'Seeing clearly now.' Teacher preparation and continuing professional development for including children with visual impairment in physical education

As recently as 2018, Alves, Haegele and Duarte revealed that teachers’ did not see PE as a viable subject for visually impaired (VI) children! But what does this mean for elementary (primary) aged children? Should they be left on the side and excluded?

Both authors of this paper are disabled and the lead researcher is visually impaired. The aim of this paper is to challenge the suggested ‘status quo’ (from 3 years ago) and to explore how adaptive strategies can allow others to ‘open their eyes’ to teaching children with VI more effectively and inclusively.
The research examines how teachers within one case study school developed their confidence and competence through the training of how to use 6 strategies:
• Physical guidance
• Tactile modelling
• Altering and modifying equipment (sighted guides for Daily Mile, guide wires, tethers and sound sources)
• Verbalising instructions
• Space identification (perimeter search, or tactile map)
• Changing rules.

The paper discusses the improvements in teachers’ confidence levels in using the adaptive strategies. The teachers recognised that a ‘few adjustments could make all the difference’. The paper shares recommendations of more adaptive strategies to be included in teacher preparation and CPD to enable children with VI to learn in PE.