1

Challenges and Strategies for Physical Education Teachers Working with Students on the
Autism Spectrum

Marcus Schollen
School of Education, Thompson Rivers University
Kamloops, BC

A capstone project submitted to Thompson Rivers University in partial fulfilment of the
requirements of the degree of Master of Education.

Presented Date: December 8th, 2022

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Abstract
The context of this paper is set within my learning journey as an educator and student in the
Master of Education program. During my career, I have taught Health and Physical Education to
many students, including those on the autism spectrum. My passion for both physical and
inclusive education has given me the insight and the desire to improve my practice. I have
noticed that some students on the autism spectrum do not participate fully in health and
physical education classes. Through my career, I have come to realize the importance of safe,
fun, and engaging physical education experience for all students. Teachers need to understand
autism spectrum disorder to teach students on the autism spectrum effectively. Designing and
implementing a variety of strategies creates effective and positive learning experiences. The
teacher’s educational philosophy centered on an ethic of care and inclusive practices, further
enables the social, emotional, and physical growth of all students. Teachers have a significant
responsibility to create a positive, caring, and inclusive learning environment to fully support
the social, emotional, and physical development of their students on the autism spectrum.
Social and emotional skills are tightly linked to the learning and physical development of
students in physical education class. This paper is written for educators who want to create
inclusive, caring, and positive educational environments, starting with their own philosophy of
education, curriculum, strategies, and interventions to allow for students’ success. Creating
intentional and meaningful learning environments will allow for the growth and development
of all students, including those on the autism spectrum.
Keywords: Autism spectrum disorder, inclusive, physical education, educational philosophy,
social and emotional skills

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Chapter 1: Introduction
My Learning Journey
Personal Experiences and my Philosophy of Education
Development of my Topic
Presenting My Argument
Summary
Chapter 2: Literature Review
Autism spectrum disorder overview
Challenges in Health and Physical Education
Teacher Roles and Responsibilities for Creating Positive Learning Environments to Promote
Strategies and Applications of Literature into Teaching Practice

Chapter 3: Application in Teacher Setting
Experiences in My Teaching Career
The context
The setting
The challenges and strategies
Provoking teachers in Physical Education
Chapter 4: Conclusion
Summary
Implications
References

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Chapter 1: Introduction
My Learning Journey
The context of this paper is set within my learning journey as an educator and student in
the Master of Education program. Over the past six years, I have taught Health and Physical
Education to many students, including those with a variety of additional needs. I have
experienced a variety of challenges, tried multiple strategies, and seen various levels of success
in my practice. These experiences have driven my passion for both physical and inclusive
education. They have given me the insight and the desire to improve my practice, ensuring I
meet the needs of all my students. Reading literature and completing a variety of courses
during my Master of Education has impacted my learning and professional journey. History and
philosophy of education had a significant impact on solidifying my educational philosophy and
driving my paper towards inclusive education. Research methods allowed me to review
literature around autism spectrum disorder in the physical education setting. My learning
journey has connected directly to my personal practice and educational philosophy. Creating a
deep desire to learn how to improve my practice through literature review, coursework, and
professional development.
Personal Experiences and my Philosophy of Education
Throughout my time as a teacher, I have noticed that some students on the autism
spectrum do not participate fully in health and physical education classes. I have observed that
students on the autism spectrum go through many challenges in this stimulating and fast paced
environment. Through my experiences, I have come to realize the importance of safe, fun, and
engaging physical education for students on the autism spectrum. However, in addition to

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student challenges, teachers are faced with many struggles simultaneously. Teachers are
required to develop a sound teaching philosophy, passion, and ethic to create relationships,
structures, and educational environments to allow their students to thrive. The educational
philosophy of an ethic of care and inclusive practices allow for student social and emotional
development during their educational journey. Teachers have a significant responsibility to
create a positive, caring, and inclusive learning environment to fully support the social,
emotional, and physical development of their students. The development and implementation
of nurturing and caring learning environments creates an atmosphere for student success,
particularly for those on the autism spectrum. Additionally, inclusive environments allow for
the maturing of social and emotional skills, critical for achieving personal classroom goals.
Social and emotional skills are tightly linked to the learning and physical development of
students in physical education class. This paper is set within the ideas that if we want to create
inclusive, caring, and positive educational environments, we must start with our own
philosophy of education, and develop curriculum, strategies, and interventions to allow for
students’ success. Creating these learning environments will permit for the growth and
development of all students, particularly those on the autism spectrum. My educational
philosophy and teaching experiences led me to developing a passion for students on the autism
spectrum. This, and my passion for physical education created a desire to further educate
myself in these areas.
Development of my Topic
Throughout my learning journey, many courses and articles have emphasized the
importance of inclusive and caring education. In this paper, I will argue for this pedagogical

