Collaboration Articles and Reviews

Adapted Physical Activity Quarterly, 2011, 28, 95-112

© 2011 Human Kinetics, Inc.

The author is with the Kinesiology Department at the University of New Hampshire in Durham.

Coteaching in Physical Education: A Strategy for Inclusive Practice

Michelle A. Grenier

This article looked at the collaboration process and coteaching amongst three high school teachers, one APE specialist and 2 General Ed Physical Educators. Over a 16 week time period within an adventures course.  Interviews, field notes and documents where collected and analyzed using a comparative approach. The study primarily focused on two subjects with Down Syndrome and how well they performed in a general education physical education class. The class was set up so the GE teachers led the class and the APE teacher was there for support not only to service students with disabilities but to support all students. The role of the APE specialist was to provide input on teaching strategies and curricular modifications to enhance participation. In order for the coteaching process to be effective the teachers had to share a consensus of a common goal and ownership of student learning. Factors that played a role in the collaboration process included administration support, planning time content knowledge and levels of compatibility to ensure success of coteaching.

 Early Childhood Educ J (2009) 36:483–489

DOI 10.1007/s10643-007-0212-5

Collaborative Teaching of Motor Skills for Preschoolers with Developmental Delays

Nathan M. Murata Æ Carol A. Tan

This paper looks at how motor domain is fundamental for motor skill learning for preschoolers with developmental delays. Simple fundamental motor patterns such as running, jumping, sliding, catching and throwing provide an infrastructure for learning more games, sports and daily living activities. Preschoolers with delays still make progress in motor skills but have a tendency to exhibit lowered self concept and delayed social development. Generally the classroom teacher is the one who is implementing the motor domain program typically with little knowledge of how to implement a motor program. In order for the teacher to ensure that they are providing and inclusive environment in which all the special needs of the students are being meet they must collaborate with the Adapted PE specialist, Physical Therapist and Occupational Therapist. During this collaboration process the team is working towards a common goal providing input from their areas of expertise to ensure that development and learning of general skills in all areas. The collaboration process entails a planning phase, exaction phase and the debriefing phase. Also by collaborating on teaching strategies, behavioral support and keeping activities fun to encourage active participation will help with meeting the needs of preschoolers with developmental delays.

May L. Kozub & Francis M. Kozub (2012):

Using the School Nurse to Support Your Elementary Physical

Education Program, Journal of Physical Education, Recreation & Dance, 83:2. 49-53

This article discusses the importance of collaboration between the physical education and other support personnel, especially the school nurse, as during physical education instruction students have the most inherent risk for injury, than at any other time the student is in school. They make several suggestions of how and when to collaborate with the nurse. Starting with meeting with the school nurse at the beginning of the year to discuss which students may have medical or physical issues, and what precautions, modifications and or accommodations will be needed to insure the students’ involvement in PE.  Collaborating with the nurse during curriculum and lesson planning to insure safe guards are in place to reduce the risk of injury. They suggest the nurse be the contact liaison between the teacher and the parent to report any injury no matter it minor or major as the medical personnel would be qualified to answer questions or concerns parents may have.  In addition to being the parent contact in the case of injury they suggest that the Physical Education Teacher collaborate with the school nurse to construct notices to be sent home regarding up coming units, the physical demands, and expectations of the activity and to insure parents understand the difference between soreness versus and injury as a result of the activity. They suggest that the Physical Education teacher encourage the involvement of the school nurse to assist with the education of parents and students regarding health and physical activity.  They also talk about the importance of the Physical Education teacher and the School Nurse being involved in the constructing an IEP for a student to insure its physical needs are being met as well.