Enhancing Lessons to Boost Participation!

Dec 23, 2024

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Kas

In education, we often use terms like modification, scaffolding, adjustment, and accessible entry points—and the list goes on. These are all valuable terms and crucial aspects of being a quality educator—one who empowers all students to succeed, no matter their abilities.

But what do these terms really mean?

Without delving too deep into technical jargon—after all, as the saying goes, “there’s more than one way to skin a cat”—there are numerous ways to modify lessons to ensure all students can participate. This is especially important in practical subjects like physical education, where students come with varying levels of prior knowledge, personal skills, experiences outside the school setting, and differing levels of confidence and biological factors (such as height, weight, physical impairments, intellectual needs, etc.).

To effectively modify your lessons, you need to make specific adjustments based on the individual students in your class. There’s little value in making broad, generalised changes when some students have very specific needs. So, the first step in doing this effectively is to get to know your students—understanding their strengths, challenges, and individual needs.

This article won’t focus on specific modifications but will offer some general ideas to help you adjust your lessons in ways that ensure all students are engaged, participating, and learning, while also growing in skill and confidence.

When we modify a lesson, we’re making adjustments to the tasks that allow all students—regardless of their ability—to feel like they can contribute and participate to the same extent as their peers. These changes are designed not to exclude any students or make it obvious that some are still developing skills compared to others. Equally important, these modifications should not negatively impact students who don’t require them. Similarly, students who need to be extended or challenged should also be provided with higher-level objectives, as their abilities are more advanced, and they need stimulation to stay engaged and prevent boredom.

In essence, modifying your lessons means making thoughtful adjustments to meet the diverse abilities of your students. This ensures that everyone is able to learn and be appropriately challenged, based on their individual abilities and limitations.

Provide A Range Of Equipment

When teaching lessons, regardless of the sport, I always offer a variety of equipment for students to choose from. For example, if we’re playing T-ball, softball, or cricket, I’ll provide different types of bats—if they’re available—and place them near the batting area. When students are ready to strike, they can select a bat that best suits their needs. This approach gives students a sense of autonomy and allows them to take control over how they engage with the game. It also helps reduce anxiety before the task, as students have some control over the difficulty level by choosing equipment that aligns with their perceived ability.

This approach works both ways. For example, if we’ve been playing baseball with a foam bat or a plastic bat, a student might feel confident enough to try a metal bat. Allowing them to make that choice gives them a sense of progression and ownership over their learning experience.

Similarly, this can be applied to different types of balls. In tennis, for instance, I might offer lower compression balls, which bounce less and are less reactive than regular tennis balls. These balls slow the game down, allowing students to focus more on technique and body positioning rather than just reacting quickly to strike the ball. A similar strategy can be used in games like volleyball, where using a larger ball gives students a bigger target to strike, making the game more accessible.

Letting students select their own equipment also takes the pressure off you as the teacher. Sometimes, a student may feel ready to use a metal bat, but if the teacher recommends a different bat, it could unintentionally undermine their confidence. By allowing students to choose their equipment, they aren’t singled out in front of the class, and they can modify their experience without drawing attention to it. A student may select a different piece of equipment during the lesson without anyone noticing, enabling them to engage with the task in a way that feels right for them.

Additionally, I believe this approach helps students develop a deeper understanding of the game. By experiencing firsthand how different types of equipment affect gameplay, students can see how their abilities and the equipment they use influence their performance. This can lead to interesting discussions about the game and the factors that shape gameplay, fostering a more nuanced understanding of the sport and enhancing their overall learning experience.

Competitive Game and Social Game

In the last few years, I have dabbled with this teaching strategy at the beginning of my units if I sense a great deal of hesitation in some students, or if a class has a large skill discrepancy in the chosen topic.

An example of how I would use this strategy in a lesson is if I were teaching basketball. I would have two games happening at once. On one court, I would have a beginner/social game where students who are new to the sport or just want to play for fun can participate. On the other court, the more competitive students, or those who prefer a game with stricter rules, can play against each other.