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philosophy for a variety of reasons. Notably, about 83% of students with autism spectrum
disorders (ASD) struggle with age-appropriate motor tasks, which becomes the barrier for them
to reach the physical education curriculum (Ruggeri et al., 2020). Further studies have noted
that social and emotional learning (SEL) competencies, such as relationship skills and selfregulation, taught in the classroom are associated with positive outcomes for youth and have
been shown to translate to other settings (Wright et al., 2021). Social and emotional skills (SEL)
are imperative learning goals for all students, particularly those with autism spectrum disorder.
Several studies have demonstrated that social-communicative behaviour deficits can negatively
impact several development aspects, including emotions, peer relationship and overall quality
of life (Lee & Vargo, 2017). Students with ASD could learn a variety of social skills with the
correct instructional modifications and parameters in place. Educators could focus activities to
increase social-communicative behaviours by providing the students opportunities for proper
introductions and goodbyes, working collaboratively during activities, developing leadership
opportunities, and giving feedback to one another’s performance (Lee & Vargo, 2017).
Although these learning objectives are clearly important, how are we meant implement these
practices? Who is responsible for ensuring that we have a safe and inclusive educational
setting? These questions guided my thinking and learning journey, fueling my desire to learn
and develop my argument for this paper. Furthermore, the development of this topic has
additionally influenced my daily educational practice.
Presenting My Argument
Although there could be a variety of solutions and contentions to these questions, my paper
argues that the implementation of a caring and inclusive educational practice is the

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responsibility of the physical educator. The onus is on the teacher to ensure they are creating
inclusive and caring teaching environments to provide students on the autism spectrum an
enriching physical, social and emotional educational experience. The physical educator should
work in conjunction with the classroom and learning resource teachers, the parents or
guardians and the student, to develop positive relationships and successful physical education
experiences for students on the autism spectrum.
Summary
This paper will begin with a literature review on inclusive education in the health and
physical education class. It will explain autism spectrum disorder and a variety of challenges
faced by students and teachers in health and physical education class. These challenges will be
presented from both the educator and student perspective, and include self-regulation, social
and emotional skills, and gross motor challenges. Next, the paper will discuss teacher roles,
ethics, and responsibilities for creating inclusive educational classrooms. From there, a variety
of strategies, experiences and suggestions will be written to promote teacher efficacy and
interest in this important pedagogical area. Finally, the paper will conclude with a summary and
the implications of my learning, with suggestions for further study.
Chapter 2: Literature Review
Autism spectrum disorder overview
Autism spectrum disorders (ASD) is a neurological developmental disorder that affects
how people interact with others, behave, and communicate (U.S. Department of Health and
Human Services, (n.d.). Many of the challenges faced by students on the autism spectrum are
caused by neurological differences. For example, students on the autism spectrum may

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experience difficulties with social skills, verbal and nonverbal communication and may
demonstrate repetitive behaviours (Autism Speaks, (n.d.)). About 83% of students with autism
spectrum disorders struggle with age-appropriate motor tasks (Ruggeri et al., 2020). The
combination of motor, sensory and generalizing skills needed for success in physical education,
make gym class a problematic environment for neurodiverse students. Understanding ASD will
provide educators the opportunity to make the appropriate adaptations in physical education.
Offering appropriate adaptations and strategies, to meet the needs of students with ASD is
essential to creating an inclusive and dynamic educational environment for all students.
Without changes in practice, students with ASD will continue to have difficulty attaining ageappropriate gross motor skills and meeting their maximum ability in this curricular area.
Challenges in Health and Physical Education
The literature on the topic of supporting children with ASD in the physical education
classroom is limited. As the autism spectrum is diverse, the research around this subject is
extensive in a wide variety of areas but is restricted in the physical education setting. The
research examined discusses the causes of behavioural issues and the importance of
intervention and strategies to assist students with ASD in physical education. Social and
emotional learning competencies, such as relationship skills and self-regulation that are taught
in the classroom are associated with positive outcomes for youths. Additionally, they have been
shown to translate to other settings (Wright et al., 2021). When researching the literature
around autism spectrum disorder and social emotional learning, many articles examine a
variety of related areas, with implications for educators and researchers. The common research

