a few things that you could do. First you could address the class and talk to them about it, it isn't really easy to do and there might be some confientiality laws being bent. So it might not be the best way to address the attention seeking behavior. What I would do in that case is I would consider a token reward system or a behavior contract. Another idea would be to give him attention both positive and negative. Every few minutes give him the attention he/she needs, really try to renforce the good behaviors.


 * Question # 5 (Sonya)-** Great presentation Jim! I really like the part about having students rate how they performed. I never used a behavior plan but I was wondering what is the consquences if they don't met their expectations? I find in the community that I work in my kids are more of the parents and it takes forever to get any paperwork back. On the behavior plan do you have the parent sign it everyday? Or weekly? Or what happens if they don't really care about it? Do we involve the principal or deans? I just never thought about using one but I think its a great idea.


 * Response to Sonya:** The behavior plans that I use usually come from the classroom teacher or guidence counselor. Many of my students who are on behavior plans take their plan class to class and each period fills it out. Depending on the student some behavior plans are required to be signed everyday, others are weekely. In the past I have had email communitcation with parents directly after class telling them what we did and how their child responded, When I did this I would also include the teacher, guidence counselor and principal. As far as the consequences go they don't get the reward. They usually work towards something, such as extra computer time, helping cleanup in the gym (yes they think it is great). The fourth grade team in my buidling rewards the students in their classes with fun fridays, this is a day where they take the last hour of the day and do fun things. Students who do thier homework get to participate while the students who did not do their homework stay in the classroom and do thier work.

QUESTION #6- (Monica) Hey Jim! Great presentation! My question is more about an issue I'm having at work. At work, we have two different pools. One is a standard competition pool. The other is an activity pool. The activity pool is smaller, warmer, and has different features (bubble couch & mushroom waterfall.) One of my students comes swimming each week and has a behavior when told we are going into the competition pool. This behavior is new this year. I allow him to go into the activity after a few weeks, so he knows that it is a reward, and he does the work assigned while in the competition pool. Any suggestions or methods to use to prevent this behavior from happening? Thanks!


 * Response to Monica** - Hey Monica, the first thing you need to do is figure out what the cause of the behavior is. Is it that your student just wants to play in the small pool or is there a reason that your student does not like the competition pool? Some of the concerns may be that the water in the competition pool is cooler than the activity pool, I am guessing that it might be deeper and more intimidating. Perhaps you can try using the activity pool as a reward for good behavior more frequently. I give my students jobs that they are supposed to complete and when they complete them they get a reward. Usually my rewards are they get to use a scooter, or play with an object for two minutes. But if you try to use the activity pool as a reward, maybe swim 2 laps and you can go into the activity pool for 5 minutes and then build from there.


 * Question #7 (Justin)**- Nice job Jim. The six step intervention approach is great and I use it on a daily basis. My question is dealing with not just one student but a group or whole class of students. In the high school setting, I mostly have behavior issues with students. This isn't always because the student likes to misbehave, but because these are behaviors that have been learned form many years of teachers or family members tolerating the behavior. When you have a situation where more than one student is acting out and many of the behaviors feed off of each other, what steps do you take to bring the class back to order? Do you identify leaders in the groups/classes, or address the class as a whole?


 * Response to Justin -** In my autistic support classes sometimes the students will feed off each other. In that case we will try to separate the students some so they can't effect the rest of the class otherwise it becomes a screaming match in the gym and all I wind up is with a headache from all the noise. This is when I use the paraprofessionals in the room since they work with the students in all their classes to try to help me figure out what the problem is. The other day I had a student who is nonverbal screaming and we couldn't figure out what was wrong, he kept pressing bathroom on his communication device and we let him go the bathroom but he would come out screaming again. Finally one of the parapro's took him to get a drink of water and that was what he wanted. But in the mean time the rest of the class started to fall apart. Basically we went back to the job chart and picked up from where things went wrong. I offered a reward a little more frequently to get them back on track. Now that is with elementary aged students. In my HS experience the biggest difference in some of the students is their size. A lot of students respond to positive reinforcement. You might want to consider a behavior tracking system such as www.classdojo.com it is free and will show students where they stand in your class.


