Wednesday, July 10, 2013

Culture and Adapted Physical Education


Collaboration and Culture

            America’s classrooms are becoming increasingly diverse.  Each child’s culture has a significant influence in determining the children’s identity and frame of reference.  It is essential to provide an environment in which all cultures can succeed.   The National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) defines culture as “… the customary beliefs and patterns of behavior, both explicit and implicit, that are influenced by the society- or by a social, religious, or ethnic group within the society-in its members.  
           Studies have shown that Hispanic families are not as familiar with APE services as Caucasian families.  Parental expectations among Hispanic parents were similar to Caucasian parents, but the preferences for modes of communication and information are different.  Many culturally diverse families traditionally defer to educators and allow them to make decisions that many believe should be made through a collaboration process.  This is likely due to there lack of confidence in language.  Trained translators are recommended. 
An article analyzing culture and its influence on children with severe and multiple disabilities.  The research shows that familiar food, music, and customs are important for them as they provide a link between home and school. Unfortunately, many children with multiple or severe physical disabilities, and with communication deficits, may not be able to effectively convey their prior cultural experiences and knowledge. All students regardless of disabilitiy should be taught within the context of their own cultural heritage, and their families should be an integral part of the IEP team.  This will cause these students to be dependent upon teacher and their families to be cultural mediators. The challenge then is to find common ground to maximize the educational potential.  

Having diverse heritages is a seen as a positive attribute to classroom.  Three things to consider when having multiple cultures in a classroom.   

1. Teachers must know and understand how culture impacts their own lives before they can become responsive to children and families from diverse backgrounds.
2.  Teachers begin to match children’s learning style
with teaching style.
3. Teachers recognize that language plays a major
role in the instructional process. Teachers are sensitive to the effect of language
differences on children’s responsiveness to teaching and learning.

Physical Activity: A recent survey suggests that the USA male and female participants take part in sports and physical activities mainly for competition and improving skills.   

Having a safe class environment for all different religions, cultures, and sexual beliefs need to be respected and safe in all aspects.  No two people are alike.  The world is a giant melting pot of differences and people need to be respected regardless of your own beliefs.  All students are still children and all students need allies.
            Culture is a huge factor in many people’s lives.  Incorporating the family’s cultural beliefs are important for a cohesive team to have success for the child.  Some laws in other countries are not the same as in the United States.  If you have a Hispanic family that does not know the teacher for their student, they may be apprehensive to give information.  Calling them or sending them a letter describing what APE is about and what the services are will be beneficial for the family in the long run, even if the language barrier is there.
           Students who are deaf or hard-of-hearing have the right and deserve to learn the same curriculum as their hearing peers.  Deaf culture is a very strong group of people.  Learning American Sign Language as a teacher or using other visual aids will help not only the student who is deaf, but probably other students as well.  Talking about differences in people, like doing the Disability Awareness Week, could not only help you as the teacher learns, but letting other students learn that it’s not a scary thing.  Using peer tutors for students of any ability level is also beneficial.  They then have the opportunity to work with a partner and can give feedback to each other.  With a student who is deaf, they may need more time with their partner; they can have the use of the interpreter and use written or visual cues. 
            Samoan families have been raised through generations and are very strong in culture.  Teachers need to be aware of their upbringings.   A lot of teachers want students to look at them if they are talking to each other.  When a Pasifika (Pacific Island peoples in New Zealand) child is being reprimanded, they show their respect to their elders by bowing their heads.   Having a child brought up this way, then having a teacher to look at them, might be confusing for that child. Pacific Islanders take great pride in their culture and language.  Incorporating others cultures into your class can help and also asking parents to collaborate with ideas from their culture for ideas.
            Respecting the beliefs and knowing the differences between fact and fiction is crucial for educators.  Modifying clothes for certain cultures would be ideal for some cultures.  Wearing shorts under dress or finding a place for students that pray 5 times a day, finding a safe, quiet place for them to do that is important.  One of the Pillars of Islam is Ramadan where adults (13 years old) fast from sun up to sun down.      They cannot eat or drink during this time.  Making students run on a hot day where they cannot drink water could put them in danger as well as the teacher themselves.   
            Many lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) students are bullied, as are other students, but there are many that end up committing suicide because of the bullying.  For many students in the LGBT community, they still feel they are not accepted by either friends or family around them.   At the beginning of the year in class, you can state what is appropriate and not appropriate  language to use that are offending to people of the LGBT community and people in general.   This goes for religions and slang that are derogatory to people in life.


References

-Communicating with Hispanic Parents of Children with and without Disabilities
Journal of Physical Education, Recreation & Dance
Luis Columna  , Terry A. Senne  & Rebecca Lytle

-Ensuring the Success of Deaf Students in Inclusive Physical Education
Journal of Physical Education, Recreation & Dance
Jessica L. Schultz  , Lauren J. Lieberman  , M. Kathleen Ellis  & Linda C. Hilgenbrinck

-Additive bilingual education: Unlocking the culture of silence
Patisepa Tuafuti
MAI Review, 2010, 1

“So, You're a Muslim? (Not That There's Anything Wrong With That)”
Journal of Physical Education, Recreation & Dance
Debra A. Ballinger
Best Practices

-Creating an LGBT-inclusive School Climate
A Teaching Tolerance Guide for School Leaders
TEACHING TOLERANCE

Exploring teaching practices in physical education with culturally diverse classes: a cross-cultural study Symeon Dagkas*University of Birmingham European Journal of Teacher Education Vol. 30, No. 4, November 2007, pp. 431–443


Inclusion in Physical Education: Changing the Culture APRIL TRIPP TERRY L. RIZZO LINDA WEBBERT.  JOPERD • Volume 78 No. 2 • February 2007

CULTURALLY RESPONSIVE INSTRUCTION FOR STUDENTS WITH MULTIPLE OR SEVERE PHYSICAL IMPAIRMENTS
BLANCHE JACKSON GLIMPS Tennessee State University THERON FORD
John Carroll University.

Parental Acceptance-Rejection:Theory, Methods, Cross-Cultural  Evidence, and ImplicationsRONALD P. ROHNER ABDUL KHALEQUEDAVID E. COURNOYER
Volume 33, Issue 3, Article first published online: 3 JAN 2008




1 comment:

  1. Hey Rick! Your paper turned out really well. It looks like you and your partner worked hard on it. I really enjoyed looking around your blog, this is definitely a resource I would use as an APE Teacher.

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