Introduction to Philosophy

Adapted Physical Education or APE for short, is a type of specially designed physical

education program in which students with varying degrees of mental and physical disabilities

receive quality assistance/instruction in their development of fundamental motor skills,

functional skills and healthy living habits emphasizing the importance of staying active. The

major difference between APE and a general physical education is the instructor’s knowledge of

the fourteen different disabilities and the ability to modify any activity so that every student has

the opportunity to be successful. The Adapted Physical Education National Standards or APENS,

states that (APENS, 2017) “Adapted physical Education is physical education which has been

adapted or modified, so that it is as appropriate for the person with a disability as it is for a

person without a disability.” Under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA),

Public Law 108-466 (2004), states that “physical education is a required service for children and

youth between the ages of 3-12 who qualify for special education services”. While this law

requires students with disabilities to receive physical education it does not state that they must

receive Adapted physical education services. This is controversial because not all general

physical education teachers can provide universal design for learning through their teaching and

they student may not have access to the information being provided.

Adapted Physical Education Specialists are responsible for teaching. collaborating with

other professionals and parents, advocate and to effectively assess students on their motor

abilities. As an instructor an Adapted Physical Education teacher needs to be able to effectively

provide instruction to the three different domains of learning which are motor, cognitive and

affective. Individuals with disabilities often have delayed motor performance in result of this

disability; therefore, it is crucial that as Adapted Physical Educators we incorporate motor

concepts in a way they are able to be successful and that will increase their motor abilities,

physical fitness and ability to live an active lifestyle into adulthood. Teaching to the cognitive

domain is also very important for students with disabilities. One way this can be done can be by

using color identification activities, matching activities and always thinking about how we can

collaborate with the classroom teacher in order to include subject integration into the lessons.

Finally, the affective domain; this is related to the students feeling, sportsmanship and

willingness to help others. Physical education is a great place to integrate all of these domains

and to implement subject integration because the students are having fun and are more open to

learning the material presented.

Overall, I believe that some of the most important aspects of being an effective Adapted

Physical Education Specialist is having content knowledge of this field. This includes knowledge

of the California content standards, specific disabilities, assessment tools. Each of these three

things are vital aspects of being an APE teacher. One must know and be able to apply the content

standards to lessons in every day basis in order to thrive in this field. Disability specific

knowledge and assessment tool knowledge are some of the most important aspects that set us

apart from a general physical education teacher. Behavior management will make or break your

experience as an APE teacher as it would be being a teacher of any kind. Collaboration and

advocacy is a skill that will help you not only learn a lot from other professionals but also teach

others about your profession and your students abilities. Using technology in your class not only

makes data collection easier but also adds motivation for the students. Incorporating different

cultural heritages into your curriculum are great ways to ensure a positive and inclusive

environment. Finally, professional growth should always be worked towards as it not only will
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help you to be a better teacher but will ensure that your students are getting the best quality

services they can.

APE Content Areas

Physical Education Subject Matter/ Curriculum/ Instructional Practices Knowledge

As an Adapted Physical Education Specialists, it is required that you have physical

education subject matter, curriculum and instructional practices knowledge. Under IDEA, the

definition of Physical Education states that an individual should acquire (Sherill, 2004) “high

levels of physical and motor fitness, skills in aquatic, games, rhythms, dance, sports skills and

the use of leisure time to engage in vigorous health-related physical activity consistent with their

capabilities”. I believe that students with disabilities should be able to participate and acquire

knowledge passed down by the teacher in all of these areas defined by IDEA and ultimately be

able to apply them outside of school and throughout the rest of their lives. Along with having

knowledge of physical education subject matter, it is also important to poses knowledge of the

curriculum. One resources that I have found to be very helpful is the Physical Education Model

Content Standards for California Public Schools. This resource provides “standards [that] focus

on the content of physical education and incorporate the detail required to guide the development

of consistent, high-quality physical education instructional programs aimed at student learning

and achievement” (2005). Adapted Physical Education Specialists should be knowledgeable of

these content standards and be able to select specific standards to implement into each lesson

along side well thought out, clear and specially designed learning objectives. These objectives

should be written for each of the 3 domains; motor, cognitive and affective. The motor objective

will take the place of the main concept or skill to be learned, however the cognitive and affective

objectives will hold an effective role in the full understanding of a sport or activity.
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Adapted Physical Educators should also be very knowledgeable about the district in

which they work and their specific guidelines. For example, in APE equipment is modified and

