Re-theorising inclusion and reframing inclusive practice in physical education

Abstract

Inclusion remains a key political agenda for education internationally and is a matter that teachers across subject communities and phases of education are challenged to respond to. In physical education specifically, research continues to highlight that current practice often reaffirms rather than challenges established inequities. This paper critically explores the understandings of inclusion that contribute to this situation and addresses the challenge of advancing inclusion in physical education from conceptual and pedagogical viewpoints. DeLuca's [(2013). "Toward an Interdisciplinary Framework for Educational Inclusivity." Canadian Journal of Education 36 (1): 305-348] conceptualisation of normative, integrative, dialogical and transgressive approaches to inclusion is employed as a basis for critical analysis of current practice and for thinking afresh about inclusive practice in physical education in relation to curriculum, pedagogy and assessment. Analysis informs the presentation of a set of principles that are designed to assist teachers and teacher educators to transform inclusive practice in physical education and in doing so, realise visions for physical education that are articulated in international policy guidelines and contemporary curriculum developments.

What is the problem? Dis/ability in Swedish physical education teacher education syllabi

“…There is a need for a more fundamental change in PE and, accordingly, in PETE (Fitzgerald, 2005;Penney et al, 2018). It has been suggested that PETE should be informed by a social model perspective (Brittain, 2004;Lee, 2011).…”

“…One way of thinking differently about the problem (Bacchi, 2009) is to take cripistemologies (Johnson & McRuer, 2014) as a point of departure in shaping a new kind of PE, using the differences of bodies and minds as a source of knowledge (Lee, 2011). This would include a dismantling of ableism and 'an appreciation that there are many different ways of moving, being healthy and physically active and a commitment to this diversity being reflected in curriculum' (Penney et al, 2018(Penney et al, , p. 1071. As Slee (2018) highlights: 'difference is the normal condition of humankind' (p. 51); most people do not belong to the strict categories of disabled or able-bodied but are situated somewhere in between (Campbell, 2012).…”

“…As also shown in the introduction to this article, 'the gaps between policy and its enactment are many, complex and troubled' (Dowling et al, 2015(Dowling et al, , pp. 1038(Dowling et al, -1039; see also Penney et al, 2018).…”

What sort of ‘inclusion’ is Continuing Professional Development promoting? An investigation of a national CPD programme for inclusive physical education

“…In many courses observed a prevailing assumption was that 'if one is involved, one will learn' (Thomas 2013, 483) (i.e. will develop motor skills) without much elaboration on the content and purpose of the PE curriculum, which researchers often portray as gendered, culturally specific and narrowly conceived (Penney et al 2018). In the context of seeking to support individual learning progress, the most powerful approach was differentiated instruction.…”

“…Multiple interpretations of inclusion, alongside a lack of knowledge and research on what inclusive PE looks like in practice (Fitzgerald 2012) are important issues that this research sought to respond to. Following Penney et al (2018), we point to the merit of DeLuca's (2013) framework, comprising four approaches to inclusionnormative, integrative, dialogical and transgressiveas a means of articulating the complexity and diversity of approaches that are variously positioned as 'inclusive'.…”