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areas are understanding student behaviour, sensory and motor challenges, socialization, and
generalizing PE skills to other environments.
Teacher Roles and Responsibilities for Creating Caring and Inclusive Learning Environments to
Promote Learning for Students on the Autism Spectrum
Teachers are responsible for the well-being of their students and creating a positive sand
safe learning environment is critical for students on the autism spectrum. Nel Noddings wrote
of the importance of creating a safe and caring school environments, this permits the students
to feel a sense of belonging (Noddings, 2005). Students with ASD can struggle to connect with
their teachers, particularly if teachers do not create a safe environment and cultivate rapport
with them. Developing a genuine dialogue is one strategy suggested for creating a caring and
inclusive educational environment. Noddings continues suggesting, that the dialogue between
students and teachers is open-ended, genuine and neither party knows what the outcome of
the conversation will be (p.23). Furthermore, dialogue allows the teachers and students to
connect, develop and maintain caring relations over the course of the students’ educational
journey (Noddings, 2005). The continuity of physical education specialists can be utilized as an
excellent opportunity for relationship building between student and teacher, however further
study on the benefits of continuity between teacher and students on the autism spectrum is
needed.
School-based social interventions have been effective in improving social outcomes for
students with ASD in inclusive settings (Dean & Chang, 2021). Meaning that students on the
autism spectrum, greatly benefit from inclusive practice. Some indicators of student
achievement are greater participation, enjoyment, and improved motor skills. As educators, we

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have a responsibility to deepen our education around ASD and develop inclusive and caring
practices to benefit our students on the autism spectrum.
Strategies and Applications of Literature into Teaching Practice
Physical education is a challenging environment for students on the autism spectrum
and teacher practices can have a significant impact on the experience of those students. One
primary area of concern was reviewed by Lee and Haegele (2016). They wrote that physical
education is one of the most challenging educational contexts for students with ASD because of
considerable stimuli in the gymnasium. More than 90% of children with ASD possess hypohypersensitivity to sensory stimuli (Weiner & Grenier, 2020), leading to many challenges in
physical education class. Hypo-hypersensitivity is a significant issue in the gymnasium due to
the nature of physical education activities. Many sports, games, and activities are fast paced,
with loud noises and other external stimuli can greatly impact those with hypo-hypersensitivity.
Lee and Haegele (2016) write that sensory overload has a substantial impact on the learning of
students with ASD in physical education class. This can manifest into behavioural, social, or
motivational issues for the students, negatively impacting their relationship with physical
activity. To combat sensory overload, the teacher may use introductions to new environments
or equipment, maintaining noise levels within the gymnasium, and developing an
understanding of the different sensory inputs that could impact student attention or behaviour
(Lee & Haegele, 2016). These strategies are supported and added onto by Weiner and Grenier
(2020), as they provide knowledge on the impact of the sensory system on students with ASD
and offers strategies that can support them. Some suggestions involve using calming music and
voice during lessons, using visual supports, and providing a variety of seating options (Weiner &

