Adapted Physical Education (APE)

Rural Settings

In rural settings, Physical Education is typically implemented by either a teaching assistant or classroom teacher with VERY minimal, if any, training in motor development. This section provides examples of rural case studies and suggested ideas to assist the teachers and teacher aides who are responsible for physical education in rural schools.

The NEED for teacher training in basic motor development and appropriate physical education activities is CRITICAL!

Download a printable version of the information found in this section (763K)

Activities

Incorporate activities that are related to the local culture and environment. Events from the Alaska Native Youth Olympics (NYO) are incorporated into many of the Alaska public schools' physical education classes. The Native Youth Olympics are a chance for Native youth, in the spirit of their ancestors, to gather and demonstrate their skills in traditional Native games.

		Activities from Native Youth Olympics with adaptations
		Scenarios from "bush"/ rural K-12 schools

Helpful tips

Use video or digital assessment as a consulting tool:

• Obtain permission to photo student
• E-mail digital photos or mail video footage of student’s motor ability level to:
  • Adapted Physical Education Specialist (if access to)
  • Physical Therapist
  • Occupational Therapist
• Digital or video images of special needs students sent to a consultant would be an excellent means of assessing and designing physical education programs in areas where access to specialists is little to none.

Explore collaborative programming between the physical therapist, occupational therapist, speech therapist, adapted physical education teacher and psychologist:

• Specialists need to collaborate on objectives which can be implemented throughout the students educational program. See example below: