APST Standard 4: Create and maintain supportive and safe learning environments

4.1 Support student participation

4.2 Manage classroom activities

During my participation in Health and Physical Education Studies, I was required to create inclusive lesson plans to implement the Australian curriculum, manage activities and support students’ participation.  I ensured my lesson aligned to the guidelines of Health and Physical education Curriculum as It is designed to provide ongoing, developmentally appropriate, and explicit learning about health and movement (ACHPER, 2018). The planned lesson aligned to the year three and four achievement standard, which states that Students apply fundamental movement skills and demonstrate movement concepts across a range of situations.

Throughout the lesson, I designed for the grade three students to participate in a range of games to continue to build on their fundamental movement skills of object control through catching and object control. The students were also to explore and develop intercultural understanding as they engage in Traditional Indigenous games (LINK). I employed a range of pedagogical approaches to ensure my teaching style would be inclusive and connect to the diverse learners.  The pedagogical practices and teaching styles I have incorporated are command, practice, and inquiry (LINK) (Miller, et.al, 2022)

During the body and conclusion of the lesson I planned for students to engage in Traditional Indigenous games. The first activity is Gorri (LINK) and it was implemented to not only assist students with their aiming ability but also work on their catching ability (ASC, 2023). During the conclusion of the lesson the students will play Kalkadoonkeean (LINK) as a warm down and will use the skills they have learnt and applied to this context however there is less strategy and less physical movement involved at the target in not moving and can be used as a cool down activity (ASC, 2023). Within my planned lesson, I included modifications for inclusion for all students to ensure I catered for the diverse learning needs (LINK). I allowed for students to be divided into different groups from their peers to allows new friendships to form and consequently build personal and social capabilities (ACARA, 2023). I allowed room for modifications to the rules of the games, like multiple attempts at aiming/throwing and moving targets closer or further cater for diverse needs. I allowed students to participate in other ways if they were not comfortable within the environment. They could also participate in different ways like blowing the whistle or rolling the ball. The lesson also has room for change through participating in the school hall for wheelchair access instead of the school oval. The equipment can also be adjusted to cater for diverse needs, lighter or heavier balls/beanbags can be used during the activity as well as moving of targets or using larger or smaller targets.

The result of these inclusive practices is full students’ participation through the implementation of activities where children feel welcomed and safe. When children do not feel accepted and safe, they will not have the capacity to learn (Mcleod, 2023). This connects to Maslow’s Hierarchy of needs level 2 safety and security and level 3, love and belonging (Mcleod, 2023).