 * Question #8** (Margaret): Great job Jim. My question regards students who are behavioral issues but LOVE P.E. Do you think it is appropriate to remove those students from the gym or the activity area (or to remain in an area that is away from the class) when they are extreme and intolerable? In this case, taking away P.E. time is a punishment to the student, and it has escalated to a point where they are affecting everyone else within in the environment. (Also, I am referring to a "time out" rather than an entire class period)


 * Response to Margaret** - Good Question Margaret, even though PE is something many students love. I think that a time out is appropriate but I would not take PE away for the whole class. I would have them still stay in the gym, personally I don't like to remove anyone. I like to take my students aside and talk to them about what is going on. I try not to let my students behaviors effect the entire classes behaviors. I personally don't like to remove them because they miss out on the learning part of the lesson.


 * Question #9** (Drew): Great presentation Jim! I liked how you talked about your own personal experiences, and the use of Helison's Model and the high fiving is an awesome idea. My question deals with motivation. What strategies do you use for students who do not want to participate? Most students at the elementary level are always eager to participate, but every now and then there are students who are either having a bad day or just refuse to participate.


 * Response to Drew** - Thanks, with my students I try to keep them motivated as best I can. I tend to treat each of my students differently according to their needs. For my AS classes I use the board and I put small goals to attain. For my regular ed students I like to give options as to the level of participation. For example we just finished football in my 6th grade class and I offered three levels of instruction. I had the NFL division where students play a competitive game of flag football. I have a college division where I let my students play in a recreational game of flag football, mainly for those who want to play a game without the pressure of playing an intense game. Finally I have a North Penn (my SD) division. This is the group that focuses on the skills. I can teach them the same skills and we play football related games.


 * MULTI-CULTURAL EDUCATION AND DIVERSITY ISSUES **
 * QUESTION #1:** Great job with your presentation Justin! My question is what do you personally fine the most challenging to accomplish or do when dealing with multi-cultural education and diversity issues? And How do you deal or handle these situations?
 * RESPONSE to JENNA:**

I feel the most challenging part is reading the students who having them come up to you when there is a problem. I have had a few approach me and since, they have been excellent students. Currently I teach Health at the high school setting. When there is a language barrier, many of the students dont speak up because they have slipped by for the majority of their schooling. When I see a student is not understanding something, I pull the student aside, along with someone they know who can translate. This makes it more comfortable for the student who is having trouble in class.


 * QUESTION #2 (Jeff):** Excellent job, Justin! Do you know of any games or activities that physical education teachers can use in their curriculum to help promote multicultural education? Are there any games that were created by specific cultures that can be used in physical education?

I went on Google and here are a few sites with games from different cultures. http://www.ga.k12.pa.us/Academics/MS/6th/MCGAMES/Directory.htm http://www.gameskidsplay.net/games/foreign_indexes/index.htm
 * RESPONSE to JEFF:**

Another idea is to survey your students. If they were not born in the US, ask them to put down games they have played in. Then do some research on the games. With such a diverse group of students, and just starting on the schools 2nd year, our PE program has been mainly sports units from america. Handball has been a game that uses a variety of skill and is not as popular in the US.


 * QUESTION #3 (Drew):** Nice, informative presentation Justin. You said you had a high prevalence of Spanish speaking children in your school. Is there a push by your school district to educate the teachers in Spanish so there is a stronger communication with the students, or are you encouraged to speak only English in order to better help the students learn and adjust? Also, is an ESL teacher or paraprofesional used in your gym to assist? Thank you.