made by the educator often however, some districts do not allow for the educator to modify or

make equipment due to liability reasons. Another important aspect of teaching in this field is

determining your caseload and recognizing the specific number of minutes you need to provide

services to each one of the students on your caseload. These minutes are usually state mandated

however this does not mean that you will be the only educator responsible for providing the full

amount of minutes for each students. For example, if the student is high functioning and the least

restrictive environment is a general physical education class, then your job will be more on a

consult basis and that student will receive their physical education instruction from the general

physical education specialist. One more aspect of teaching that is very important are various

instructional practices including the ability to provide universal design for learning,

differentiated instruction and modifications to meet specific students needs. Along with making

the information accessible to each student it is important to have an eclectic taste in activities/

concepts to be taught. For example, teaching typical and popular sports is good practice but also

including non traditional activities such as Frisbee golf and various open ended movements are

equally important.

Disability Specific Knowledge

One of the important aspects of working with individuals with disabilities is having an

understanding of each of the fourteen disability. Having an understanding of each disability will

ensure that as an adapted physical education specialist, you are able to provide each student with

a quality service. For example, if there is a student with Spina Bifida on your case load, you
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should inquire about whether or not they have an allergy to latex. (n.d., 2000) Latex is a common

allergy of individuals with Spina Bifida and can be present in equipment such as balloons and

handgrips on racquets.

Along with knowing and understanding each disability and the secondary conditions/

allergies related to them; it is also important to know any medications a student may be on. Not

only should you be aware of the type of medication a student on your caseload is on but you

should be aware of the schedule, side affects and any drug holidays scheduled (Lavay, 2017).

Many of the side affects of medications can include drowsiness which could effect the time in

which you have to work with the student. The time schedules the students must take their

medication may also effect your ability to teach because some students have to take their

medication at specific times, with or without food, etc., and this also could effect the amount of

time they can participate in your class. Finally, finding out when the parents plan on having the

students drug holiday is crucial to your preparation of every class period as this is the time where

the student is taken off all of their medication and so their behaviors might be escalated.

Assessment Practices and Procedures

Assessments are also an important aspect of being an Adapted Physical Education

Specialist. We must poses knowledge of various motor assessments and be able to choose which

one would best fit each student. When a student is being evaluated or considered to be placed in

a special education or adapted physical education setting, they must first be assessed to see if

they meet the criteria necessary for placement. Not only are the assessments used as a tool to

determine placement in special education but they can be used to determine placement within the
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special education field. For example, being placed into a medically fragile, moderate to severe or

mild to moderate setting.

Assessments also play a key role in the IEP meeting. The use of valid and reliable

assessments and referring to them when prescribing or developing the student’s goals is very

important. In some cases, there is not one specific assessment that will test or assess a specific

area of motor development in which you might feel needs to be recorded and developed. In this

case a comprehensive rubric will be made with clear criteria specific to a certain skill. The rubric

will be used as am informal assessment. Overall, assessment is a vital part of teaching as it is not

only will determine where the student may be motor wise but also provides the teacher with the

criteria that student needs to be taught in order to resemble to same motor performance skills as a

typical student of the same age.

Behavior Management Procedures

Behavior management, in my opinion can make or break your overall experience being

an Adapted Physical Education Specialist. Students with disabilities, and without, thrive in a

structured and routine based environment. To be an effective APE teacher, one must take a

proactive approach to behavior management. There are three phases to the proactive approach

including the pre-instruction, instruction and evaluation phases (Lavay, 2017). The pre-

instruction phase is where the teacher can initially develop the classroom rules, routine,

transitional cues and various methods to increase positive behaviors and redirect negative

behaviors. The instruction phase is where these plans are set in place and the evaluation phase is

where the teacher must reflect on how their plans worked and if any adjustments need to be

made.
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There are various behavior management interventions including token economy, group

contingencies and many more; all in which have their own unique ways to promote positive

behaviors. While these are great for groups, there might be some student in which these

interventions will not prove to be successful. In these cases, I believe that the next step should be

an individualized behavior management plan or a BIP (Lavay, 2017). I would work with the IEP

team in order to come up with a BIP that will work in all school based setting that way it can be

implemented consistently. One of the other strategies I might use on a student who might be

having a difficult time participating in a positive manner would be to give them a leadership role

or responsibility. Most of the time this works very well because they see themselves as a role

model and will work harder to be an example for the rest of the students.

