ISTE 2017 Coverage

School Specialty Offers New Inclusive Physical Education Resources

• By Leila Meyer
• 06/29/17

School Specialty has recently added new resources to its Sportime featuring SPARK line of physical education equipment and curriculum. The new resources include the SPARK Inclusive PE Guidebook, Sportime Inclusive PE Starter Pack, Inclusive PE Specialty Workshop and Project IGNITE! online resources.

The SPARK Inclusive PE Guidebook is designed for teachers of general physical education classes that include students with disabilities. The book is available in print or digital format and includes 24 sample SPARK lesson plans and 14 skill-building activities, as well as suggestions for modifying and adapting them for students with disabilities. It also provides a brief introduction to 12 categories of disability, including information about how students with those disabilities learn best. Teachers can use the guidebook on its own or together with a SPARK program.

The Sportime Inclusive PE Starter Pack is a selection of physical education equipment designed for students with disabilities. It includes a variety of tactile and bell balls, a pop-up target, foam noodles, juggling scarves, jingle bracelets, directional arrows, numbered spot markers, CatchPads, a lightweight exercise band and a Califone hearing protector. It also includes the SPARK Inclusive PE Guidebook.

The Inclusive PE Specialty Workshop is a half or full-day onsite workshop that teaches participants how to modify lesson plans for specific disabilities. The workshop covers strategies for creating an inclusive environment, adapting activities and equipment, and accommodating students during skill-based instruction.

The Project IGNITE! platform is an online resource for administrators, physical education teachers, university professors and pre-service teachers. It includes SPARK lesson checklists, a best practices document on the components of effective teaching, and a crowd-sourced and vetted video library.

Further information about these inclusive PE resources can be found on the Sportime featuring SPARK site.