I work for a charter school. Aspira is the company that runs our schools and has a strong hispanic presence. There goal is to create a bilingual education. However, I have very little vocabulary when it comes to Spanish. As many of you may see, PE and Health aren't always on the top of everyones lists, due to PSSA scores and funding from the state. We are encouraged to incorporate spanish, but the best I can do is use Google translator to help with worksheets and such. It is frustrating. I speak only english, because thats mainly what I know. I try to pair up students who can translate the best they can. One thing that does work is using vocabulary they will recognize outside of the classroom. Too much technical speech can really confuse some students. The clearer you are, the more the student stays engaged.
 * Response to Drew:**

QUESTION #4 (Jim) Justin you did a great job with your presentation! My school is 51% ESL with about 35 different languages being spoken. My question is along the lines with Jeff's. Do you have any activities that you do that help your new students from other cultures to feel more comfortable in PE? I know many of my students find PE something that is enjoyable because they know what they are supposed to do by watching other students.

Yes, and it works out well for all the students (provided they are dressed and able to participate). We do something called "Skill Practice." Once the students are dressed, they go into the gym and have 5-10 mins to play/practice a variety of games. We have nets up for badminton and volleyball, basketballs out, handballs, jump ropes, footballs, and soccer balls. Each sport has a designated area where it can be used. This gives the students a chance to work out things they haven't mastered or simply play a game of their liking to warm up for class. Depending on space, you could set up as many, or as little sports as you'd like. It is also a reward/punishment that can be taken away for bad behavior.
 * Response to Jim:**


 * Question #5** (Margaret):Thanks Justin. How do you suppose the profession should get other cultures and nationalities involved in PE and APE? Do you think it is just a matter of "getting the word out" and promoting and advocating?

I will be honest, I got into the APE minor as an undergrad because I thought it would look good on a resume when I graduated. Through experiences in the minor, I grew to love what I was doing and the students I interacted with. Others that I have talked to have been the same way, or had a relative or sibling that gave them the experiences and want to change students lives. It goes back to the "Contact Theory," that says positive experiences will lead people into the profession. I think that is how we do it. Through inclusion and mentoring, expose students to children with disabilities. This should be done in both inner city and suburbs. More exposure creates a higher chance of positive experiences for students. Somethings that are being done now around my home are things like a special olympics club. A local high school teams able-bodied students with students with disabilities. Both one on one and in a group setting, students are getting the experience of work and adapting activities to ensure success.
 * Response to Margaret:**


 * QUESTION #6** (Gretchen): Nice job Justin and thanks for sharing several of your experiences. What do you do when you have a low level ESL student and pair them with a higher lever, however, they take advantage of the situation and use their first language for side conversations? I have had this situation and wonder how you have handled the senario. Thanks!

This is a tough one. I had this come up in one of my biggest classes. Not only do I have some students that only speak spanish, behavior issues arise as well. What I did was a class survey. I wanted to know somethings about the students: age, interest, languages they speak, where they speak these languages. It turns out that two of my best students could speak both english and spanish. I would have never known because they were such good english speakers. I pulled the students aside and asked if it would be ok for my to pair them up with two boys that spoke mostly spanish. I offered extra credit and told them they were only to translate. Periodically, I will check up with the students who are translating. We had some issues with the boys just not wanting to do work. This is where i was able to get parents involved. It was now a lack of motivation, not translation. If this is not possible, Separate the two students. Reach out to any ESL teacher for other options you have. If you are having this problem, chances are other teachers are too.
 * Response to Gretchen:**


 * QUESTION #7** (Melissa): Great presentation, Justin! Thanks! A few years ago I taught in a very diverse school both culturally and by socio-economic class. There was such division that it was often difficult to teach a physical education class where teams were required, because students had a hard time working together. Part of the issue was the language barrier, while the other part of the issue was students not wanting to work with students who were different. Do you have additional suggestions on how to integrate students of all different backgrounds and get them working together as a class in physical education specifically?

That is a tough one. Other than what I have suggested above, not every class is going to be perfect. My suggestion would be to possibly incorporate team building activities where students MUST work with each other to achieve a common goal. The language barrier would be there but they can communicate through physical movements to work toward a goal. This is something that could work for any class where students struggle to work together.
 * Response to Melissa**: