Physical Activity at School - Creating a Positive Learning Environment

While boys and girls are born to be active and enjoy movement, they're influenced by society's expectations of male and female behaviour.

This socialization process makes boys and girls view physical activity and sports in very different ways. As role models it's important that we don't contribute to biases. We need to make sure that physical activity is enjoyable for all children.

• Promoting Physical Activity
• Exceptions for Cultural Differences
• Inclusion

Promoting Physical Activity

You can promote physical activity and build school spirit by:

• Offering physical activity programs that include everyone.
• Providing a wide range of physical activity choices.
• Providing physical activity leadership opportunities that aren't sports-related (such as DPA student leaders).
• Emphasizing the fun and social aspect of physical activity.
• Valuing student input.
• Teaching the basics.
• Offering non-traditional intramurals (such as yoga, dance or aerobics) to encourage a broader range of students to participate.
• Providing opportunities for both same-sex and co-ed activities.

Help Your Students Feel Comfortable

Strive to create an emotionally safe teaching environment in which all students feel comfortable being themselves. Focus on developing gender-neutral qualities such as:

• confidence
• responsibility
• teamwork
• motivation
• effort

Physical Activity and Body Image in Girls

Girls tend to participate in physical activity less often than boys even though participation is just as important for girls as it is for boys. Physical activity enables girls to experience their bodies in functional, strong, flexible and graceful ways. This, in turn, leads to improved self-esteem and a more positive body image.

Exceptions for Cultural Differences

Promote and encourage all children, regardless of cultural background, to enjoy and participate in physical activity.

• Adopt a flexible and modest dress code for gym classes.
• Allow students who are fasting or need time for prayer to be excused from class without penalty.
• Provide opportunities for students to teach cultural games.
• Listen to students' concerns about participating in certain physical activities, and how it may conflict with religious or cultural beliefs.
• Highlight the benefits of participating in a wide variety of physical activities to parents and students.

Inclusion

Physical activity lesson plans may need to be modified slightly for students with special physical or mental needs. Keep these students in mind when developing your lesson plans.

Consider the student's level of participation, teamwork, and contribution to a positive environment when completing your evaluations.

Special-Needs Students

• Modify games so that the pace is slower, yet still challenging for the rest of the class. For example, use partially deflated balls so that dribbling and kicking are easier for those with slower reaction times.
• Keep the concept of the activity the same, but change the common position of students (for example, sitting to play volleyball), so all students can participate.
• Make it easier for those with physical disabilities by using a smaller playing area. For safety reasons, remember to keep the groups small if you use a smaller playing area.
• If a student's leg movement is limited, let him use his arms more. For example, let this student do the "throw in" for soccer. Or, give him a position on the team where he doesn't need to run up and down the field or court.
• Assign tasks that suit students' abilities. For example, a student in a wheelchair could be the pitcher in baseball, the goalie in soccer or a foul shooter in basketball.
• Use equipment that is lighter, softer or shorter to make catching and throwing easier for students with physical disabilities. (For example, beanbags are easier to catch and throw than balls, especially for students with limited use of their hands.)

Visually Impaired Students

• Make sure your instructions are clear and concise and ensure that the environment (gym, classroom, outdoors, etc.) is clear of any obstructions.
• Establish clear boundaries and make sure all of your students follow those boundaries.
• Use cues such as a whistle blow. For example, one short whistle blow means go, one long whistle means stop, etc.
• Have your students feel what you are demonstrating. For example, if you want the class to do a bicep curl, allow the visually impaired student to place her hand on your arm so she can understand what you're doing.
• Make sure students who aren't completely visually impaired are standing close to you while you demonstrate. Ensure that their views aren't blocked by other students.
• Provide brightly coloured pinnies so visually impaired students can correctly identify their team-mates when playing games or sports.

Hearing Impaired Students

• Ensure that your visual cues are accurate and consistent.
• Make sure that hearing impaired students can see you clearly at all times, not only for demonstrations and start/stop commands, but also for safety reasons.
• Double-check that all students have a clear understanding of the activity, and that you've taken all necessary safety precautions.

NOTE: Make sure you have a whistle with you at all times, and that your students know your stop cue.

Physical Activity & Impaired Student Resources

Kasser, S. Inclusive Games. 1995. Champaign, Illinois: Human Kinetics. PE Central. Adapted Physical Education. Online: [accessed November 29, 2005].

The Canadian Association for Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Dance (CAHPERD). Getting Started. The Clipboard 2002; 4(3): 1-8.