Using sensory methods for researching disability in physical education

In this chapter we draw on our own experiences of undertaking sensory research with disabled athletes to demonstrate how multisensorial ways of knowing can help inform research practices, develop understandings of others, and contribute to professional practice in Physical Education (PE). We begin by conceptualising sensory research and its value in revealing the embodied and emplaced experience in disability and PE. We then identify important sensory methods that can be used in disability and PE, with a focus on what has been termed ‘sensory ethnography’ (Pink, 2015). We conclude by reflecting on how sensory research exposes and challenges ableism, legitimises the embodied experiences of disabled pupils, and enhances pedagogical practice for PE teachers working with disabled pupils.