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Grenier, 2020). These strategies noted good results for the staff and students involved in the
study. The literature on sensory input and challenges for students with ASD in physical
education contains many strategies to assist teachers and their students, however, this is only
one aspect of challenge for students with ASD in physical education class.
Children with ASD are known to have delays and deficits with gross motor skills (Case et
al., 2019), which may limit participation in the activities to support the development of ageappropriate social, communication, behavioural, and cognitive skills (Ruggeri et al., 2020).
These delays can impact on the student’s motivation to perform during gross motor assessment
activities, and motivation is an important part of an accurate assessment (Case et al., 2019).
Further understanding of the motivators and reasons for gross motor challenges is imperative
for working with students with ASD, to enable them to reach the goals of SEL in the physical
education setting. Without the foundation of motivation, students may not participate fully or
at their standard skill level (Case et al., 2019). Developing motivational strategies is imperative
for the child to feel success during motor skill assessments (Case et al.,2019). Some strategies
that allow the students to improve motivation are, incorporating student voice and choice and
utilizing student interest during assessments (Case et al., 2019). The articles provide some
framework for assisting students with ASD in transferring skills and developing motivation
through gross motor challenges. The findings of a 2017 study (Lee & Vargo) also found that
motor-skill delays may result in challenges related to physical activity participation, such as low
motivation, poor gait, and behaviour problems. Although suggestions are made to combat
these behaviours, Ruggeri et al., (2020), concluded that the overall quality of the evidence to
support specific motor skills outcomes for students with ASD is low. While evidence and studies

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are accumulating in number, more specific and rigorous protocols and research is required to
truly gain a deeper understanding of gross motor skills of students with ASD. In conjunction
with gross motor and sensory challenges, students with ASD also struggle with social and
emotional skills.
Social and emotional skills (SEL) are imperative learning goals for all students,
particularly those on the autism spectrum. Several studies have demonstrated that socialcommunicative behaviour deficits can negatively impact several development aspects, including
emotions, peer relationship and overall quality of life (Lee & Vargo, 2017). Evidence of, and
recommendations, for physical activity interventions for children with ASD exist; however, the
use of these interventions to develop social-communicative behaviours has been limited (Lee &
Vargo, 2017). Students with ASD could learn a variety of social skills with the correct
instructional modifications and parameters in place. Educators could focus activities to increase
social-communicative behaviours by providing the students opportunities for proper
introductions and goodbyes, working collaboratively during activities, developing leadership
opportunities, and give feedback to one another’s performance (Lee & Vargo, 2017). These
ideas fit closely with a 2019 article that suggests physical education is a great place to teach,
reinforce and practice these skills, particularly through the inherent structure of cooperative
learning (Grenier & Yeaton). This facilitated structure of cooperative learning is naturally
conducive for practicing and developing social and emotional skills. Furthermore, the article
suggests that using cooperative learning strategies in physical education meant that students
with ASD relied less on the support of their paraprofessionals (Grenier & Yeaton, 2019).
Teaching good listening skills was vital for the success of the cooperative learning instructional

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strategy. This included, ensuring your body was facing the speaker, having their brain engaged,
focused, and listening “in the moment” (Grenier & Yeaton, 2019). These skills allowed the
students to engage in collaborative activities to complete assigned tasks. Therefore, a
movement-based social skills program can help children with ASD develop socialcommunicative behaviours through direction interactions with their peers (Lee & Vargo, 2017).
Additionally, there is a consensus that physical education can promote these skills and
generalize them to other settings (Wright et al., 2021). These skills are important for students
with ASD to develop and generalize across all learning and social activities, however, little
research has been conducted on strategies to generalize physical education skills for students
with ASD.
A 2019 article discusses one barrier to physical activity participation for children with
ASD is the difficulty in generalizing physical education skills learned in school into other
environments (Holland et al., 2019). Some of the reasons that students struggle to generalize
the physical education skills are, poor stimulus control, insufficient reinforcement, and poor
motivation (Holland et al., 2019). One suggestion for overcoming generalization struggles is to
assigned PE homework to students, allowing them to practice the skills in an environment
outside of class (Holland et al., 2019). Another common theme for success is active
communication with parents. One example of how this could be beneficial is that parents
should be made aware of the activities and skills developed in class, to reinforce the learning in
other settings (Holland et al., 2019). Generalizing motor skills is only one aspect of learning that
can be added to physical education, in addition, curriculum should focus on social and
emotional skills. Curriculum focused on social and emotional skills plays a significant role of the