This setup allows all students to feel comfortable and participate in the initial games of the topic in an environment that suits their needs. It also helps avoid issues during gameplay, such as when less-skilled players are on a team, preventing them from becoming frustrated with their teammates. At the same time, it allows less-skilled students to avoid feeling pressured or uncomfortable, as they’ll be playing with peers who are closer to their skill level.

It enables both groups of students to develop their skills at an appropriate pace while playing at a tempo that supports learning, fun, and engagement. If less-confident players are thrown into a game that’s too fast-paced and has a skill level that’s too high, they may be reluctant to get involved or try to maintain possession of the ball for fear of making mistakes or creating turnovers.

Please note that I only use this strategy when necessary. For the most part, if a game is introduced correctly and modified appropriately at the start, all students should be able to play together. More skilled students need to be able to support their teammates, regardless of ability, and display leadership, as would happen in any normal sporting game, inside or outside of school. Less-skilled students can develop their skills faster by observing and learning from more skilled students. Research suggests that students often learn as effectively—if not more so—from their peers as they do from their teacher, through both observation and peer support during games.

For the most part, you should aim to ensure all your students are participating together. A variety of skill levels is not detrimental to learning; in fact, it creates more learning opportunities for all students, not just in skill, but also tactically, socially, and emotionally. This is just one of many tools you can use when teaching sports and activities.

Small sided Games / Have multiple games happening at the same time (different rule sets)

Touching on the concept of social and competitive games, another great teaching tool is having different games happening at once, each with slightly different rules.

For example, using the basketball example again: You could have three games playing at the same time

  • Game 1: No dribbling—only passing
  • Game 2: Every player on the team must touch the ball before the team can try to score
  • Game 3: Normal rules

Here, you have three games that focus on different aspects of the game, depending on the needs and abilities of the students.

Game 1: Is for students who are fairly new to the game, allowing them to focus on a few key skills, such as passing, rather than all the skills needed to play basketball (like dribbling). This game is great for less-confident students, as it reduces the complexity of the game, making it less overwhelming and more focused on developing a fundamental skill.

Game 2: Also focuses on passing but allows dribbling and forces all students to work asa team. This prevents one or two students from dominating the game, as every player needs to move and actively participate in order for the team to succeed. No one can slack off.

Game 3: Follows the full rules for more confident players who are ready for a more challenging experience.

This setup provides different entry points for learners. Students can rotate between the courts after each game, giving them new challenges to overcome with their teammates. This encourages the development of new strategies and skills, offering more variety in their games, greater challenges, and more opportunities for success.

Summary

These are a few methods I use to modify and scaffold lessons for students’ success. These are protocols you can implement yourself and of course modify and change to meet the needs of your students. These modifications don’t need to only be used in a practical P.E lessons but the same underlying principles can be applied to a wide range of other activities and subject areas.

Evidence that supports modifying your lessons!

  • Improves Learning Outcomes: Differentiated instruction, which tailors content and teaching methods to students’ needs, significantly enhances academic performance. Studies show that when lessons are adjusted to suit diverse learning styles, students demonstrate better retention and understanding (Tomlinson, 2001).
  • Promotes Equity and Inclusion: Modifying lessons ensures all students, including those with disabilities and English language learners, have equal access to learning. Research highlights that inclusive practices improve achievement for marginalized groups, closing achievement gaps (Skerrett, 2016).
  • Boosts Engagement and Motivation: Adapting lessons to students’ interests and learning preferences increases engagement and intrinsic motivation. According to self-determination theory, providing choice and varying instructional strategies fosters greater participation and positive attitudes toward learning (Deci & Ryan, 2000).

Helpful Resources:

Sources

  • Tomlinson, C. A. (2001). How to differentiate instruction in mixed-ability classrooms. ASCD.
  • Skerrett, A. (2016). Transforming literacy instruction for English learners. International Reading Association.
  • Deci, E. L., & Ryan, R. M. (2000). The “what” and “why” of goal pursuits: Human needs and the self-determination of behavior. Psychological Inquiry, 11(4), 227–268.