Start Date
18-6-2025 5:00 PM
End Date
18-6-2025 6:30 PM
Abstract
The research is concerned with creating new opportunities to thrive within programmes of quality physical education (PE) in primary school (SDG4, Article 24) for children who are blind or visually impaired (BVI). The research questions are:
- What are the successes and challenges experienced by primary teachers when teaching PE to a child who is BVI within the mainstream primary school?
- What are the supports that children with BVI and their teachers require to enhance the learning experience of these children?
The long term aim is to identify universal supports to include children who are BVI in PE lessons in primary schools informed by literature (Stuart et al., 2006; L. J. Lieberman et al., 2006; Haegele & Porretta, 2015) and by the experiences of the research participants.
A qualitative methodology has been selected to address the research questions using semi-structured interviews (n=11) with primary teachers that probed their experience and practice related to including a child who is BVI in PE lessons and to identify any supports they need.
Initial findings indicate that while teachers were eager to include a child with BVI there are gaps in teachers’ knowledge related to how to include the child more meaningfully. Worryingly, they reported experiences of learners who are BVI frequently withdrawing from PE lessons.
Teachers would benefit from
- teaching with an individual who has experience with children who are BVI,
- access to videos of modified PE activities, and
- a support forum to provide year round advice.
Recommended Citation
Boylan, Niamh; Murphy, Frances Dr.; and McCauley Lambe, Sinéad Dr., "Supporting Teachers to Include a Child with Visual Impairment in the PE lesson" (2025). International Symposium of Adapted Physical Activity and International Symposium on Physical Activity and Visual Impairment and Deafblindness. 57.
https://sword.mtu.ie/isapa/2025/day3/57
Supporting Teachers to Include a Child with Visual Impairment in the PE lesson
The research is concerned with creating new opportunities to thrive within programmes of quality physical education (PE) in primary school (SDG4, Article 24) for children who are blind or visually impaired (BVI). The research questions are:
- What are the successes and challenges experienced by primary teachers when teaching PE to a child who is BVI within the mainstream primary school?
- What are the supports that children with BVI and their teachers require to enhance the learning experience of these children?
The long term aim is to identify universal supports to include children who are BVI in PE lessons in primary schools informed by literature (Stuart et al., 2006; L. J. Lieberman et al., 2006; Haegele & Porretta, 2015) and by the experiences of the research participants.
A qualitative methodology has been selected to address the research questions using semi-structured interviews (n=11) with primary teachers that probed their experience and practice related to including a child who is BVI in PE lessons and to identify any supports they need.
Initial findings indicate that while teachers were eager to include a child with BVI there are gaps in teachers’ knowledge related to how to include the child more meaningfully. Worryingly, they reported experiences of learners who are BVI frequently withdrawing from PE lessons.
Teachers would benefit from
- teaching with an individual who has experience with children who are BVI,
- access to videos of modified PE activities, and
- a support forum to provide year round advice.