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development of the child. Learning to generalize these skills from the classroom to physical
education and into daily life is crucial for students on the autism spectrum. These skills can
provide the students with improvements in all aspects of life. Significant impacts have been
shown in academic, social, emotional, and physical development, providing the students the
opportunity to thrive and generalize skills in all walks of life. While social and emotional skills
are believed to promote healthy development, academic success, and the ability to thrive in
society (Wright et al., 2021), further research and strategies are required to assist the involved
stakeholders.
Chapter 3: Application in Teacher Setting
Experiences in My Teaching Career
My educational journey has been centered around health and physical education. For
the past six years I have been teaching in a small elementary school in Vancouver. In this
context, I have taught Kindergarten to Grade Seven health and physical education. The students
come from a variety of backgrounds, including First Nations. Within my teaching experience, I
have taught a variety of students with additional needs, including those on the autism
spectrum. A gymnasium provides the perfect storm for students on the autism spectrum as it is
an area with high sensory input, gross-motor, and social and emotional challenges. I have
witnessed these challenges firsthand, and this made me think to myself, what am I doing
wrong? Why is my teaching causing behavioural issues with my students on the autism
spectrum? These questions led to my interest around developing teaching strategies to offset
the challenges of autism spectrum disorder in the physical education setting.
The Context and setting

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The context for the strategies I will be proposing is a single streamed, small,
independent elementary school. The school consists of 199 students and 25 staff members. The
school has a well-established sense of community, and the students are generally happy,
friendly, and capable. In addition, the school is located on Vancouver’s west side, which is
described as an upper-middle class socio-economic neighbourhood. Furthermore, we have
students from the Musqueam First Nation, who are all essential members of our thriving
community. The small nature of the school community allows for the creation of good working
relationships with staff, students, and parents. Creating and maintaining relationships allows
for deeper connection and understanding, allowing all parties to feel safe and comfortable in
the educational context. These relationships create a feeling of security and allow for the
teacher and student to understand each other through continuity and regular connections. This
allows me the opportunity to implement a variety of strategies to the challenges experienced
by my students on the autism spectrum. The school has a good sized, elementary school gym,
with ample materials and space for good teaching practice and student safety. In the next
section, I will discuss some of the challenges for my students on the autism spectrum and
strategies to rise above them.
Challenges and Strategies
Students on the autism spectrum can be faced with a multitude of adversity in physical
education class. One of the primary complications my students have faced is social and
emotional regulation in Physical Education class. Students on the autism spectrum have socialcommunicative behaviour deficits that can have a negative impact on their peer relationships
(Lee & Vargo, 2017). A strategy for overcoming emotional regulation is teaching the students to

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improve self-regulations through a social and emotional curriculum. Kuypers & Winner, 2021,
note that the Zones of Regulation is a framework and easy-to-use curriculum for teaching
students a variety of strategies for emotional and sensory self-management. The program uses
four colours to help students identify how they are feeling in each moment, as well as
strategies to support regulation (Kuypers & Winner, 2021). The strategies in the curriculum are
foundational for students’ learning, as emotional regulation allows them to thrive in a variety of
settings as they are emotional ready to learn. Having a self-regulation curriculum used across
the grades allows for continuity and consistency for students on the autism spectrum. This
consistency feeds through all learning channels in the school, from the classroom, specialist,
administrative team, and parents. This consistency is very effective as the students were able to
apply their learning of the curriculum, to a variety of settings in school. I found that using a selfregulation and emotional curriculum had significant positive impacts on the experience in
physical education for my students on the autism spectrum as they were able to understand
their emotions. Additionally, the staff noticed significant improvements of emotional regulation
in all settings of the school, including recess, music, and the classrooms. Self-regulation, social
and emotional skills are crucial teaching points for students on the autism spectrum. These
interventions have positive impacts on the experience and learning for students on the autism
spectrum as a natural understanding of emotion can be difficult for neurodiverse students.
While emotional regulation for students on the autism spectrum may be the first challenge to
overcome in physical education, using a self-regulation curriculum like The Zones of Regulation
by Kuypers & Winner, 2021, can lead to considerable success for students on the autism
spectrum. As emotional regulation is one of the primary concerns for physical educators while

