Newsletter

#AdaptedPE Newsletter 17 (Week of 12/9/2024)

Matt Barker (Digit the APE)
Matt Barker (Digit the APE)
11 Min Read

Welcome to the #AdaptedPE Newsletter!

Your weekly source for innovative teaching strategies, tools, and trends in Adapted Physical Education. From engaging activities to equipment recommendations and professional development, we’re here to help you make a positive impact on students of all abilities. Stay inspired, informed, and connected all year long—subscribe today!

Contents

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Proudly Co-Edited with Students from CSULB!

This newsletter was thoughtfully curated in collaboration with California State University, Long Beach (CSULB) and its dedicated Adapted Physical Education graduate students. Through this partnership, the newsletter brings together innovative ideas, research insights, and practical resources, all aimed at supporting educators in fostering inclusive and impactful learning environments. The collaboration ensures a blend of academic expertise and hands-on experience, highlighting the commitment of these future professionals to advancing the field of Adapted PE.

This weeks Newsletter Collaborators: Nicholas Rahe, Sam Wogulis, Greg Bommarito. Thank you!

✨🌟 Teacher Spotlight 🌟✨

Each week, we highlight an inspiring educator in Adapted PE, showcasing their strategies, successes, and impact on students

Kendra Creed: A Model of Communication and Connection

“As a Project CAPE scholar at CSU Long Beach, we have the privilege of learning from some of the best APE teachers in Southern California. This past month, we had the opportunity to observe Kendra Creed from Downey Unified School District. What stands out about her teaching is how wonderfully she communicates with her students and brings out their best. Her love for her students and her desire for them to reach their fullest potential is truly inspiring. I’m excited for the upcoming semester as she will be my master teacher during my student teaching, and I look forward to learning as much as possible from her expertise.” – Greg Bommarito

📰✨ Adapted PE News ✨📰

Stay informed with the latest news, professional development opportunities, and research

What’s New In Adapted Physical Education

Creating Assistive Technology in APE with Nicole McCoy

This week, we’re highlighting an inspiring episode from What’s New in Adapted Physical Education, featuring Nicole McCoy, an APE teacher from Lancaster, Pennsylvania. Nicole shares how she integrates innovative assistive technologies, such as switch-activated devices and adaptive sports equipment, to empower her students. By collaborating with high school robotics and building trades classes, she’s developed creative solutions that enable meaningful participation and independence in physical activities. Her work exemplifies the transformative potential of assistive technology in APE and serves as a call to action for educators to embrace collaboration and ingenuity in breaking down barriers for students with disabilities.

Research Insights

Inclusion in PE: Insights from Students with Orthopedic Impairments
Read the article here
The study Everybody Wants to be Included by Drs. Katherine Holland, Justin A. Haegele, Xihe Zhu, and Jonna Bobzien (2023) examines how students with orthopedic impairments perceive inclusion strategies in physical education (PE). Using written prompts, semi-structured interviews, and reflective notes from six participants aged 10 to 14, researchers identified four main themes: embarrassment from support, reluctance to be seen as different due to equipment modifications, a desire for autonomy, and discomfort in discussing disabilities. While inclusive strategies aim to foster belonging, they can also result in mixed feelings, sometimes enhancing inclusion but also contributing to marginalization. The authors suggest tailoring approaches to each student’s unique needs to achieve meaningful inclusion.

Assistive Technology in Action

Switch Adaptation for Engagement in PE

Assistive technology enhances inclusion by supporting students with disabilities in physical education. This YouTube video by Blake Higley showcases how adaptable switches can be modified for an APE setting. Using a switch, floor fan, control unit, and extension cord, Blake demonstrates how a simple setup can provide engaging activities for students. Pressing the switch activates a fan that launches a colored scarf into the air for students to catch, with customizable durations. This is an excellent example of how assistive technology promotes motor skills and self-esteem.

Communication and Visual Tools

Custom Visuals with LessonPix


Explore LessonPix here
Visual aids are essential in APE, enhancing learning and communication. LessonPix provides resources for creating schedules, token reward systems, visuals, “Ask for” cards, and more. This user-friendly platform offers a wide range of ready-made visuals and allows users to request custom designs. Best of all, it’s free and includes tutorial videos for easy use. For teachers looking to create a more structured and supportive learning environment, LessonPix is a fantastic resource.

