Adapted Physical Activity Pedagogy: Principles, Practices, and Creativity

Abstract

Adapted physical activity pedagogy is dynamic, exciting, and challenging. Beliefs, attitudes, and actions toward people with special needs have changed enormously, demanding new ways of thinking and doing. This paper summarizes current thought about (a) philosophy, theory, and practices; (b) negative attitudes and perceived lack of competence of teachers as the greatest barriers to service; (c) principles to guide public school consultant services; (d) a new definition of adapted physical activity; and (e) emerging pedagogical theory that emphasizes integration of knowledge about individual differences, adaptation, and creativity. Adapted physical education specialists should be employed in every community to work directly with students who are disabled and to act as consultants and administrators to help regular educators change attitudes and practices. Assessment, the foundation of pedagogy, should address both individual differences and environmental barriers. Behavior change should be promoted through application of adaptation and creativity theory. Adaptation theory, first posited by Ernst Kiphard of Germany, stresses working with both the individual and the environment in a continuous, dynamic, and bidirectional manner to achieve educational goals. Creativity theory, advanced by Sherrill, stresses fluency, flexibility, originality, and elaboration as key elements of adapted physical activity pedagogy.