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working with students on the autism spectrum, gross motor skills are also an area of
considerable challenge.
Children with ASD are known to have delays and deficits with gross motor skills (Case et
al., 2019), which may limit participation in the activities to support the development of ageappropriate social, communication, behavioural, and cognitive skills (Ruggeri et al., 2020).
These challenges can have significant impact on their participation, enjoyment, and selfregulation during physical education class. As educators, it is our responsibility to teach the
curriculum to our students and develop their gross motor skills to create physically literate
individuals. Students on the autism spectrum, may have challenges with gross motor and the
cognitive challenges of sport related skills. In my experience, there are a variety of strategies to
help my students on the autism spectrum rise above these adversities. The foundation for the
implementation of these supports is built upon the previous strategy of self-regulation and
social and emotional learning. Once the child on the autism spectrum, has learned selfregulation skills, developing gross motor skills becomes less difficult. In my experience, creating
a classroom environment where improvement and process over results, can help students
maintain motivation. Creating this environment occurs through the language and discussions I
have with my students. I spend ample time explaining that some skills can come more easily to
some students than others, and that is okay. We all learn different things at different paces. In
addition, my students are required to encourage, say positive comments, and support one
another in the gym. Creating a culture of learning and encouraging each other, allows the
students with gross motor challenges to feel supported and confident in their learning.
Teaching students to see mistakes as learning opportunities, rather than failure, is a key aspect

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to the physical education culture. These teaching strategies create an environment of safety
and comfort for the students. Then, once the culture is established, the students can become
coachable, meaning they are able to take feedback from a teacher, and apply it to their skill
development. In my experience, this mindset and classroom culture, allows students on the
autism spectrum to develop their gross motor skills more efficiently and effectively.
Encouraging the student to try their best, engage in the activity and develop physical literacy.
Finally, the teacher and/or paraprofessional need to spend extra time, teaching the skills to the
students who need support. Giving one on one support to those students, can create a stronger
relationship with the student and help to develop their skills more efficiently. These strategies
are not easily done, and require effort, time, and patience from educators. However, I found
that these strategies are essential for teaching physical education to students on the autism
spectrum.
Provoking teachers in Physical Education
Creating a safe and positive learning environment is the deepest core of my teaching
philosophy. This means, knowing my students on a personal level, developing relationships with
them, to create a safe place for their students to learn in. This ethic of care allows the students
to thrive in an environment where routines and expectations are known by both teacher and
student. When expectations are clear, the teachers are demonstrating care, and the students
feel comfort and stability. Nel Noddings, 2005, wrote that the singles biggest complaint heard
by students is that their teachers simply do not care. This is an alarming finding as feeling cared
for has a significant impact on the emotional and behavioural feeling and actions of students.
Creating an ethic of care is the greatest strategy a teacher can use to overcome challenges in

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the classroom, particularly for their most vulnerable students. One benchmark I use to see if my
practice is reaching all my students is to see the behavioral and physical progress of my
students who are on the autism spectrum. If students are struggling to learn a new skill, it is my
job to ensure they feel valued, and to help them learn the skill. Through the teaching of
emotional regulation, students can develop skills more easily as they get less frustrated and
continue to be motivated to learn. As physical educators, it is always easier to focus on the
students who are strong athletes, or who are better behaved. My philosophy is to emphasize
my practice on the students on the autism spectrum, and to focus on the growth of those
students. If those students can reach the physical education curriculum, then all students will.
Through many instances of trial and error. I have been able to apply an ethic of care, granting
my students on the autism spectrum a safe space to learn and grow with their peers.
The strategies written are designed to challenge and push physical educators to improve
their practice, provoke their thinking and instill a motivation and passion for teaching all
students in the physical education setting. As a fellow physical educator, I know the many
difficulties and pressures of this job. It is imperative that physical educators care for their
students. Designing programs, curriculum and lessons that enable their students to feel
confident and happy during physical education class. The development of these programs will
lead to lifelong athletic, social, and emotionally regulated people, who are valuable and caring
members of our society. The lessons students learn in physical education can be
transformational. If teachers design their teaching around these suggestions, students with
autism spectrum disorder will feel cared for, respected, and can thrive in these settings. The
onus is on the individual teacher, to adapt practices, move towards a well-rounded curriculum