Affective SEL Resources

Cooperative Games for Social-Emotional Learning
Discover activities on Playworks
Teaching in the affective domain is crucial for fostering social and emotional growth. Playworks offers over 150 free cooperative games that help students work together toward shared goals. Each activity includes detailed goals and variations to adapt for different age groups. These games are an excellent tool for promoting teamwork and building social-emotional skills in APE classes.

Follow for Inspiration

@musser_ape on Instagram
Follow Danielle Musser here
Danielle Musser’s Instagram account dives into the world of APE with innovative techniques, adaptive exercises, and success stories that showcase inclusivity in fitness. Whether you’re an educator, fitness enthusiast, or advocate for adaptive sports, her content provides invaluable insights and celebrates progress over perfection.

Podcast Spotlight

What’s New in APE: Exploring UVA’s Master’s Program
Listen to the podcast here
In this episode of What’s New in APE, Dr. Martin Block, Director of the Kinesiology Program for Individuals with Disabilities at UVA, shares insights about their APE master’s program. Established with federal funding, the program emphasizes realistic, hands-on experiences to prepare effective APE professionals. Dr. Block discusses its long-standing partnerships with local school districts and its unique approach to meaningful relationships in APE.

📚🚀 Professional Development 🚀📚

Stay up to date with the latest workshops, training sessions, and resources designed to enhance your skills and knowledge in Adapted Physical Education. Explore opportunities for growth, learn new strategies, and connect with experts to continue improving your teaching and support for all students.

Learn at the ASHA Conference


Details about ASHA here
The American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA) is hosting a conference in Seattle, Washington, from December 5–7. While primarily for speech-language pathologists and audiologists, this event is valuable for APE teachers to learn about collaboration with IEP team members. Topics include core vocabulary, augmentative and alternative communication, and other communication methods. Attending this conference can help APE teachers discover new strategies for interprofessional practice and enhancing student outcomes.

2025 Adapted PE Conferences:

Conference NameDateLocationLink
National Adapted PE Conference (with CAHPERD)January 22-25, 2025Pasadena, CALink
Fairfax County’s Fourth Annual Adapted P.E. National ConferenceFebruary 2025 (Exact Date TBD)VIRTUALTBD
Colorado Adapted Physical Education ConferenceMay 18-20, 2025Mt. Princeton Hot Springs, COLink
JMU CTA Adapted PE ConferenceJune 23-27, 2025James Madison University, VALink
NCPEID Annual ConferenceJuly 14-16, 2025Hyatt Regency Crystal City at Reagan National Airport, Arlington, VALink
Minnesota Annual Adapted PE ConferenceOctober (Date TBD), 2025MinnesotaLink

APENS Study Group for CAPE Certification:

The study group uses gamification for review, rotating standards each month. Attendees will receive a Quizzizz for future study. The last remaining Fall semester dates is TODAY December 9, with sessions held at 5:30 pm PST / 8:30 pm EST. The group is hosted by CSU Long Beach Project CAPE and UW-LaCrosse Scholars.

Join via Zoom: https://csulb.zoom.us/j/85372672032.

🌟🤝 Support and Stay Connected 🤝🌟

Building a supportive community ensures we grow stronger together, sharing ideas and strategies that make Adapted PE inclusive for all. Staying connected keeps us inspired, informed, and united in creating positive change!

Help us continue providing valuable resources by purchasing some awesome Adapted PE merchandise! We’ve curated a collection of gear perfect for educators, fitness enthusiasts, and supporters of inclusive physical education. Every purchase goes a long way in keeping our site running and improving.

Check out the merch here.

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Thank you for taking the time to read our Adapted PE newsletter! Your dedication to creating inclusive and engaging physical education experiences is what makes our community so strong. We’re always looking to collaborate and would love to feature your innovative ideas and success stories in future editions. Together, we can continue to improve and inspire each other. Don’t forget to subscribe so you never miss an update, and let’s keep the conversation going!

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