Collaboration/Consultation & Advocacy Practices

Collaboration is important in any setting in which you will work with students with

disabilities simply because of safety reasons as well as the extra effort that needs to be put into

proper planning for instruction. Some of the professionals that an APE teacher will be

collaborating with are the Special Education Teacher, an Occupational Therapist, a Physical

Therapist and a Speech Pathologist. Setting aside a designated time and place to converse about

specific students who are on each of your caseloads is a great way to stay up to date with any

new information. While these are very important professionals to remain in constant contact with

in regards to the student, the most important person/ people to stay in contact with is the

students’ family. One of the ways that you can stay in contact with the family of a student can be

by sending home weekly progress reports, using the ClassDojo app to send feedback of any

events that happened that day or by meeting with them on a monthly basis if possible.
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Another group of people that will be a great asset to you and your teaching experience,

given proper instruction, is paraprofessionals. Like students, paraprofessionals thrive on a routine

based class and clear instruction. These individuals are often very knowledgeable about the

student they may specifically work with and can help keep them focused and participating during

the class period. One other important aspect of being an educator for students with disabilities is

the advocacy aspect of this profession. Often times students with disabilities are forgotten about

of pushed off to the side with the thoughts that they are not able to participate in the things that

typical individuals can. However, this is not a correct assumption to make, individuals with

disabilities can participate in anything if the proper modifications are made. Not only can you

advocate at your school by starting a Unified Sports program but you can advocate for the family

as well. You can share information with them such as various resources and programs available

that promote physical activity or socialization for students with disabilities. For example, the

After School Adapted Physical-Activity Program at California State University Long Beach

would be a great resource to tell parents about.

Legal Knowledge of Specific Education Legislation

Legal knowledge is an important aspect of being an Adapted Physical Education

Specialist, especially in the IEP meeting. It is important that with every student on your caseload

you are adhering to the Free Appropriate Public Education (FAPE) act which “requires a school

district to provide a free appropriate public education to each qualified person with a disability

who is in the school districts jurisdiction, regardless of the nature of the person’s disability”

(FAPE, 2010). While people may think this is specific to other academic subjects it also includes

physical education. Another aspect of legislation to keep in mind is the requirements of IDEA.
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Through IDEA, each student must have an Individualized Education Plan (IEP), on this IEP their

physical education goals must be written in whether they are placed in a general physical

education setting or an Adapted physical education setting. At an IEP meeting and when writing

a student’s present level of performance or IEP goals it is always important to use person first

terminology. This will keep the parents and everyone involved feeling safe while letting them

know about the assessments and data collected on their child in a non threatening manner.

Technology Practices

With all of the current technological advances, it has made some aspects of being an

Adapted Physical Education Teacher easier. For example, if we need to contact the parents of a

student or any other professional on the students IEP team we can email or call them right away.

Technology may also help you with your every day teaching. With one tablet you can have your

music on, an interval timer set up, a behavior management system, examples of peers performing

various tasks with proper form and assessments at the touch of a finger away. Tablets may also

be used to collect data, while students are at stations or playing certain games you can walk

around and you are able to write down that, lets say Billy is stepping with opposition, for every

student. This is also useful because not only are you able to collect data quicker it is always on

your tablet in case of a surprise IEP meeting you will have the student’s goals and the evidence

that you have been working towards that goal.

Equipment Application Practices

Equipment, one of my favorite topics. I love that in APE we can take a string and

magically it is transformed into a caterpillar that wants to crawl on your arm, knee, etc. or it can

be a river that you need to leap over. This example not only covered body identification skills but
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also fundamental motor skills that are tested in the TGMD-2, but it did so in a fun way. This is

the area where an APE teacher’s creativity and resourcefulness can really shine. However,

depending on the district, it may not be possible to make your own equipment. It is very

important to check with the district before bringing any of the home made equipment into your

lessons.

One of the other forms of equipment used in APE besides Poly spots or a ball are

assistive devices. For example, a student who has difficulty walking might need to use a Rifton

Walker. These can be obtained through low incident funding, a program set in place to provide

equipment to students with disabilities that fit under specific criteria. It is important when using

equipment such as a Rifton Walker to consult an Occupational Therapist in order to have a full

understanding of how the assistive device works.