20
and to develop an inclusive and caring learning community. The teacher should emphasize their
teaching practice to universally reach the needs of their students. Implementing strategies for
students on the autism spectrum, can universally benefit all students in physical education
class. What will you do to ensure all your students feel cared for, have a positive experience,
and become lifelong athletes?
Chapter 4: Conclusion
Summary
As I conclude this paper on the discussion of my academic experience, there may be
some queries. I am convinced that the onus is on the physical education teacher to ensure their
teaching practice meets the social, emotional, and physical needs of their students on the
autism spectrum. It is the responsibility of the teacher to adjust their philosophical, and
practical teaching methods to develop lessons and curriculum that evoke a feeling of
confidence and value to their students. Further enabling the students to feel successful,
develop skills and increase their participation in all physical education activities.
This paper outlines the challenges faced by students on the autism spectrum in physical
education class. In the first chapter, I discuss my personal experiences and educational journey
that has led me to developing this writing topic. The context of the paper is also written, so the
reader understands the setting and application of the information. Additionally in chapter one, I
present my topic and argument for discussion and the process this paper will take. In the
second chapter, an overview of autism spectrum disorder is presented. This summary creates a
baseline understanding of ASD and its mechanisms for the reader. Then, the challenges for
students on the autism spectrum in physical education class are discussed. These challenges are

21
supported through literature and my personal experiences. Next, the chapter presents
strategies and interventions for the teacher, to improve inclusion and the learning experience
for the students on the autism spectrum. Finally, in chapter three, a practical application is
provided through the lens of my learning and professional experiences. The three chapters
provide the reader with a clear understanding of the argument, the implications, and the
strategies to provide and inclusive and caring physical education class.
The strategies and applications provide the reader with the necessary tools to overcome
the difficulties experienced by both student and teacher in the physical education setting. This
paper provides a multitude of scholarly literature that reinforces the need for intervention and
good teaching practice for students on the autism spectrum. In addition, the literature and
application should provoke the readers interest in further study on this topic and the
application of the strategies, and implementation of an ethic of care for student learning.
The paper provides the reader the opportunity to understand, develop and implement
teaching methods for students on the autism spectrum. The development, rationale, and
explanation of the argument, leaves the reader with no qualms to overcome the challenges of
teaching students on the autism spectrum in the physical education setting. The paper puts the
responsibility on the individual teacher to effectively provide meaningful and adapted teaching
practice to promote inclusion and success in physical education for students on the autism
spectrum. This paper could change the perspectives, methods, and abilities of teachers in the
elementary physical education setting. Implementation of these methods would improve the
physical education experience for students on the autism spectrum, increasing inclusion and
participation.

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Implications
This paper acknowledges and supports the importance of developing physical education
teaching philosophies and practices that benefit students on the autism spectrum. This
argument poses significant questions for educators about their personal practice. Furthermore,
this paper could entice teachers to further research universal design for learning in their lessons
and unit planning, to reach their students on the autism spectrum. In addition, policy makers,
administrative teams, and educational consultants could look at the development of programs,
and curriculum to ensure the needs of all students are being met. Implementing an ethic of
care, universal design, and the discussed teaching strategies should be the foundation of
elementary education. Further allowing the next generation of students to have confidence,
success, and feel valued in their respective communities.
Additional research on autism spectrum disorder and implication for students in
physical education class is needed to ensure educators are informed on the best practices and
latest developments of research. More research on social and emotional learning, gross motor
challenges and behavioural interventions will provide educators with a better framework for
improving their practice. It is without any qualms, that the responsibility of physical education
teachers is to provide a safe, caring, and inclusive teaching environment to provide students on
the autism spectrum with a positive physical education experience.

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References
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gross motor-skill assessments. Journal of Physical Education, Recreation & Dance, 90(4),
32–38. https://doi.org/10.1080/07303084.2019.1568933
Dean, M., & Chang, Y.C. (2021). A Systematic Review of School-Based Social Skills Interventions
and Observed Social Outcomes for Students with Autism Spectrum Disorder in Inclusive
Settings. Autism: The International Journal of Research and Practice, 25(7), 1828-1843.
Holland, S. K., Holland, K., Haegele, J. A., & Alber-Morgan, S. R. (2019). Making It Stick:
Teaching Students with Autism to Generalize Physical Education Skills. Journal of
Physical Education, Recreation & Dance, 90(6), 32–39.
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