Knowledge of the Cultural Heritages of Different Ethnic Groups

When working at specific school sites it is important to know the popular cultural

demographics of the students in that school district. For example, one might think that a student

who does not make eye contact often is displaying a negative behavior when in reality they are

simply trying to not be disrespectful. This is why is why it is important to know the customs that

come along with the different cultural heritages at your school site. Another example could be a

student whose religion requires them to cover up everything but their hands and face, yet in a

high school setting one must wear the standard P.E. shirt and shorts. In order to respect her

religion, she should be able to wear a long sleeve, head garment and sweats or leggings under her

shorts. Getting to know your students and knowing their cultural heritages or ethnic backgrounds

will help you to appreciate them for their unique qualities and to provide instruction in a way that
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is not threatening their way of life. A good way to support inclusion would also be to include

different aspects of different cultures into your curriculum, for example Buddhists meditate so

there could be a lesson on meditation practices.

Professional Development

In any profession it is important to always be learning and growing. We teach our

students to be lifelong learners in the sense that we want them to go on to participate in physical

activity and leisure in their adult life so we should do the same in terms of expanding our

knowledge of our field for as long as we are in it. One aspect of professional development that I

will work to have until I retire will be to always be self reflective. Another goal I have that is

more measurable would be to attend the National Adapted Physical Education Conference every

year or every other year depending on its location. I would also like to continue to add to the list

of references I made to give to the future parents of my future students. Overall, I want to

continue to grow as an APE teacher and as a person throughout the entire duration of my career.

Reflection

Going forward into this profession I will always keep these essential skills in mind when

I am going through student teaching, the job application process, in my teachings my first year

and in every year after that until I retire. I believe that Disability specific knowledge is the more

important essential skill in APE. I believe this because a general physical education ca be taught

behavior management interventions however the ability to make modifications to any activity

and to know what is contraindicated for every student is what Adapted Physical Education

Specialists are most known for.

During my studies I have always believed that behavior management is the most

important essential skill, however throughout this semester that has changed. While I still think it
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is a major skill and is vital to thriving as an APE teacher I think that what sets us apart from a

general PE teacher is our knowledge about students with disabilities and our ability to work with

them successfully. My future teacher endeavor goals are to always continue to learn by

subscribing to various journals, stay connected to the teachers pay teachers website to continue

to be inspired by different thematics and activities and to attend the National Adapted Physical

Education Conference every year or at least every other year.

Summary

In summary, all of the skills discussed above are important aspects of working in this

field. Content knowledge is important when developing lessons and objectives that teach to each

of the 3 learning domains. Disability specific knowledge is important in terms of providing not

only a safe environment for your students but also a quality service to which each students is

benefitting from. Assessments are important in determining placement and evaluating

improvement. Behavior management can make or break your experience as an APE teacher, it is

important to establish class rules and routines. Collaboration and advocacy is a vital aspect of

working with student who have disabilities because sharing information with other professionals

and family members will keep the expectations of the student consistent. Legal knowledge is

also important not only in making sure each student is receiving the services they deserve or

require but also in making sure you know you are following the law as IEP’s are legally binding

documents and should be taken seriously. Technological advances have made data tracking

easier and provide a motivational tool to use during class. Equipment allows for an APE teachers

creativity to shine as long as it is district approved. Cultural differences can be praised through

incorporating aspects of them into the curriculum. Finally, one should never stop growing and

making strides to better themselves.

References

n.d. (2000) Spina Bifida & Hydrocephalus Association of Canada. Latex Allergies Questions and

Answers. Retrieved on April 27, 2017 from http://www.sbhac.ca/pdf/Latex_Allergies.pdf

APENS (2017), Adapted Physical Education National Standards. What is Adapted Physical

Education. Retrieved on April 27, 2017 from https://www.apens.org/whatisape.html

Sherrill, C. (2004). Adapted physical activity, recreation, and sport: crossdisciplinary and

lifespan (6th ed.). Boston, Mass.: WCB/McGraw-Hill.

California State Board of Education (2005). Physical Education Model Content Standards for

Claiforna Public Schools Retrieved April 27, 2017 from

http://www.cde.ca.gov/be/st/ss/documents/pestandards.pdf

Lavay, B. (2017). Programming, Planning, and Instruction in APE. Department of Kinesiology,

California State University, Long Beach. Long Beach, California.

FAPE (2010) U.S> Department of Education. Free Appropriate Public Education for Students

with Disabilities; Requirements Under Section 504 of The Rehabilitation Act of 1973. Retrieved

on May 4, 2017 from https://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ocr/docs/edlite-FAPE504.html